skelly/docs/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md

Code of Conduct - Skelly Project

Overview

This document establishes coding standards and development practices for the Skelly project. These guidelines are designed to help junior developers contribute effectively while maintaining code quality and project consistency.

Core Principles

1. Code Clarity Over Cleverness

• Write code that is easy to read and understand
• Use descriptive variable and function names
• Prefer explicit code over implicit or "clever" solutions
• Comment complex logic and business rules

2. Consistency First

• Follow existing code patterns in the project
• Use the same naming conventions throughout
• Maintain consistent indentation and formatting
• Follow Godot's GDScript style guide

3. Incremental Development

• Make small, focused commits
• Test changes before committing
• Don't break existing functionality
• Use the debug system to verify your changes

GDScript Coding Standards

Naming Conventions

# Variables and functions: snake_case
var player_health: int = 100
func calculate_damage() -> int:

# Constants: SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE
const MAX_HEALTH := 100
const TILE_SPACING := 54

# Classes: PascalCase
class_name PlayerController

# Signals: past_tense
signal health_changed
signal game_started

# Private functions: prefix with underscore
func _ready():
func _initialize_grid():

File Organization

# 1. extends statement
extends Node2D

# 2. class_name (if applicable)
class_name Match3Controller

# 3. Constants
const GRID_SIZE := Vector2i(8, 8)

# 4. Signals
signal match_found(tiles: Array)

# 5. Variables
var grid := []
@onready var debug_ui = $DebugUI

# 6. Functions (lifecycle first, then custom)
func _ready():
func _process(delta):
func custom_function():

Documentation Requirements

# Required for all public functions
func set_gem_pool(gem_indices: Array) -> void:
    """Set specific gem types as the active pool"""
    _update_all_tiles_gem_pool(gem_indices)
    print("Set gem pool to: ", gem_indices)

# Document complex algorithms
func _get_match_line(start: Vector2i, dir: Vector2i) -> Array:
    """Find all matching tiles in a line from start position in given direction"""
    var line = [grid[start.y][start.x]]
    var type = grid[start.y][start.x].tile_type
    # Implementation...

Project-Specific Guidelines

Scene Management

• All scene transitions MUST go through GameManager
• Never use get_tree().change_scene_to_file() directly
• Define scene paths as constants in GameManager

# ✅ Correct
GameManager.start_match3_game()

# ❌ Wrong
get_tree().change_scene_to_file("res://scenes/match3/match3.tscn")

Autoload Usage

• Use autoloads for global state only
• Don't access autoloads from deeply nested components
• Pass data through signals or direct references when possible

# ✅ Correct - using signals
signal settings_changed
SettingsManager.volume_changed.connect(_on_volume_changed)

# ✅ Also correct - direct access for global state
var current_language = SettingsManager.get_setting("language")

# ❌ Wrong - tight coupling
func some_deep_function():
    SettingsManager.set_setting("volume", 0.5)  # Too deep in call stack

Debug System Integration

• Always connect to DebugManager signals for debug UI
• Use debug prints with clear prefixes
• Remove debug prints before committing (unless permanently useful)

# ✅ Correct debug integration
func _connect_to_global_debug() -> void:
    DebugManager.debug_ui_toggled.connect(_on_debug_ui_toggled)
    debug_ui.visible = DebugManager.is_debug_ui_visible()

# ✅ Good debug prints
print("Match3: Debug UI toggled to: ", visible)
print("TileSystem: Initialized ", tiles.size(), " tiles")

# ❌ Bad debug prints
print("test")  # Not descriptive
print(some_variable)  # No context

Error Handling

• Always check if resources loaded successfully
• Use push_error() for critical failures
• Provide fallback behavior when possible

# ✅ Correct error handling
func load_scene(path: String) -> void:
    var packed_scene := load(path)
    if not packed_scene or not packed_scene is PackedScene:
        push_error("Failed to load scene at: %s" % path)
        return
    get_tree().change_scene_to_packed(packed_scene)

Git Workflow

Commit Guidelines

• Use clear, descriptive commit messages
• Start with a verb in imperative mood
• Keep first line under 50 characters
• Add body if needed for complex changes

# ✅ Good commit messages
Add gem pool management to match-3 system
Fix debug UI visibility toggle issue
Update documentation for new debug system

# ❌ Bad commit messages
fix bug
update
wip

Branch Management

• Create feature branches for new functionality
• Use descriptive branch names: feature/debug-ui, fix/tile-positioning
• Keep branches focused on single features
• Delete branches after merging

Before Committing

1. Test your changes in the Godot editor
2. Check that existing functionality still works
3. Use the debug system to verify your implementation
4. Run the project and navigate through affected areas
5. Remove temporary debug code

Code Review Guidelines

For Reviewers

• Focus on code clarity and maintainability
• Check for adherence to project patterns
• Verify that autoloads are used appropriately
• Ensure debug integration is properly implemented
• Test the changes yourself

For Contributors

• Explain complex logic in commit messages or comments
• Provide context for why changes were made
• Test edge cases and error conditions
• Ask questions if project patterns are unclear

Testing Approach

Manual Testing Requirements

• Test in Godot editor with F5 run
• Verify debug UI works with F12 toggle
• Check scene transitions work correctly
• Test on different screen sizes (mobile target)
• Verify audio and settings integration

Debug System Testing

• Ensure debug panels appear/disappear correctly
• Test all debug buttons and controls
• Verify debug state persists across scene changes
• Check that debug code doesn't affect release builds

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Architecture Violations

# ❌ Don't bypass GameManager
get_tree().change_scene_to_file("some_scene.tscn")

# ❌ Don't hardcode paths
var tile = load("res://scenes/match3/tile.tscn")

# ❌ Don't ignore null checks
var node = get_node("SomeNode")
node.do_something()  # Could crash if node doesn't exist

# ❌ Don't create global state in random scripts
# Use autoloads instead

Performance Issues

# ❌ Don't search nodes repeatedly
func _process(delta):
    var ui = get_node("UI")  # Expensive every frame

# ✅ Cache node references
@onready var ui = $UI
func _process(delta):
    ui.update_display()  # Much better

Debug System Misuse

# ❌ Don't create separate debug systems
var my_debug_enabled = false

# ✅ Use the global debug system
if DebugManager.is_debug_enabled():
    show_debug_info()

Learning Resources

Godot-Specific

• GDScript Style Guide
• Godot Best Practices
• Project documentation in docs/map.md

General Programming

• Clean Code principles
• SOLID principles (adapted for game development)
• Git best practices

Getting Help

When Stuck

1. Check existing code for similar patterns
2. Review project documentation (docs/)
3. Use the debug system to understand current state
4. Ask specific questions about project architecture
5. Test your understanding with small experiments

Code Review Process

• Submit pull requests early and often
• Ask for feedback on approach before implementing large features
• Be open to suggestions and alternative approaches
• Learn from review feedback for future contributions

Summary

This code of conduct emphasizes:

• Clarity: Write code that others can understand
• Consistency: Follow established patterns
• Integration: Use the project's systems properly
• Learning: Continuously improve your skills

Remember: It's better to ask questions and write clear, simple code than to guess and create complex, hard-to-maintain solutions. The goal is to contribute effectively to a codebase that will grow and evolve over time.