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Contributing to Ampersand

Many people have contributed to the Ampersand project in the past, each in her or his own way. We're very proud of the results and we are amazed daily of the software that tiny specifications can produce.

If you want to be part of it, contact stefjoosten on Github to discuss your contribution.

This page serves as your central resource hub for everything you need as an Ampersand contributor.

🚀 Getting Started as a New Contributor​

How do I join the team?​

  • Complete Onboarding Process - Essential first steps for new Ordina A-team members
    • Schedule meetings with team leads
    • Get access to GitHub repositories and Microsoft Teams
    • Join sprint meetings and daily standups
    • Clone necessary repositories

What coding standards should I follow?​

  • Contributor's Guide - Access the comprehensive contributor resources in the main menu
    • Complete onboarding process for new team members
    • Development tools and infrastructure documentation
    • Team coordination and workflow information

📝 Documentation & Communication​

How do I document my changes to the codebase?​

  • Documenting Prototype Framework Changes - Step-by-step guide for contributors
    • Understanding the multi-repository documentation architecture
    • Proper file structure and naming conventions
    • Updating sidebar.js configuration
    • Testing and deployment workflow

What's the project structure?​

The Ampersand ecosystem consists of four main repositories:

  1. Ampersand - Core compiler and language implementation
  2. Prototype - Visual interface framework for Ampersand applications
  3. RAP - Repository for Ampersand Projects (used by Open University)
  4. AmpersandTarski.github.io - Documentation website builder

🔧 Development Workflow​

Architecture Resources​

Team Coordination​

Regular Meetings:

  • Weekly Overview: Monday 11:30 (1 hour) - NUTwente/Ampersand coordination
  • Daily Standup: Tuesday-Friday 11:30 (30 minutes) - Progress updates
  • Sprint Events (End of sprint, Fridays):
    • Sprint Review: 9:00 (50 minutes)
    • Sprint Retrospective: 10:00 (50 minutes)
    • Sprint Planning: 11:00 (50 minutes)

Communication Channels:

GitHub Workflow​

Required Access:

Documentation Workflow:

  • Work in the documentation branch when creating/editing documentation
  • Ensure documents are in the correct repository's docs folder
  • Update relevant sidebar.js files when adding new documentation

💡 Contribution Areas​

Core Development​

  • Ampersand language compiler improvements
  • Prototype framework enhancements
  • RAP application development

Documentation​

  • User guides and tutorials
  • Technical reference materials
  • API documentation
  • Architecture diagrams

Quality Assurance​

  • Testing and validation
  • Code reviews
  • Performance optimization
  • Bug fixes and maintenance

📚 Quick Reference​

Key Contacts​

  • Stef Joosten: Project leadership and strategic direction
  • Han Joosten: Access management and technical coordination

Important Guidelines​

  • Follow established coding standards and best practices
  • Document all changes appropriately
  • Test thoroughly before submitting contributions
  • Participate actively in team meetings and reviews
  • Maintain focus on user needs and system maintainability

🔗 External Resources​

Ready to contribute? Start with the onboarding process and explore the Contributor's guide section in the main menu for comprehensive resources. When you're ready to document your work, follow our documentation guide.

Welcome to the team! 🎉