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+# Contributing code to Matrix
+
+Everyone is welcome to contribute code to Matrix
+(https://github.com/matrix-org), provided that they are willing to license
+their contributions under the same license as the project itself. We follow a
+simple 'inbound=outbound' model for contributions: the act of submitting an
+'inbound' contribution means that the contributor agrees to license the code
+under the same terms as the project's overall 'outbound' license - in our
+case, this is almost always Apache Software License v2 (see [LICENSE](LICENSE)).
+
+## How to contribute
+
+The preferred and easiest way to contribute changes to Matrix is to fork the
+relevant project on github, and then [create a pull request](
+https://help.github.com/articles/using-pull-requests/) to ask us to pull
+your changes into our repo.
+
+**The single biggest thing you need to know is: please base your changes on
+the develop branch - *not* master.**
+
+We use the master branch to track the most recent release, so that folks who
+blindly clone the repo and automatically check out master get something that
+works. Develop is the unstable branch where all the development actually
+happens: the workflow is that contributors should fork the develop branch to
+make a 'feature' branch for a particular contribution, and then make a pull
+request to merge this back into the matrix.org 'official' develop branch. We
+use github's pull request workflow to review the contribution, and either ask
+you to make any refinements needed or merge it and make them ourselves. The
+changes will then land on master when we next do a release.
+
+We use [Buildkite](https://buildkite.com/matrix-dot-org/synapse) for continuous
+integration. If your change breaks the build, this will be shown in GitHub, so
+please keep an eye on the pull request for feedback.
+
+To run unit tests in a local development environment, you can use:
+
+- ``tox -e py35`` (requires tox to be installed by ``pip install tox``)
+  for SQLite-backed Synapse on Python 3.5.
+- ``tox -e py36`` for SQLite-backed Synapse on Python 3.6.
+- ``tox -e py36-postgres`` for PostgreSQL-backed Synapse on Python 3.6
+  (requires a running local PostgreSQL with access to create databases).
+- ``./test_postgresql.sh`` for PostgreSQL-backed Synapse on Python 3.5
+  (requires Docker). Entirely self-contained, recommended if you don't want to
+  set up PostgreSQL yourself.
+
+Docker images are available for running the integration tests (SyTest) locally,
+see the [documentation in the SyTest repo](
+https://github.com/matrix-org/sytest/blob/develop/docker/README.md) for more
+information.
+
+## Code style
+
+All Matrix projects have a well-defined code-style - and sometimes we've even
+got as far as documenting it... For instance, synapse's code style doc lives
+[here](docs/code_style.md).
+
+To facilitate meeting these criteria you can run `scripts-dev/lint.sh`
+locally. Since this runs the tools listed in the above document, you'll need
+python 3.6 and to install each tool:
+
+```
+# Install the dependencies
+pip install -U black flake8 isort
+
+# Run the linter script
+./scripts-dev/lint.sh
+```
+
+**Note that the script does not just test/check, but also reformats code, so you
+may wish to ensure any new code is committed first**. By default this script
+checks all files and can take some time; if you alter only certain files, you
+might wish to specify paths as arguments to reduce the run-time:
+
+```
+./scripts-dev/lint.sh path/to/file1.py path/to/file2.py path/to/folder
+```
+
+Before pushing new changes, ensure they don't produce linting errors. Commit any
+files that were corrected.
+
+Please ensure your changes match the cosmetic style of the existing project,
+and **never** mix cosmetic and functional changes in the same commit, as it
+makes it horribly hard to review otherwise.
+
+
+## Changelog
+
+All changes, even minor ones, need a corresponding changelog / newsfragment
+entry. These are managed by [Towncrier](https://github.com/hawkowl/towncrier).
+
+To create a changelog entry, make a new file in the `changelog.d` directory named
+in the format of `PRnumber.type`. The type can be one of the following:
+
+* `feature`
+* `bugfix`
+* `docker` (for updates to the Docker image)
+* `doc` (for updates to the documentation)
+* `removal` (also used for deprecations)
+* `misc` (for internal-only changes)
+
+The content of the file is your changelog entry, which should be a short
+description of your change in the same style as the rest of our [changelog](
+https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/blob/master/CHANGES.md). The file can
+contain Markdown formatting, and should end with a full stop ('.') for
+consistency.
+
+Adding credits to the changelog is encouraged, we value your
+contributions and would like to have you shouted out in the release notes!
+
+For example, a fix in PR #1234 would have its changelog entry in
+`changelog.d/1234.bugfix`, and contain content like "The security levels of
+Florbs are now validated when received over federation. Contributed by Jane
+Matrix.".
+
+## Debian changelog
+
+Changes which affect the debian packaging files (in `debian`) are an
+exception.
+
+In this case, you will need to add an entry to the debian changelog for the
+next release. For this, run the following command:
+
+```
+dch
+```
+
+This will make up a new version number (if there isn't already an unreleased
+version in flight), and open an editor where you can add a new changelog entry.
+(Our release process will ensure that the version number and maintainer name is
+corrected for the release.)
+
+If your change affects both the debian packaging *and* files outside the debian
+directory, you will need both a regular newsfragment *and* an entry in the
+debian changelog. (Though typically such changes should be submitted as two
+separate pull requests.)
+
+## Sign off
+
+In order to have a concrete record that your contribution is intentional
+and you agree to license it under the same terms as the project's license, we've adopted the
+same lightweight approach that the Linux Kernel
+[submitting patches process](
+https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/submitting-patches.html#sign-your-work-the-developer-s-certificate-of-origin>),
+[Docker](https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md), and many other
+projects use: the DCO (Developer Certificate of Origin:
+http://developercertificate.org/). This is a simple declaration that you wrote
+the contribution or otherwise have the right to contribute it to Matrix:
+
+```
+Developer Certificate of Origin
+Version 1.1
+
+Copyright (C) 2004, 2006 The Linux Foundation and its contributors.
+660 York Street, Suite 102,
+San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
+
+Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this
+license document, but changing it is not allowed.
+
+Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1
+
+By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:
+
+(a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I
+    have the right to submit it under the open source license
+    indicated in the file; or
+
+(b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best
+    of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source
+    license and I have the right under that license to submit that
+    work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part
+    by me, under the same open source license (unless I am
+    permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated
+    in the file; or
+
+(c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other
+    person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified
+    it.
+
+(d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution
+    are public and that a record of the contribution (including all
+    personal information I submit with it, including my sign-off) is
+    maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with
+    this project or the open source license(s) involved.
+```
+
+If you agree to this for your contribution, then all that's needed is to
+include the line in your commit or pull request comment:
+
+```
+Signed-off-by: Your Name <your@email.example.org>
+```
+
+We accept contributions under a legally identifiable name, such as
+your name on government documentation or common-law names (names
+claimed by legitimate usage or repute). Unfortunately, we cannot
+accept anonymous contributions at this time.
+
+Git allows you to add this signoff automatically when using the `-s`
+flag to `git commit`, which uses the name and email set in your
+`user.name` and `user.email` git configs.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+That's it! Matrix is a very open and collaborative project as you might expect
+given our obsession with open communication. If we're going to successfully
+matrix together all the fragmented communication technologies out there we are
+reliant on contributions and collaboration from the community to do so. So
+please get involved - and we hope you have as much fun hacking on Matrix as we
+do!