OnTrack Contributing Guide - 2026T1
Introduction
Section titled “Introduction”This guide is designed for all capstone contributors working on the OnTrack project, including frontend, backend, and documentation teams.
It provides a clear overview of how to work in a team environment using Git and GitHub, outlines expectations for group collaboration, and explains how to effectively contribute through pull requests and reviews.
This document is especially useful for students who may not have extensive experience using GitHub, ensuring all contributors can participate confidently and effectively.
Purpose
Section titled “Purpose”The purpose of this guide is to:
- Help new contributors understand team expectations
- Provide a structured workflow for completing tasks
- Explain how to use GitHub in a team environment
- Improve the quality of pull requests and reviews
- Ensure smooth collaboration across all teams
Overview of Team Workflow
Section titled “Overview of Team Workflow”All contributors follow the same core workflow:
- Pick a task from the planner board
- Identify the correct repository
- Create a branch
- Make changes
- Test your work locally
- Commit changes properly
- Push your branch
- Open a pull request (PR)
- Get your PR reviewed
- Make updates if required
- Merge once approved
Group Work Expectations
Section titled “Group Work Expectations”All team members are expected to:
- Communicate regularly with the team
- Contribute consistently to assigned tasks
- Review other team members’ work where required
- Maintain a respectful and collaborative approach
Team Communication (Microsoft Teams)
Section titled “Team Communication (Microsoft Teams)”Effective communication is essential.
- Check Teams regularly
- Respond in a reasonable time
- Use clear communication
- Tag relevant members
Meetings and Attendance
Section titled “Meetings and Attendance”- Attend meetings regularly
- Give updates
- Participate in discussions
Capstone requires 70% attendance, which supports both your progress and the team.
Example Pull Request Workflow
Section titled “Example Pull Request Workflow”This example demonstrates a full GitHub workflow from local changes to a submitted pull request.
1. Branch Setup
Section titled “1. Branch Setup”Yeshin:onboardinginfoT3 → thoth-tech:main
This indicates that work is completed on a separate branch and merged safely into the main project.
2. Making Changes Locally
Section titled “2. Making Changes Locally”The contributor created new files and folders locally using VS Code before committing changes.
3. Committing Changes
Section titled “3. Committing Changes”git add . git commit -m “Creating the folder for 2025 Trimester 3 in Teams and contributions”
Clear commit messages help other team members understand what was changed.
4. Pushing to GitHub
Section titled “4. Pushing to GitHub”git push origin onboardinginfoT3
This uploads the branch to GitHub and makes it available for review.
5. Creating the Pull Request
Section titled “5. Creating the Pull Request”- Click Compare & Pull Request
- Set base and compare branches
- Add a clear description
- Submit the PR
6. Review and Merge
Section titled “6. Review and Merge”- Team members review the changes
- Feedback is provided if needed
- Updates are made by the contributor
- PR is merged once approved
Authors
Section titled “Authors”Yeshin Govdender Leeon Gourav Rangey
Document Version: 2026T1 Last Updated: 4/7/2026