Contributing to Zed: Guidelines and Suggestions

# Contributing to Zed Thanks for your interest in contributing to Zed, the collaborative platform that is also a code editor! All activity in Zed forums is subject to our [Code of Conduct](https://zed.dev/code-of-conduct). Additionally, contributors must sign our [Contributor License Agreement](https://zed.dev/cla) before their contributions can be merged. ## Contribution ideas If you're looking for ideas about what to work on, check out: - Our [public roadmap](https://zed.dev/roadmap) contains a rough outline of our near-term priorities for Zed. - Our [top-ranking issues](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/issues/5393) based on votes by the community. For adding themes or support for a new language to Zed, check out our [docs on developing extensions](https://zed.dev/docs/extensions/developing-extensions). ## Proposing changes The best way to propose a change is to [start a discussion on our GitHub repository](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/discussions). First, write a short **problem statement**, which _clearly_ and _briefly_ describes the problem you want to solve independently from any specific solution. It doesn't need to be long or formal, but it's difficult to consider a solution in absence of a clear understanding of the problem. Next, write a short **solution proposal**. How can the problem (or set of problems) you have stated above be addressed? What are the pros and cons of your approach? Again, keep it brief and informal. This isn't a specification, but rather a starting point for a conversation. By effectively engaging with the Zed team and community early in your process, we're better positioned to give you feedback and understand your pull request once you open it. If the first thing we see from you is a big changeset, we're much less likely to respond to it in a timely manner. ## Pair programming We plan to set aside time each week to pair program with contributors on promising pull requests in Zed. This will be an experiment. We tend to prefer pairing over async code review on our team, and we'd like to see how well it works in an open source setting. If we're finding it difficult to get on the same page with async review, we may ask you to pair with us if you're open to it. The closer a contribution is to the goals outlined in our roadmap, the more likely we'll be to spend time pairing on it. ## Tips to improve the chances of your PR getting reviewed and merged - Discuss your plans ahead of time with the team - Small, focused, incremental pull requests are much easier to review

This section outlines how to contribute to Zed, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the Code of Conduct and signing the Contributor License Agreement. It suggests exploring the public roadmap and top-ranking issues for contribution ideas, and provides guidance on proposing changes through GitHub discussions, including writing a problem statement and solution proposal. The section also mentions the possibility of pair programming with Zed team members and offers tips for increasing the likelihood of pull requests being reviewed and merged, such as discussing plans beforehand and submitting small, focused PRs.