## Contributing to Mongoose

If you have a question about Mongoose (not a bug report) please post it to either [StackOverflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/mongoose), or on [Gitter](https://gitter.im/Automattic/mongoose?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge)

### Reporting bugs

- Before opening a new issue, look for existing [issues](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/issues) to avoid duplication. If the issue does not yet exist, [create one](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/issues/new).
  - Please post any relevant code samples, preferably a standalone script that
  reproduces your issue. Do **not** describe your issue in prose, show your
  code.
  - If the bug involves an error, please post the stack trace.
  - Please post the version of mongoose and mongodb that you're using.
  - Please write bug reports in JavaScript (ES5, ES6, etc) that runs in Node.js, not coffeescript, typescript, etc.

### Requesting new features

- Before opening a new issue, look for existing [issues](https://github.com/learnboost/mongoose/issues) to avoid duplication. If the issue does not yet exist, [create one](https://github.com/learnboost/mongoose/issues/new).
- Please describe a use case for it
- it would be ideal to include test cases as well

### Fixing bugs / Adding features

- Before starting to write code, look for existing [issues](https://github.com/learnboost/mongoose/issues). That way you avoid working on something that might not be of interest or that has been addressed already in a different branch. You can create a new issue [here](https://github.com/learnboost/mongoose/issues/new).
  - _The source of this project is written in javascript, not coffeescript or typescript. Please write your bug reports in JavaScript that can run in vanilla Node.js_.
- Fork the [repo](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose) _or_ for small documentation changes, navigate to the source on github and click the [Edit](https://github.com/blog/844-forking-with-the-edit-button) button.
- Follow the general coding style of the rest of the project:
  - 2 space tabs
  - no trailing whitespace
  - inline documentation for new methods, class members, etc.
  - 1 space between conditionals, no space before function parenthesis
    - `if (..) {`
    - `for (..) {`
    - `while (..) {`
    - `function(err) {`
- Write tests and make sure they pass (tests are in the [test](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/tree/master/test) directory).

### Running the tests
- Open a terminal and navigate to the root of the project
- execute `npm install` to install the necessary dependencies
- start a mongodb instance on port 27017 if one isn't running already. `mongod --dbpath <path to store data> --port 27017 --storageEngine mmapv1`. Mongoose tests run much faster on the mmapv1 storage engine as opposed to the WiredTiger storage engine.
- execute `npm test` to run the tests (we're using [mocha](http://mochajs.org/))
  - or to execute a single test `npm test -- -g 'some regexp that matches the test description'`
  - any mocha flags can be specified with `-- <mocha flags here>`
  - For example, you can use `npm test -- -R spec` to use the spec reporter, rather than the dot reporter (by default, the test output looks like a bunch of dots)

### Documentation

To contribute to the [API documentation](http://mongoosejs.com/docs/api.html) just make your changes to the inline documentation of the appropriate [source code](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/tree/master/lib) in the master branch and submit a [pull request](https://help.github.com/articles/using-pull-requests/). You might also use the github [Edit](https://github.com/blog/844-forking-with-the-edit-button) button.

To contribute to the [guide](http://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html) or [quick start](http://mongoosejs.com/docs/index.html) docs, make your changes to the appropriate `.pug` files in the [docs](https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/tree/master/docs) directory of the master branch and submit a pull request. Again, the [Edit](https://github.com/blog/844-forking-with-the-edit-button) button might work for you here.

If you'd like to preview your documentation changes, first commit your changes to your local master branch, then execute:

* `make docclean`
* `make gendocs`
* `node static.js`

Visit `http://localhost:8088` and you should see the docs with your local changes. Make sure you `git reset --hard` before commiting, because changes to `docs/*` should **not** be in PRs.

### Plugins website

The [plugins](http://plugins.mongoosejs.io/) site is also an [open source project](https://github.com/vkarpov15/mongooseplugins) that you can get involved with. Feel free to fork and improve it as well!


## Financial contributions

We also welcome financial contributions in full transparency on our [open collective](https://opencollective.com/mongoose).
Anyone can file an expense. If the expense makes sense for the development of the community, it will be "merged" in the ledger of our open collective by the core contributors and the person who filed the expense will be reimbursed.


## Credits


### Contributors

Thank you to all the people who have already contributed to mongoose!
<a href="https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/graphs/contributors"><img src="https://opencollective.com/mongoose/contributors.svg?width=890" /></a>


### Backers

Thank you to all our backers! [[Become a backer](https://opencollective.com/mongoose#backer)]

<a href="https://opencollective.com/mongoose#backers" target="_blank"><img src="https://opencollective.com/mongoose/backers.svg?width=890"></a>


### Sponsors

Thank you to all our sponsors! (please ask your company to also support this open source project by [becoming a sponsor](https://opencollective.com/mongoose#sponsor))

<a href="https://mixmax.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://mongoosejs.com/docs/images/mixmax.png"></a>