Contributing Guidelines¶

Thank you for your interest in improving The Lathe Mastery Wiki Book! Contributions are welcomed that enhance clarity, accuracy, or completeness.

How to Contribute¶

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b improve-threading-chapter)
Make your changes following our style guide
Run quality checks (see below)
Submit a pull request with clear description

Style Guide¶

Markdown Standards¶

Line length: Maximum 80 characters per line
Sentences: One sentence per line for complex paragraphs
Headings: Use ATX-style (#) only, never skip levels
Lists: Use - for unordered, 1. for ordered
Code blocks: Triple backticks with language identifier
Links: Prefer reference-style [text][ref] with definitions at end
Tables: Pad pipes with spaces, use alignment syntax
Whitespace: One blank line before/after major elements

Content Standards¶

Voice: Professional yet approachable, encouraging tone
Safety: Always include relevant safety warnings
Prerequisites: Clearly state required prior knowledge
Examples: Provide practical, tested examples
Cross-references: Link to related topics
Word limit: Keep sections under 1500 words

Frontmatter Requirements¶

Every content file must include:

---
title: "Descriptive Title"
author: Author Name
date: YYYY-MM-DD
version: X.Y.Z
tags: [relevant, keywords]
prerequisites: [chapter/section] or none
---

Quality Checks¶

Before submitting:

Markdown lint: markdownlint **/*.md (must pass with zero errors)
Spell check: Review for technical accuracy
Links: Verify all cross-references work
Code: Test any code examples
Prerequisites: Confirm listed dependencies

Types of Contributions¶

Content Improvements¶

Clarifying existing explanations
Adding missing safety warnings
Improving technical accuracy
Adding helpful diagrams/illustrations

New Sections¶

Fill gaps in existing chapters
Add advanced techniques
Create troubleshooting guides
Develop practice exercises

Corrections¶

Fix technical errors
Update outdated information
Correct typos or grammar
Improve clarity

Commit Messages¶

Use clear, descriptive commit messages:

fix: Correct feed rate calculation in Chapter 9
feat: Add section on thread pitch measurement
docs: Improve safety warnings for parting operations
style: Format tables in measurement chapter

Code of Conduct¶

Be respectful and constructive
Focus on improving the content
Welcome newcomers to machining
Share knowledge generously

Questions?¶

Open an issue with the question label if you need clarification.