Contributing
We welcome help making Apex Scholar better for researchers everywhere.
Ways to Contribute
- Report bugs – open an issue with steps to reproduce
- Suggest features – tell us what would make your research easier
- Improve documentation – clarify confusing instructions, add examples
- Write code – fix bugs or add features; see the developer guide below
- Spread the word – tell your colleagues about Apex Scholar
Reporting Bugs
Before opening an issue, search to see if it’s already reported.
When you file a bug, include:
- What you expected to happen
- What actually happened (screenshots help)
- Steps to reproduce (e.g., “1. Click Explore, 2. Type ‘AI’, 3. Click Search”)
- Your browser and operating system
- Any error messages from the browser console (F12 → Console)
The more detail you give, the faster we can fix it.
Suggesting Features
We love ideas! Before suggesting, check if it’s already on the roadmap (GitHub Issues with “enhancement”).
When you propose something new, explain:
- The problem you’re facing
- How the feature would solve it
- How you’d use it in your research
Be realistic about scope; small, focused improvements are easier to implement than large systemic changes.
Contributing Code
If you’re a developer, fork the repository and open a Pull Request.
Setup
git clone https://github.com/your-username/apexscholar.git
cd apexscholar
npm install
cp .env.example .env
# add your keys
npm run dev
Before Submitting a PR
- Run
npm run lint– fix any errors - Run
npm run build– ensure it builds - Test your changes in the browser
- Document any new user-facing changes in the documentation (this site)
- Keep commits small and messages clear
Code Style
We follow standard React/TypeScript conventions:
- Functional components with hooks
- Tailwind CSS for styling (no CSS modules)
- TypeScript strict mode; avoid
any - Meaningful variable and function names
PR Checklist
- [ ] Lint passes
- [ ] Build succeeds
- [ ] No console errors
- [ ] Responsive layout works on mobile
- [ ] Documentation updated (if user-facing)
- [ ] Tests added? (not required yet, but nice)
Documentation
This docs site is part of the apexscholar-docs repository. You can edit .md files directly. To preview:
cd apexscholar-docs
npm install
npm run dev
Open http://localhost:5173 and see your changes live.
Community
- GitHub: https://github.com/scholarkit/apexscholar
- Discord: https://discord.gg/clawd
Be kind. We’re all here to make research better.
Thank you for contributing!