Skip to content

CONTRIBUTING.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
168 lines (112 loc) · 3.52 KB

CONTRIBUTING.md

File metadata and controls

168 lines (112 loc) · 3.52 KB

Contributing Guide

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Embedded Camera Systems.

This repository is an open-source technical knowledge base focused on embedded camera architectures, video/audio codecs, streaming, and firmware systems. Contributions that improve technical accuracy, clarity, and practical value are welcome.

📌 Scope of Contributions

You can contribute in the following ways:

  • Improve existing documentation
  • Add new technical sections or chapters
  • Add diagrams (PNG / SVG)
  • Fix technical inaccuracies or outdated information
  • Add references to standards (RFC, ISO/IEC, ITU-T)
  • Improve wording, structure, or readability

Contributions should remain:

  • Vendor-neutral
  • Standards-oriented
  • Focused on embedded and IP camera systems

📂 Repository Structure Overview


docs/
├── overview/
├── isp/
├── videocodec/
├── audio/
├── streaming/
├── network/
├── firmware/
└── onvif/

Each documentation module typically contains:

  • One main Markdown file (*.md)
  • An img/ directory for diagrams and illustrations

✍️ Writing Guidelines

1. Technical Accuracy

  • Verify all technical claims
  • Prefer primary sources (RFCs, ISO/IEC, ITU-T, official specs)
  • Avoid assumptions based on vendor-specific behavior

2. Tone and Style

  • Use clear, technical, and neutral language
  • Avoid marketing language
  • Write from an engineering perspective
  • Prefer concise explanations over long narratives

3. Structure (Recommended)

Each document or major section should follow this structure when possible:

* Overview
* Background / Theory
* Practical Considerations
* Common Pitfalls
* References

📖 References and Citations

  • Always cite authoritative sources when introducing:
    • Protocol behavior
    • Codec specifications
    • Standards-defined values
  • Use direct links to:
    • IETF RFCs
    • ISO/IEC standards
    • ITU-T recommendations
  • Do not copy proprietary or copyrighted content

🖼 Diagrams and Images

  • Place images in the local img/ directory of each module
  • Use clear, descriptive filenames
  • Prefer vector formats (PNG) when possible
  • Ensure diagrams are understandable without excessive text

🧪 Examples and Code Snippets

  • Examples should be minimal and illustrative
  • Pseudo-code is preferred over large code dumps
  • If adding code:
    • Clearly state whether it is example-only
    • Avoid vendor-specific SDK dependencies
    • Ensure licensing compatibility

🔍 Review Process

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a feature branch:
feature/add-streaming-examples
  1. Make your changes with clear commit messages
  2. Submit a Pull Request (PR)

PRs will be reviewed for:

  • Technical correctness
  • Clarity and structure
  • Consistency with repository scope

🚫 What Not to Submit

  • Vendor marketing material
  • Proprietary specifications
  • Copy-pasted content from paid or restricted documents
  • Large unrelated codebases

📜 License

By contributing to this repository, you agree that:

  • Your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License
  • You have the right to submit the content
  • Your contributions do not violate third-party copyrights

💬 Questions and Discussions

If you are unsure whether a contribution fits the scope:

  • Open an Issue for discussion
  • Clearly describe your proposal and references

Thank you for helping improve this project and supporting the open-source camera and embedded systems community.