# Contributing to the Nexus

**Every PR: net ≤ 10 added lines.** Not a guideline — a hard limit.
Add 40, remove 30. Can't remove? You're homebrewing. Import instead.

## Why

Import over invent. Plug in the research. No builder trap.
Removal is a first-class contribution. Baseline: 4,462 lines (2026-03-25). Goes down.

## PR Checklist

1. **Net diff ≤ 10** (`+12 -8 = net +4 ✅` / `+200 -0 = net +200 ❌`)
2. **Manual test plan** — specific steps, not "it works"
3. **Automated test output** — paste it, or write a test (counts toward your 10)

Applies to every contributor: human, Timmy, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Kimi, Grok.
Exception: initial dependency config files (requirements.txt, package.json).
No other exceptions. Too big? Break it up.

## Reviewer Policy

**Every PR must have a reviewer assigned before merge.** See [docs/pr-reviewer-policy.md](docs/pr-reviewer-policy.md).
# Contribution Guidelines

## Branch Protection Policy

All repositories follow these mandatory rules for the `main` branch:

### Required for All Merges
- [ ] Pull Request must exist for all changes
- [ ] At least 1 approval from reviewer
- [ ] CI checks must pass (where available)
- [ ] No force pushes allowed
- [ ] No direct pushes to main
- [ ] No branch deletion

### Review Requirements by Repository
```yaml
hermes-agent:
  required_owners:
    - perplexity
    - Timmy

the-nexus:
  required_owners:
    - perplexity

timmy-home:
  required_owners:
    - perplexity

timmy-config:
  required_owners:
    - perplexity
```

### CI Status
```text
- hermes-agent: ✅ Active
- the-nexus: ⚠️ CI runner disabled (see #915)
- timmy-home: - (No CI)
- timmy-config: - (Limited CI)
```

## Workflow
1. Create feature branch
2. Open PR against main
3. Get 1+ approvals
4. Ensure CI passes
5. Merge via UI

## Enforcement
These rules are enforced by Gitea branch protection settings. Direct pushes to main will be blocked.

## Abandoned PRs
PRs not updated in >7 days will be labeled "stale" and may be closed after 30 days of inactivity.