un-nest curl

curl-8.15.0/docs/HELP-US.md

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+<!--
+Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
+-->
+
+# How to get started helping out in the curl project
+
+We are always in need of more help. If you are new to the project and are
+looking for ways to contribute and help out, this document aims to give a few
+good starting points.
+
+You may subscribe to the [curl-library mailing
+list](https://lists.haxx.se/listinfo/curl-library) to keep track of the
+current discussion topics; or if you are registered on GitHub, you can use the
+[Discussions section](https://github.com/curl/curl/discussions) on the main
+curl repository.
+
+## Scratch your own itch
+
+One of the best ways is to start working on any problems or issues you have
+found yourself or perhaps got annoyed at in the past. It can be a spelling
+error in an error text or a weirdly phrased section in a man page. Hunt it
+down and report the bug. Or make your first pull request with a fix for that.
+
+## Smaller tasks
+
+Some projects mark small issues as "beginner friendly", "bite-sized" or
+similar. We do not do that in curl since such issues never linger around long
+enough. Simple issues get handled fast.
+
+If you are looking for a smaller or simpler task in the project to help out
+with as an entry-point into the project, perhaps because you are a newcomer or
+even maybe not a terribly experienced developer, here's our advice:
+
+ - Read through this document to get a grasp on a general approach to use
+ - Consider adding a test case for something not currently tested (correctly)
+ - Consider updating or adding documentation
+ - One way to get started gently in the project, is to participate in an
+   existing issue/PR and help out by reproducing the issue, review the code in
+   the PR etc.
+
+## Help wanted
+
+In the issue tracker we occasionally mark bugs with [help
+wanted](https://github.com/curl/curl/labels/help%20wanted), as a sign that the
+bug is acknowledged to exist and that there is nobody known to work on this
+issue for the moment. Those are bugs that are fine to "grab" and provide a
+pull request for. The complexity level of these of course varies, so pick one
+that piques your interest.
+
+## Work on known bugs
+
+Some bugs are known and have not yet received attention and work enough to get
+fixed. We collect such known existing flaws in the
+[KNOWN_BUGS](https://curl.se/docs/knownbugs.html) page. Many of them link
+to the original bug report with some additional details, but some may also
+have aged a bit and may require some verification that the bug still exists in
+the same way and that what was said about it in the past is still valid.
+
+## Fix autobuild problems
+
+On the [autobuilds page](https://curl.se/dev/builds.html) we show a
+collection of test results from the automatic curl build and tests that are
+performed by volunteers. Fixing compiler warnings and errors shown there is
+something we value greatly. Also, if you own or run systems or architectures
+that are not already tested in the autobuilds, we also appreciate more
+volunteers running builds automatically to help us keep curl portable.
+
+## TODO items
+
+Ideas for features and functions that we have considered worthwhile to
+implement and provide are kept in the
+[TODO](https://curl.se/docs/todo.html) file. Some of the ideas are
+rough. Some are well thought out. Some probably are not really suitable
+anymore.
+
+Before you invest a lot of time on a TODO item, do bring it up for discussion
+on the mailing list. For discussion on applicability but also for ideas and
+brainstorming on specific ways to do the implementation etc.
+
+## You decide
+
+You can also come up with a completely new thing you think we should do. Or
+not do. Or fix. Or add to the project. You then either bring it to the mailing
+list first to see if people shoot down the idea at once, or you bring a first
+draft of the idea as a pull request and take the discussion there around the
+specific implementation. Either way is fine.
+
+## CONTRIBUTE
+
+We offer [guidelines](https://curl.se/dev/contribute.html) that are suitable
+to be familiar with before you decide to contribute to curl. If you are used
+to open source development, you probably do not find many surprises there.