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Contributing to Vexon

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Vexon — it’s an experimental language and every contribution helps. This document explains the preferred ways to contribute, how to get started, and a few project rules so contributions are smooth and easy to review.

Quick summary

  • Primary place for collaboration: GitHub Issues & Pull Requests
  • Private/security contact: vexonlang@outlook.com
  • License: Vexon Open-Control License (VOCL) — see LICENSE.
  • By contributing, you confirm you understand the project license and contribution model (see “License & contributor agreement” below).

Table of contents

How to start

  1. Read the README and the LICENSE (VOCL) to understand goals and licensing.
  2. Explore the codebase locally: 
    git clone <repo-url>
cd vexon
npm install    # if package.json lists dependencies
node vexon_cli.js run examples/hello.vx
  3. Browse open issues for beginner-friendly items, or open a discussion/issue to propose an idea.

What to contribute

Helpful contributions include (but are not limited to):

  • Tooling: dump format improvements, small viewers, CLI flags
  • Debugging & diagnostics: better error messages, structured dumps
  • Tests: regression tests around known bugs or VM invariants
  • Examples & stress programs: long-running loops, small games, simulations
  • Docs: clearer language spec, README improvements, tutorials
  • Small features and bug fixes

If you’re unsure whether a contribution is welcome, open an issue first to discuss.

Good first contributions

If this is your first time contributing, consider:

  • Improving an under-documented examples/*.vx
  • Adding a simple test that reproduces a bug (or demonstrates desired behavior)
  • Small README or README section improvements
  • Implementing or improving dump-related tooling

We will label suitable issues as good first issue where possible.

Reporting bugs and opening issues

  • Use GitHub Issues for bug reports, feature requests, and design discussions.
  • When opening an issue include:
    • A short descriptive title
    • Steps to reproduce (code example if relevant)
    • Expected vs actual behavior
    • Environment (OS, Node version)
    • Logs, stack traces, or dump output if available

Submitting changes (PR workflow)

  1. Fork the repository.
  2. Create a descriptive branch: 
    git checkout -b feat/<short-description>
  3. Make small, focused commits with clear messages.
  4. Add or update tests/examples where appropriate.
  5. Push your branch and open a Pull Request against the default branch.
  6. In your PR description:
    • Explain the change and motivation
    • Link related issues
    • Describe how the change was tested

Code style & tests

  • Follow existing code formatting and patterns.
  • Keep changes minimal and reviewable.
  • Add tests or examples for significant changes.

Documentation & examples

Documentation is first-class. When you add or change behavior:

  • Update README or docs under docs/
  • Provide runnable examples under examples/
  • Keep examples small and focused

Tooling & running Vexon locally

Typical development workflow:

git clone <repo-url>
cd vexon
npm install
node vexon_cli.js run examples/hello.vx

If you add tooling, document it clearly.

Security & sensitive issues

If you discover a security issue or something sensitive, do not open a public issue. Instead, email:

vexonlang@outlook.com

Include a clear description and reproduction steps if possible.

License & contributor agreement

  • Vexon is licensed under the Vexon Open-Control License (VOCL).
  • By submitting a contribution, you agree that your contribution will be used and redistributed under VOCL, including its contributor clauses.
  • If you are not comfortable with this, please do not submit code contributions.

Communication & expectations

  • Primary channel: GitHub Issues & Pull Requests
  • Private contact: vexonlang@outlook.com
  • No official chat server at this stage
  • Maintain respectful and professional communication

Maintainer rights & project governance

  • Maintainers have final say on merges
  • Large changes should be discussed before implementation
  • Not all PRs may be accepted

Thank you

Thank you for your interest in Vexon. Whether you contribute code, documentation, tests, or ideas, your input is appreciated.

Contact

License: Vexon Open-Control License (VOCL). See LICENSE for details.

“By submitting a contribution, you agree that your contribution will be licensed under the Vexon Open-Control License (VOCL).”