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CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to GraphFusion Core
+
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to the GraphFusion Core project! This document outlines the guidelines and best practices for contributing to ensure a smooth and collaborative workflow.
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+1. [Getting Started](#getting-started)
+2. [Code of Conduct](#code-of-conduct)
+3. [Submitting Changes](#submitting-changes)
+4. [Development Workflow](#development-workflow)
+5. [Coding Standards](#coding-standards)
+6. [Testing](#testing)
+7. [Documentation](#documentation)
+
+---
+
+### 1. Getting Started
+
+1. **Fork the Repository**: Fork the repository to your GitHub account to start working on any changes.
+2. **Clone Your Fork**: Clone your fork to your local machine.
+   ```bash
+   git clone https://github.com/your-username/graphfusion-core.git
+   cd graphfusion-core
+   ```
+3. **Create a Branch**: Create a new branch for each feature or bug fix.
+   ```bash
+   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
+   ```
+
+### 2. Code of Conduct
+
+We follow the [Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/). Please read it to understand the expected behavior in all project interactions.
+
+### 3. Submitting Changes
+
+1. **Commit Changes**: Make small, focused commits with clear messages explaining the purpose of each change.
+2. **Push to Your Fork**: Push your changes to your forked repository.
+   ```bash
+   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
+   ```
+3. **Submit a Pull Request (PR)**: Open a pull request on the main repository. Link any related issues and add reviewers if needed.
+
+4. **Review Process**: A project maintainer will review your PR. Address any feedback and make updates if required. Ensure that all automated checks pass before final review and approval.
+
+### 4. Development Workflow
+
+- **Sync with Main Branch**: Regularly sync your branch with the main branch to avoid merge conflicts.
+   ```bash
+   git fetch origin
+   git merge origin/main
+   ```
+
+- **Run Tests Locally**: Before submitting a pull request, ensure all tests pass on your local setup.
+   ```bash
+   poetry run pytest
+   ```
+
+### 5. Coding Standards
+
+- **Follow PEP 8**: Adhere to the PEP 8 style guide for Python.
+- **Use Type Hints**: Type hints improve readability and maintainability. Add type hints for all public methods and functions.
+- **Linting**: We use `black` for code formatting and `flake8` for linting. Please run both before submitting your changes.
+   ```bash
+   poetry run black src/
+   poetry run flake8 src/
+   ```
+
+### 6. Testing
+
+- **Unit Tests**: Write unit tests for new features and bug fixes to ensure they work as expected.
+- **Test Coverage**: Aim to maintain high test coverage. We recommend a minimum of 90% coverage for new code.
+- **Test Naming**: Name test functions descriptively (e.g., `test_confidence_score_calculation`).
+- **Mocking**: Use mocks for external dependencies where appropriate to isolate the unit being tested.
+
+### 7. Documentation
+
+- **Docstrings**: Add docstrings to all public functions and classes using Google style.
+- **README and Guides**: Update the `README.md` or relevant `docs/` guides if you are adding significant functionality.
+- **Changelog**: Document any user-facing changes in `CHANGELOG.md`.
+
+---
+
+Thank you for contributing to GraphFusion! We’re excited to have you involved and look forward to working together to build a powerful platform.