Extending and Contributing to Nanobot
1. Start with the smallest surface​
For a first contribution, do not begin by redesigning the entire agent loop. Start with the smallest useful change:
- a documentation fix,
- a setup improvement,
- a tool or integration enhancement,
- a UI improvement,
- a contained runtime bug fix.
That is the fastest path to understanding how the project actually behaves.
2. Where developers will usually work​
| Goal | First place to look |
|---|---|
| Change agent behavior | nanobot/ |
| Improve onboarding | docs/ and install scripts |
| Improve deployment | Docker-related files |
| Improve external integrations | bridge and connector code |
3. Contribution mindset​
Nanobot is small enough that readability matters a lot. A good contribution should usually be:
- easy to trace,
- easy to test manually,
- easy to explain to the next developer.
If a patch adds indirection without buying real flexibility, it is probably not helping.
4. Useful first contributions​
The best first contributions are usually:
- installation fixes,
- docs improvements,
- clearer config behavior,
- small runtime correctness fixes,
- better local developer ergonomics.
5. Before opening a PR​
Read the repo's contribution and communication docs, make sure your change is scoped, and verify that a new contributor can still follow the install path after your changes.