> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/kubernetes-retired/dashboard/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contributing

> Guidelines for contributing to Kubernetes Dashboard

## Welcome

Welcome to Kubernetes Dashboard! We're excited about the prospect of you joining our [community](https://github.com/kubernetes/community).

The Kubernetes community abides by the CNCF [code of conduct](https://github.com/kubernetes/dashboard/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md):

> As contributors and maintainers of this project, and in the interest of fostering an open and welcoming community, we pledge to respect all people who contribute through reporting issues, posting feature requests, updating documentation, submitting pull requests or patches, and other activities.

## Getting Started

Before contributing, familiarize yourself with the project:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Project Documentation" icon="book" href="https://github.com/kubernetes/dashboard/tree/master/docs">
    Read the project documentation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Kubernetes Dashboard Guide" icon="kubernetes" href="https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/web-ui-dashboard/">
    Official Kubernetes documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Required Reading

Before contributing, please review:

### Contributor License Agreement

Kubernetes projects require that you sign a Contributor License Agreement (CLA) before we can accept your pull requests.

<Card title="Sign the CLA" icon="file-signature" href="https://git.k8s.io/community/CLA.md">
  Review and sign the Contributor License Agreement
</Card>

### Contributor Guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Kubernetes Contributor Guide" icon="book-open" href="http://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide">
    Main contributor documentation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contributor Cheat Sheet" icon="list-check" href="https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide/contributor-cheatsheet/README.md">
    Common resources for developers
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Contribution Workflow

### 1. Submit an Issue

Before starting work:

1. **Search existing issues** to avoid duplicates
2. **Create a new issue** describing your proposed change
3. **Wait for feedback** from maintainers

<Note>
  For bug reports, include steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior.
</Note>

### 2. Fork and Clone

Once your proposal is approved:

```bash theme={null}
# Fork the repository on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/dashboard.git
cd dashboard

# Add upstream remote
git remote add upstream https://github.com/kubernetes/dashboard.git
```

### 3. Create a Branch

Create a feature branch for your changes:

```bash theme={null}
git checkout -b feature/my-feature
```

### 4. Make Changes

Make your changes following the project's code conventions:

#### Go Code Conventions

* Follow [Effective Go](https://golang.org/doc/effective_go.html) guidelines
* Code quality is monitored via [Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/kubernetes/dashboard)
* Run `go mod tidy` to clean up dependencies

#### Angular Code Conventions

* Follow [Angular Style Guide](https://angular.io/guide/styleguide)
* Follow [Material Design Guidelines](https://material.io/guidelines/)

### 5. Test Your Changes

Before submitting, ensure all tests pass:

```bash theme={null}
# Run all tests
make test

# Run all checks (linting, formatting, etc.)
make check

# Fix auto-fixable issues
make fix
```

See the [Testing guide](./testing) for detailed testing instructions.

### 6. Commit Your Changes

Write clear, descriptive commit messages:

```bash theme={null}
git add .
git commit -m "Add feature: brief description of changes"
```

**Commit Message Guidelines:**

* Use present tense ("Add feature" not "Added feature")
* Use imperative mood ("Move cursor to..." not "Moves cursor to...")
* Limit first line to 72 characters
* Reference issues and pull requests liberally

### 7. Push and Create Pull Request

```bash theme={null}
# Push to your fork
git push origin feature/my-feature
```

Then create a pull request on GitHub.

## Pull Request Process

### Review Process

All submissions, including submissions by project members, require review. We use GitHub pull requests for this purpose.

**What to expect:**

1. **Automated checks** run on your PR
2. **Maintainers review** your code
3. **Feedback is provided** for improvements
4. **Approval required** before merging

### Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submitting your PR, ensure:

* [ ] All tests pass locally (`make test`)
* [ ] All checks pass locally (`make check`)
* [ ] Code follows project conventions
* [ ] License headers are present (`make check-license`)
* [ ] Commit messages are clear and descriptive
* [ ] PR description explains the change
* [ ] Issue is referenced in PR description

### Required Checks

Your PR must pass the following automated checks:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Unit Tests">
    All unit tests must pass across all modules.

    **Run locally:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    make test
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Linting">
    Code must pass all linting checks:

    * golangci-lint for Go
    * eslint for TypeScript/JavaScript
    * stylelint for CSS/SCSS
    * prettier for formatting

    **Run locally:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    make check
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="License Headers">
    All source files must have proper license headers.

    **Check locally:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    make check-license
    ```

    **Fix automatically:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    make fix-license
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Build Verification">
    The project must build successfully.

    **Run locally:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    make build
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Development Best Practices

### Dependency Management

#### Go Dependencies

* Use only official releases
* Avoid using specific commits or `latest`
* Run `go mod tidy` before committing
* Dependencies are managed with [go mod](https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/Modules)

#### JavaScript Dependencies

* Use Yarn for package management
* Update `package.json` and commit `yarn.lock`
* Avoid suspicious or unknown dependencies

### Security

* Never commit sensitive information (credentials, tokens, etc.)
* Keep dependencies updated
* Follow security best practices
* Report security issues privately to maintainers

### Code Quality Tools

The project uses several tools to maintain code quality:

| Tool              | Purpose          | Documentation                                              |
| ----------------- | ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **golangci-lint** | Go linting       | [golangci-lint](https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint) |
| **eslint**        | JS/TS linting    | [eslint](https://eslint.org)                               |
| **stylelint**     | CSS/SCSS linting | [stylelint](https://github.com/stylelint/stylelint)        |
| **prettier**      | Code formatting  | [prettier](https://prettier.io/)                           |

## Communication Channels

Get in touch with the community:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Slack Channel" icon="slack" href="https://kubernetes.slack.com/messages/sig-ui">
    Join #sig-ui on Kubernetes Slack
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mailing List" icon="envelope" href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/kubernetes-sig-ui">
    Subscribe to kubernetes-sig-ui mailing list
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Mentorship

New to Kubernetes or open source?

<Card title="Mentoring Initiatives" icon="user-group" href="https://git.k8s.io/community/mentoring">
  We have diverse mentorship programs available that are always looking for volunteers!
</Card>

## Release Process

The project follows [semver](https://semver.org/) versioning scheme.

### Module Releases

Each module has its own releases:

* `api/v1.0.0`
* `web/v2.4.5`
* `auth/v1.2.3`
* etc.

### Application Releases

Application releases are created via Helm chart updates:

* Tag format: `v3.0.0`
* Includes detailed release notes
* Includes compatibility matrix
* Includes upgrade instructions

## Making Your First Contribution

Look for issues labeled `good first issue` or `help wanted`:

```bash theme={null}
# Search for beginner-friendly issues
https://github.com/kubernetes/dashboard/labels/good%20first%20issue
```

<Note>
  Don't hesitate to ask questions! The community is here to help.
</Note>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Getting Started" icon="rocket" href="./getting-started">
    Set up your development environment
  </Card>

  <Card title="Testing" icon="vial" href="./testing">
    Learn how to run tests
  </Card>
</CardGroup>