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AndrOBD/CONTRIBUTING.md
chrisdebian c40101185f docs: add CONTRIBUTING.md 
Covers build setup (submodule clone requirement), Demo mode activation,
coding conventions (Java/Kotlin, logging, API range guards), PR process,
translations via Weblate, plugin development, AI-assisted contributions,
and community channels.
2026-07-05 11:09:09 +01:00

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Contributing to AndrOBD

Thanks for your interest in contributing! This guide covers everything you need to get started.

Table of contents

  1. Getting the code
  2. Building the app
  3. Testing without hardware — Demo mode
  4. Coding conventions
  5. Submitting changes
  6. Translations
  7. Plugin development
  8. AI-assisted contributions
  9. Community

Getting the code

AndrOBD uses a Git submodule for the plugin framework. You must clone with --recurse-submodules or the build will fail:

git clone https://github.com/fr3ts0n/AndrOBD.git --recurse-submodules

If you already have a plain clone:

git submodule update --init --recursive

Building the app

Open the project in Android Studio and let Gradle sync. From the command line:

./gradlew build          # build all variants + run tests
./gradlew assembleDebug  # debug APK only

Minimum requirements: JDK 17, Android SDK with build-tools for API 36.

Testing without hardware — Demo mode

You can exercise most app features without an OBD adapter or a vehicle:

  1. Turn off Bluetooth on your device (or use an emulator with no BT).
  2. In AndrOBD settings, set OBD Settings → Adapter type to Bluetooth.
  3. Launch the app and reject the Bluetooth permission request.

AndrOBD will enter Demo mode, streaming simulated vehicle data.

Coding conventions

  • Language: Java is the primary language. Kotlin is also supported (since v2.0) and is welcome for new files.
  • Style: Follow the conventions of the surrounding code. Indentation is tabs.
  • Logging: Use the existing java.util.logging.Logger instance in each class — avoid System.out, System.err, or e.printStackTrace().
  • Backwards compatibility: The app targets a wide API range (17–36). Be careful to guard any API that was introduced after API 17 with a Build.VERSION.SDK_INT check, or note in your PR if you are intentionally raising the minimum.
  • Tests: New logic is welcome with JUnit tests under androbd/src/test/. The existing test suite can be run with ./gradlew test.

Submitting changes

  1. Open or comment on an issue first. This avoids duplicated effort and lets the maintainer give early feedback on the approach.
  2. Check for open PRs on the same topic before starting — search by title as well as issue cross-references.
  3. Fork the repository and create a branch from master.
  4. Keep PRs small and focused — one concern per PR makes review much faster.
  5. Describe what and why in the PR body. Include steps to test, and note whether you were able to test with a real OBD adapter.

Translations

Strings are managed through Weblate. Please make translation changes there rather than editing res/values-*/strings.xml directly.

Plugin development

AndrOBD has a plugin system that lets you add new data sources without modifying the core app. See the AndrOBD-Plugin repository for the framework and example plugins.

AI-assisted contributions

AI tools (including GitHub Copilot and other assistants) are welcome for drafting code or documentation. If your contribution was substantially generated or guided by an AI tool, please say so briefly in the PR description — for example: "Drafted with GitHub Copilot, reviewed and tested manually." This helps the maintainer understand the provenance of the code and focus review effort appropriately.

Community

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