# Development Guide for Contributors ## Requirements and Dependencies - Python 3.11 (or higher) - installed. - Redis - installed and running locally (bundled automatically in Docker deployments). - A GitHub account. ## Tech Stack - Django 4.2 (back-end) - Javascript using jQuery 3.7 (front-end) - Bootstrap 4 (CSS) - SQLite (database) - Redis (caching) ## Getting Started Follow these steps in order to begin contributing: - **[Environment Setup](dev/Setup.md)** - Install and configure your development environment - **[Contributor Workflow](dev/ContributorWorkflow.md)** - Git workflow and pull request process ## Core Guidelines (Essential Reading) These documents contain fundamental concepts that apply across all development areas: - **[Architecture Overview](dev/shared/architecture-overview.md)** - High-level system design and key patterns - **[Coding Standards](dev/shared/coding-standards.md)** - Code organization, style, and conventions - **[Data Model](dev/shared/data-model.md)** - Core domain models and relationships - **[Testing Guidelines](dev/testing/testing-guidelines.md)** - Testing philosophy, best practices, and anti-patterns ## Development Areas Choose the area that matches your contribution focus and browse the relevant documentation: - **[Backend Development](dev/backend/)** - Django models, views, and business logic - **[Frontend Development](dev/frontend/)** - Templates, styling, and user interface - **[Testing](dev/testing/)** - Testing standards and patterns - **[Integration Development](dev/integrations/)** - External service integration and API patterns - **[Domain & Data Modeling](dev/domain/)** - Domain modeling and business logic - **[Shared Reference](dev/shared/)** - Common concepts used across all areas