Perplexica/CONTRIBUTING.md

# How to Contribute to Perplexica

Thanks for your interest in contributing to Perplexica! Your help makes this project better. This guide explains how to contribute effectively.

Perplexica is a modern AI chat application with advanced search capabilities.

## Project Structure

Perplexica's codebase is organized as follows:

- **UI Components and Pages**:
  - **Components (`src/components`)**: Reusable UI components.
  - **Pages and Routes (`src/app`)**: Next.js app directory structure with page components.
    - Main app routes include: home (`/`), chat (`/c`), discover (`/discover`), library (`/library`), and settings (`/settings`).
  - **API Routes (`src/app/api`)**: API endpoints implemented with Next.js API routes.
    - `/api/chat`: Handles chat interactions.
    - `/api/search`: Provides direct access to Perplexica's search capabilities.
    - Other endpoints for models, files, and suggestions.
- **Backend Logic (`src/lib`)**: Contains all the backend functionality including search, database, and API logic.
  - The search functionality is present inside `src/lib/search` directory.
  - All of the focus modes are implemented using the Meta Search Agent class in `src/lib/search/metaSearchAgent.ts`.
  - Database functionality is in `src/lib/db`.
  - Chat model and embedding model providers are managed in `src/lib/providers`.
  - Prompt templates and LLM chain definitions are in `src/lib/prompts` and `src/lib/chains` respectively.

## API Documentation

Perplexica exposes several API endpoints for programmatic access, including:

- **Search API**: Access Perplexica's advanced search capabilities directly via the `/api/search` endpoint. For detailed documentation, see `docs/api/search.md`.

## Setting Up Your Environment

Before diving into coding, setting up your local environment is key. Here's what you need to do:

1. In the root directory, locate the `sample.config.toml` file.
2. Rename it to `config.toml` and fill in the necessary configuration fields.
3. Run `npm install` to install all dependencies.
4. Run `npm run db:push` to set up the local sqlite database.
5. Use `npm run dev` to start the application in development mode.

**Please note**: Docker configurations are present for setting up production environments, whereas `npm run dev` is used for development purposes.

## Coding and Contribution Practices

Before committing changes:

1. Ensure that your code functions correctly by thorough testing.
2. Always run `npm run format:write` to format your code according to the project's coding standards. This helps maintain consistency and code quality.
3. We currently do not have a code of conduct, but it is in the works. In the meantime, please be mindful of how you engage with the project and its community.

Following these steps will help maintain the integrity of Perplexica's codebase and facilitate a smoother integration of your valuable contributions. Thank you for your support and commitment to improving Perplexica.