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Usage and Contribution

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Welcome 👋

Setup

Every project should have a clear setup guide to help users get started quickly.

Start with,

Template

## 🛠️ Setup Project

To get this project up and running in your development environment, follow these step-by-step instructions.

Afterwards we'll include the sub steps of the setup process i.e., prerequisites, installation, etc.

Prerequisites

First of all, list down all the tools required to run your project. This helps users understand what they need to have installed before they can start using your project.

Template

### 🍴 Prerequisites

We need to install or make sure that these tools are pre-installed on your machine:

- [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org/en/download/): It is a JavaScript runtime build.
- [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads): It is an open source version control system.
- [NPM](https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/installing-node): It is a package manager for JavaScript.
- ...

Installation

Provide a step-by-step instructions on how to set up and run your project locally. It's important for people who want to test or contribute to your project to have a clear understanding of how to get started.

Template

### 🚀 Install Project

1. Clone the Repository

   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git
   ```

2. Navigate into the project directory

   ```bash
   cd repository
   ```

3. Install dependencies

   ```bash
   npm install
   ```

4. Set up environment variables (if necessary)

   - Create a .env file in the root directory.
   - Add environment-specific variables as needed.

5. Start the application

   ```bash
   npm start
   ```

6. Open your web browser and navigate to <a href="http://localhost:3000" target="_blank">http://localhost:3000</a> to see the project running.

7. Test the application

   Run the test suite to ensure everything is working as expected.

   ```bash
   npm test
   ```

> **Note**
> If you're using Linux Bash for Windows, <a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/261575/how-to-run-graphical-linux-desktop-applications-from-windows-10s-bash-shell/" target="_blank">see this guide</a> or use `node` from the command prompt.

You can include more steps if necessary. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for users to set up and run your project. Keep that in mind!

Environment Variables

Environment variables can be used for configuration. They must be set before running your project. Without them, your project will not work.

Template

1. Create a .env file in the root directory.

   ```bash
   touch .env
   ```

2. Add the following variables to the .env file

   ```env
   # Application settings
   APP_NAME="Healthcare Appointment Scheduler"
   APP_ENV="development"
   APP_DEBUG=true
   APP_URL="http://localhost:3000"

   # Database configuration
   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=healthcare_db
   DB_USERNAME=root
   DB_PASSWORD=your_password

   # API Keys
   API_KEY=your_api_key_here

   # Mail configuration
   MAIL_DRIVER=smtp
   MAIL_HOST=smtp.mailtrap.io
   MAIL_PORT=2525
   MAIL_USERNAME=your_mail_username
   MAIL_PASSWORD=your_mail_password
   MAIL_ENCRYPTION=null
   MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS="no-reply@example.com"
   MAIL_FROM_NAME="${APP_NAME}"
   ```

Do remember that this is just a template. Depending on your project, you may need to add more installation steps, prerequisites, or environment variables. So customize your project accordingly.

⚒️ How to Contribute

Engaging with the community is a great way to grow your project. It helps you get feedback, find bugs, and improve your project.

Here's how you can create a contribution guide for your project:

Template

## ⚒️ How to Contribute

We welcome contributions from the community! Here’s how you can help:

### Contributing to the Project

1. **Fork the repository**

   Click the 'Fork' button on the top right corner of the repository page.

2. **Clone your fork**

   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/your-username/repository.git
   ```

3. **Create a new branch**

   ```bash
   git checkout -b feature/branch-name
   ```

4. **Make your changes**

   Ensure your code follows the project's coding guidelines and includes relevant tests.

5. **Commit your changes**

   ```bash
   git commit -m 'Add your descriptive commit message here'
   ```

6. **Push your changes**

   ```bash
   git push origin feature/branch-name
   ```

7. **Create a Pull Request**

   Go to the repository page on GitHub and click 'New pull request'. Provide a clear description of your changes and any related issues.

If you have any questions or feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're always looking for ways to improve our community.

This guide will help new contributors understand how they can contribute to your project. If needed, add screenshots or link to relevant documentation on how to contribute.

Bug / Feature Request

Along with the contribution guide, it's also helpful to include a section on how to report bugs or request new features. That way, people can help you improve your project. The more feedback you get, the better your project will become.

Template

### 📩 Bug / Feature Request

If you find a bug or have a new feature request, please follow these guidelines:

1. **Search existing issues**

   Before creating a new issue, search for existing issues that may be relevant to your problem.

   You can find existing issues [here](https://github.com/your-username/repository/issues).

2. **Create a new issue**

   You can create a new issue by clicking on the ['New Issue'](https://github.com/your-username/repository/issues/new) button on the repository page.

   Depending on the issue type, you may need to provide additional information:

   - **Bug Report**: If you find a bug, please provide detailed steps to reproduce the bug and any relevant logs or screenshots.
   - **Feature Request**: Provide a detailed description of the feature, why it’s needed, and any potential benefits.

   Once you've created your issue, you can view it [here](https://github.com/your-username/repository/issues).

✅ To-do

Including a to-do section in your README shows transparency and organization, which can be highly appealing to employers. It shows that you have a clear vision and structured plan for your project.

Here is a template for a to-do section:

Template

### ✅ To-do

Here’s a list of ongoing tasks and planned features for the project:

- [ ] Enable users to save appointments to their favorites list.
- [x] Allow users to book an appointment directly from the app.
- [ ] Provide a simple and intuitive user interface for easy navigation.
- [ ] Allow users to filter appointments based on doctor, date, or specialty.
- [ ] Implement user authentication and authorization.
- [ ] Integrate notifications for appointment reminders.

Adding this section is a way to signal how proactive and detail-oriented you are in managing your project. These qualities are highly valued by employers and can set you apart from other candidates.

However, ensure that you actively work on improving your project rather than just listing tasks for the sake of it.

Woah, we covered a lot here. However it's challenging to remember all of this information without practice. So, let's practice what we've learned in the next assignment. 🚀

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