🚀 Springboard Docs

Contributing to Springboard Docs

Apr 07, 20254 min read

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the Springboard Docs! We appreciate your efforts to improve and expand our documentation. This guide will walk you through setting up your environment, using Obsidian, and following our standard Git practices.

Getting Started

Before you begin contributing, make sure you have the following tools installed on your system:

  • Git: For version control and managing contributions.
  • Obsidian: Our recommended platform for editing and managing documentation files.

Prerequisites

  1. Install Git: If you don’t have Git installed, you can download it from https://git-scm.com/ and follow the installation instructions.
  2. Install Obsidian: Download Obsidian from https://obsidian.md/. This is the markdown editor we use for maintaining and structuring documentation.

1. Setting Up Obsidian

  1. Clone the Repository:

    • Open your terminal and run the following command: 
      git clone https://github.com/forgefx/Springboard.Docs.git
    • This will download the documentation repository to your local machine.

  2. Open the Content Folder as a Vault:

    • Open Obsidian and click on Open Folder as Vault.
    • Navigate to the folder where you cloned the repository (Springboard.Docs) and select the folder.
    • This will open the Springboard documentation as an Obsidian vault, allowing you to explore, create, and edit files directly.

  3. Obsidian Workspace Setup:

    • Obsidian may prompt you to install community plugins or themes—these are optional but can enhance your editing experience.
    • We recommend enabling the Backlinks and Graph View to visualize and navigate through linked documentation pages effectively.

2. Working on Contributions

  • For quick edits or small contributions, you can work directly on the default branch.
  • For larger features or changes that may take several hours or more:
    • Create a new branch for your work: 
      git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
    • This keeps your work organized and separate from the default branch.
  • Choose the approach that best fits the scope of your contribution.

3. Editing or Adding New Documentation

  • Open Obsidian, navigate to the appropriate folder, and begin editing or adding new markdown files.
  • Ensure your content follows the formatting and structure guidelines used across the documentation. Obsidian’s Backlink feature will help you create and link to related pages.

4. Feature and Release Tags

When contributing to the docs, it’s important to indicate the status of your content using special tags:

  • Release: Add the release tag in the frontmatter for fully reviewed and ready-for-public-use documentation. These pages will be marked with a âś… in the explorer.
  • Draft: Add the draft tag for work-in-progress content. These pages will be marked with a 🚧 in the explorer.

Ensure you review and update these tags as your work progresses.

5. Using Cursor IDE for Advanced Editing

While Obsidian is excellent for managing and editing markdown content, you may need to make changes to Quartz configuration files or leverage AI assistance for more complex edits. For these tasks, we recommend using Cursor IDE.

  1. Install Cursor IDE:

    • Download and install Cursor IDE from https://cursor.sh/.
    • Cursor combines the power of VS Code with AI assistance, making it ideal for advanced editing tasks.

  2. Opening the Project in Cursor:

    • Launch Cursor IDE.
    • Choose “Open Folder” and select the root directory of your cloned Springboard.Docs repository.

  3. Editing Quartz Configuration Files:

    • Navigate to files like quartz.config.ts, quartz.layout.ts, or any other configuration files in the project root.
    • Cursor’s syntax highlighting and IntelliSense features will assist you in making accurate changes to these TypeScript files.

  4. Using AI Assistance for Content Editing:

    • While editing markdown files in the content folder, you can leverage Cursor’s AI capabilities:
      • Use the /ai command to ask for writing suggestions, rephrasing, or explanations.
      • Highlight text and use the right-click menu to access AI-powered editing options.

  5. Collaborative Editing:

    • Cursor supports real-time collaboration. If you’re working with other contributors, you can share your workspace and edit simultaneously.

Remember to test any changes to configuration files locally before committing them to ensure they don’t break the site’s functionality.

By combining Obsidian for content management and Cursor IDE for advanced editing and AI assistance, you’ll have a powerful toolkit for contributing to the Springboard Docs effectively.

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