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Contributing to JavaMem 🧠

Thanks for your interest in contributing! JavaMem is a browser-based Java memory visualizer built to correct the mental models that textbooks get wrong. Every contribution — big or small — helps developers learn better.

📌 Before You Start

  • Check the open issues to see what needs work
  • Issues labeled good first issue are great starting points if you're new to the project
  • If you want to work on something, comment on the issue first so we don't duplicate effort

🛠️ How to Set Up Locally

JavaMem has zero dependencies — no npm, no build step, no backend.

# 1. Fork the repo and clone it
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/JavaMem-Java-Memory-Visualizer.git

# 2. Open the file directly in your browser
open index.html   # macOS
start index.html  # Windows
xdg-open index.html  # Linux

That's it. Edit index.html, refresh the browser, see changes instantly.

🔄 Submitting a Pull Request

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a branch with a descriptive name: 
    git checkout -b fix/hashmap-bucket-rendering
git checkout -b feature/queue-visualization
  3. Make your changes in index.html
  4. Test manually — open in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari if possible
  5. Commit with a clear message: 
    git commit -m "fix: correct LinkedList node spacing on small screens"
git commit -m "feat: add Queue data structure visualization"
  6. Push and open a Pull Request against main

✅ PR Checklist

Before submitting, please make sure:

  • The visualizer renders correctly in a modern browser
  • No existing feature is broken
  • New syntax (if added) is documented in the README's Supported Syntax section
  • Code is readable — add a comment if something isn't obvious

💡 Types of Contributions Welcome

Type Examples
🐛 Bug fixes Rendering glitches, broken interactions, wrong memory behavior
✨ New data structures Queue, PriorityQueue, Deque, Graph
📖 Documentation Clearer explanations, fixing typos, adding examples
🎨 UI improvements Better colors, responsive layout, accessibility
⚡ Performance Smoother animations, faster rendering
🧪 Edge cases Unusual inputs, boundary conditions

🚫 What to Avoid

  • Don't add external libraries or npm dependencies — JavaMem must stay a single self-contained HTML file
  • Don't change the core educational intent — every visual choice is deliberate (see the README's "Why I Built This" section)
  • Don't submit AI-generated code dumps without testing and understanding them

🗣️ Questions or Ideas?

Open a GitHub Discussion or comment on an existing issue. All skill levels welcome.

📜 License

By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License.