Thank you for your interest in contributing to AutoBot! This guide will help you find work that matches your skills and understand our contribution process.
AutoBot is built by and for the community. Whether you're fixing a bug, improving documentation, adding features, or reporting issues—your contributions matter and help make AutoBot better for everyone.
Our issues are organized by skill category and difficulty level to help you find work that matches your expertise.
Start here! These issues are explicitly designed for learning:
- Good First Issues — Self-contained tasks perfect for your first contribution
- Expected time: < 2 hours
- Usually minimal dependencies
- Great for learning the codebase
Pick issues that match your expertise:
Stack: Vue.js, TypeScript, CSS, Vite, component development
Stack: FastAPI, Python, database queries, APIs, async logic
Stack: Docker, Ansible, deployment, CI/CD, scaling, networking
Stack: Guides, examples, tutorials, README, API docs
Stack: Unit tests, integration tests, test coverage, testing tools
If you want to work on what matters most right now:
- High Priority Issues — Critical bugs, blocking work
- Medium Priority Issues — Important but non-blocking
- Low Priority Issues — Nice-to-have improvements
Each issue is labeled by complexity. Here's what each level means:
- Scope: Self-contained, isolated to one component
- Time: < 2 hours of focused work
- Prerequisites: Understanding of basic concepts in one area
- Why it's good for beginners: Limited scope, fewer dependencies, built to teach
- Example: Add a missing button to the UI, improve error messages, fix a simple bug
- Scope: Requires understanding of one system area
- Time: 2-8 hours of work
- Prerequisites: Knowledge of at least one major component (e.g., backend APIs, frontend architecture)
- Why it's good for intermediate contributors: Not trivial, but not overwhelming
- Example: Refactor API endpoints, improve frontend state management, optimize database queries
- Scope: Cross-cutting concerns, deep architecture knowledge
- Time: 8+ hours or requires discussion with maintainers
- Prerequisites: Deep knowledge of multiple components or system architecture
- Why it's challenging: High impact, complex interactions, may affect multiple systems
- Example: Major refactors, new features affecting multiple components, complex performance optimizations
AutoBot's codebase spans multiple domains. Pick the area that matches your expertise:
- Frontend — User interface, dashboard, chat experience
- Backend — API logic, data processing, infrastructure automation
- Infrastructure — Docker, Ansible, deployment, CI/CD pipelines
- Documentation — Guides, examples, API docs, tutorials
- Testing — Unit tests, integration tests, test tooling, QA
Browse the links above to find an issue that matches your skills and interest.
Before starting work, comment: "I'd like to work on this"
This prevents duplicate work and lets maintainers give you guidance.
Follow the instructions in the README to get AutoBot running locally.
For detailed development setup:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/AutoBot-AI.git
cd AutoBot-AI
cp .env.example .env
docker compose up -dSee INSTALL.md for full setup details.
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-nameUse descriptive branch names:
fix/issue-4000-crash-on-startup(bug fix)feat/command-palette-search(feature)docs/update-readme-install(documentation)refactor/simplify-api-layer(refactoring)
Edit the code, write tests, update docs if needed.
Code guidelines:
- Keep commits focused and descriptive
- Write tests for new features
- Update documentation as needed
- Follow existing code style
Push to your fork and open a PR against Dev_new_gui branch.
In your PR description:
- Reference the issue: "Closes #1234"
- Describe what you changed and why
- Mention any limitations or known issues
- Include test results if applicable
Example:
Closes #4000
## Description
Fixed crash on startup when knowledge base directory doesn't exist.
## Testing
- [x] Tested with missing directory
- [x] Tested with existing directory
- [x] Ran pytest locally (all pass)
Maintainers will review your work. Questions or requests for changes are normal!
- Address feedback respectfully
- Push new commits to the same branch (PR auto-updates)
- Re-request review once changes are made
Once approved, your PR will be merged. You're now a contributor to AutoBot!
We're committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful community:
- Be respectful — Treat all contributors with kindness
- Be constructive — Provide thoughtful feedback
- Be collaborative — We're all learning and growing together
- No harassment — Zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind
- Focus on code — Critique ideas and code, not people
See CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md for more details.
Stuck? Have questions? Need guidance?
Ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback from the community:
- README — Overview and quick start
- Installation Guide — Detailed setup instructions
- Architecture Docs — System design and component overview
If something is broken:
- Open an issue with details
- Check if someone already reported it (search existing issues first)
Some issues are marked with a bounty label. These issues have financial rewards available through our bounty program.
- Check the issue for details on the bounty amount
- Visit Polar.sh for the full bounty program
- Bounties are available to community members who complete the work
# Run all tests
make test
# Run specific test file
pytest autobot-backend/tests/test_chat.py
# Run with coverage
pytest --cov# Development mode (live reload)
make dev
# Production build
make build- Python: Black + isort (configured in
.pre-commit-config.yaml) - TypeScript/Vue: ESLint + Prettier (auto-format on save in most IDEs)
- Commit messages: Use conventional commits (
feat:,fix:,docs:, etc.)
Before committing, pre-commit hooks will automatically format code and run checks:
# Install pre-commit hooks
pre-commit install
# Run hooks manually
pre-commit run --all-filesContributors are recognized in multiple ways:
- GitHub profile — Visible on the repository's contributors page
- Commit history — Your commits are part of AutoBot's permanent record
- Community spotlights — Active contributors may be featured in our discussions/announcements
- Maintainer roles — Significant, consistent contributors may become maintainers
- Check GitHub Discussions for common questions
- Open an issue if you find a bug
- Comment on an issue if you need clarification
Whether it's code, documentation, bug reports, or feedback—your contributions make AutoBot better. Thank you for being part of our community!
Happy contributing!