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CONTRIBUTING TO Areg SDK

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Areg SDK.
We welcome developers, companies, researchers, and hobbyists who want to help improve the framework.

This guide explains how to contribute, how copyrights work, and what you need to do so your contribution can be accepted.

1. Code Licensing

All contributions are licensed under:

Apache License, Version 2.0

By submitting a pull request or commit, you agree that your contribution is provided under Apache 2.0.

2. Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO)

To contribute, you must confirm that you have the right to submit the code.

Areg SDK uses the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO). It is a simple and widely adopted alternative to contributor license agreements.

Every commit must include a Signed-off-by line:


Signed-off-by: Your Name [email@example.com](mailto:email@example.com)

Most Git tools can add this automatically:


git commit -s

By signing off, you state that your contribution is your original work or that you have permission to submit it.
More information can be found at https://developercertificate.org/

3. Copyright Headers

You may add a copyright header if you want your name or organization to appear in the source file.

If you prefer not to add a header, the project may include a default header for clarity and consistent licensing.
This does not affect your ownership or your rights in any way.

Example of an optional header:

/************************************************************************
 * This file is part of the Areg SDK core engine.
 * Areg SDK is dual-licensed under Free open source (Apache version 2.0
 * License) and Commercial (with various pricing models) licenses, depending
 * on the nature of the project (commercial, research, academic or free).
 * You should have received a copy of the Areg SDK license description in LICENSE.txt.
 * If not, please contact to info[at]areg.tech
 *
 * \copyright   (c) 2017-2026 Aregtech (Artak Avetyan)
 * \file        path/to/YourFile.hpp
 * \ingroup     Areg SDK
 * \author      Your Full Name or GitHub ID
 * \brief       Brief description
 ************************************************************************/

Minor edits such as typo fixes, grammar corrections, formatting cleanup, comment updates, CMake changes, and YAML updates do not require contributor copyright headers.

Note

Contributors retain copyright in their own contributions. Under the DCO (Section 2) and the license grant in Section 6, maintainers already hold an irrevocable right to use, modify, sublicense, and distribute all contributions, including under commercial terms. Once Aregtech UG is registered, maintainers may assign or license this existing right to Aregtech UG; no further action or additional grant from contributors is required.

4. Contribution Guidelines

a. Reporting Bugs

When reporting an issue, please include:

  • steps to reproduce
  • expected and actual behavior
  • platform and compiler information

b. Submitting Code

Pull requests should follow these rules:

  • one clear improvement per pull request
  • include tests when possible
  • include a Signed-off-by line in every commit

c. Coding Style

All contributions must follow the Areg SDK coding style.

  • Coding style guide: ./docs/AREG_CODING_STYLE.md

If your change touches existing code, keep changes consistent with the surrounding file style unless the change is part of a deliberate refactor that updates the whole file/module.

d. Documentation

Improvements to guides, examples, comments, and general documentation are welcome. Small corrections only require a Signed-off-by line.

5. Areas Where Help Is Needed

  1. C++17 development such as core framework, features, and services
  2. Unit tests and example applications
  3. Build systems and cross compilation setups
  4. UI and UX improvements for the Areg SDK Tools
  5. Technical writing including documentation and guides

6. Dual Licensing and Commercial Use

Areg SDK is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.
You retain ownership of your contribution, which will always remain available under Apache 2.0.

Project maintainers may also offer Areg SDK under separate commercial terms.
By contributing under the DCO and Apache 2.0, you grant the maintainers an irrevocable right to use, modify, sublicense, and distribute your contribution as part of both the open-source and any commercial editions of Areg SDK.

7. Code of Conduct

Always communicate respectfully and constructively. We strive to maintain a welcoming community for everyone.

8. Questions

If you have any questions about licensing, rights, or the contribution process, open an issue or start a discussion.

We are happy to help you get started.