# Contributing to Runic Gateway — uo-link sidecar

Thanks for your interest in contributing! This repo is the **Rust sidecar** half
of the game bridge: it terminates the loopback link from the ServUO shard and
exposes the WebSocket + REST API the website consumes.

By participating you agree to abide by our
[Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

## Ways to contribute

- **Report a bug** or **request a feature** through the
  [issue tracker](https://gitea.whitlocktech.com/RunicGateway/link/issues)
  (issue templates are provided).
- **Improve the code or docs** by opening a pull request (see below).
- **Never** report a security vulnerability in a public issue — see
  [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md). The sidecar is the only network-facing part of the
  bridge, so its security matters.

## Development setup

**Prerequisites:** a recent stable Rust toolchain (install via
[rustup](https://rustup.rs/)).

The sidecar is a standard cargo crate under `sidecar/`:

```bash
cd sidecar
cp sidecar.toml.example sidecar.toml   # then edit
cargo build --release                  # binary at target/release/uo-link-sidecar
cargo run --release
```

See [`sidecar/README.md`](sidecar/README.md) for configuration and the wire
protocol. The loopback JSON protocol shared with the ServUO plugin
([RunicGateway/servuo-plugins](https://gitea.whitlocktech.com/RunicGateway/servuo-plugins))
is a **compatibility contract** — the canonical spec lives in the
[docs repo](https://gitea.whitlocktech.com/RunicGateway/docs/src/branch/main/link).
If you change an event or command, keep both sides and the spec in sync.

### Checks

Please make sure the crate builds cleanly and is formatted and lint-clean before
opening a PR:

```bash
cargo fmt --all
cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings
cargo test
cargo build --release
```

## Branch & PR workflow

1. Branch from `main` with a descriptive name
   (`feature/…`, `fix/…`, `docs/…`, `chore/…`).
2. Keep changes focused; small PRs are easier to review.
3. Push and open a pull request against `main`. Fill out the PR template,
   including the **AI-assisted contributions** disclosure.
4. A maintainer will review; address feedback with follow-up commits.

### Commit messages

We use [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) —
`type(scope): summary`. Note the release workflow
(`.gitea/workflows/release.yml`) derives versions from conventional commits on
`main`, so accurate `feat:` / `fix:` prefixes matter here.

## AI-assisted contributions (disclosure required)

This project is developed openly with AI assistance, and we ask the same
transparency of everyone. **If you used an AI tool** (Claude, Copilot, ChatGPT,
Cursor, etc.) to help produce a contribution, you must disclose it:

- Tick the AI-usage box in the pull-request template and name the tool(s).
- Mark AI-authored commits with a trailer, e.g.
  `Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>` or `Assisted-By: <tool>`.
- You remain responsible for every line you submit: review it, understand it,
  and make sure it is correct and that you have the right to contribute it.

Disclosed AI assistance is welcome. Undisclosed AI-generated contributions are
not, and may be closed.

## License

Runic Gateway is licensed under the **GNU General Public License v3.0 or later**
(see [LICENSE.md](LICENSE.md)). By submitting a contribution you agree that it is
licensed under the same terms (inbound = outbound) and that you have the right to
contribute it.