> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://atlas.rebuildingus.org/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contributing

> How to contribute to Atlas development.

## Overview

Atlas is open source and maintained as a public-interest civic technology
project. The contribution path is intentionally lightweight while the repo
becomes easier to run, read, audit, and improve from the outside.

Before choosing a contribution path, read [Open source](/docs/resources/open-source)
for the project model, [Trust and provenance](/docs/resources/trust) for the product
boundary, and [Self-hosting](/docs/self-hosting/guide) if your change affects
deployment, configuration, or operations.

## Repository

Atlas lives at [github.com/RebuildingAmerica/atlas](https://github.com/RebuildingAmerica/atlas).

## Getting started

1. **Clone the repository**

   ```bash theme={null}
   git clone https://github.com/RebuildingAmerica/atlas.git
   cd atlas
   ```

2. **Run the bootstrap script**

   ```bash theme={null}
   pnpm bootstrap
   ```

   This sets up your local environment, creates config files, and installs dependencies.

3. **Start the development server**
   ```bash theme={null}
   pnpm dev
   ```

## Project structure

| Directory   | What it is                                            |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `app/`      | Web application (TanStack Start + React + TypeScript) |
| `api/`      | REST API (Python + FastAPI)                           |
| `mintlify/` | Public documentation (this site)                      |
| `docs/`     | Internal development documentation                    |
| `scripts/`  | Build and bootstrap tooling                           |

## How to contribute

* **Improve docs** — Clarify setup, self-hosting, trust, API, MCP, Scout, or public/private boundaries.
* **Report setup gaps** — Include the exact command, environment, expected result, and actual result.
* **Fix small bugs** — Keep the change narrow and explain what user-facing trust or usability outcome it protects.
* **Improve data quality workflows** — Preserve source URLs, excerpts, review state, and correction paths.
* **Suggest features carefully** — Start from the public civic discovery experience, not internal architecture or generic enterprise workflow.

## Code conventions

Atlas follows conventional commits, uses `pnpm` for package management, and
enforces code quality through hooks. See the repository `docs/` directory for
detailed development standards.

Every change should tie back to what an Atlas user can see, trust, understand,
or do. That applies to docs, API behavior, Scout, app UI, self-hosting, and
internal cleanup.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Open source" icon="github" href="/docs/resources/open-source">
    Understand the repository, license posture, and project relationship.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Self-hosting" icon="server" href="/docs/self-hosting/guide">
    See the deployment shape contributors need to preserve.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API guide" icon="code" href="/docs/api">
    Understand the public API surface before changing endpoints.
  </Card>

  <Card title="MCP overview" icon="robot" href="/docs/mcp/overview">
    Understand the assistant-facing integration surface.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>