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CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to Cantera
+
+* For significant changes, consider starting a discussion on the Cantera
+  Users' Group to plan your modifications so that they can be implemented
+  efficiently and in a way that doesn't conflict with any other planned
+  future development
+* Fork the `Cantera/cantera` repository on Github
+* Clone your new repository or add it as a remote to an existing repository
+* Check out the existing `master` branch, then start a new feature branch for
+  your work
+* When making changes, write code that is consistent with the surrounding code
+  (see the [style guidelines](#style-guidelines) below)
+* Add tests for any new features that you are implementing to either the
+  GoogleTest-based test suite or the Python test suite.
+* Add examples that highlight new capabilities, or update existing
+  examples to make use of new features.
+* As you make changes, commit them to your feature branch
+  * Configure Git with your name and e-mail address before making any commits
+  * Use descriptive commit messages (summary line of no more than 72 characters,
+    followed by a blank line and a more detailed summary, if any)
+  * Make related changes in a single commit, and unrelated changes in separate
+    commits
+  * Make sure that your commits do not include any undesired files, e.g. files
+    produced as part of the build process or other temporary files.
+  * Use Git's history-rewriting features (i.e. `git rebase -i`; see
+    https://help.github.com/articles/about-git-rebase/) to organize your commits
+    and squash "fixup" commits and reversions.
+  * Do not merge your branch with `master`. If needed, you should rebase your branch
+    onto the most recent `HEAD` commit of `master`.
+  * Periodically run the test suite (`scons test`) to make sure that your
+    changes are not causing any test failures.
+* Submit a Pull Request on Github. Check the results of the continuous-
+  integration tests run using Travis and AppVeyor and resolve any issues that
+  arise.
+* Additional discussion of good Git & Github workflow is provided at
+  http://matplotlib.org/devel/gitwash/development_workflow.html and https://docs.scipy.org/doc/numpy-dev/dev/index.html
+
+# Style Guidelines
+
+* Try to follow the style of surrounding code, and use variable names that
+  follow existing patterns. Pay attention to indentation and spacing.
+* Configure your editor to use 4 spaces per indentation level, and **never to
+  use tabs**.
+* Avoid introducing trailing whitespace
+* Limit line lengths to 80 characters when possible
+* Write comments to explain non-obvious operations
+
+## C++
+* All classes, member variables, and methods should have Doxygen-style comments
+  (e.g. comment lines starting with `//!` or comment blocks starting with `/*!`)
+* Avoid defining non-trivial functions in header files
+* Header files should include an 'include guard'
+* Protected and private member variable names are generally prefixed with
+  `m_`. For most classes, member variables should not be public.
+* Class names use `InitialCapsNames`
+* Methods use `camelCaseNames`
+* Do not indent the contents of namespaces
+* Code may make use of most C++11 features, with the exceptions of delegating
+  constructors, inheriting constructors, and non-static data member
+  initializers. These limitations are needed to keep the minimum required
+  compiler versions at GCC 4.6, Clang 3.1, Visual Studio 2013 and Intel 14.0.
+* Avoid manual memory management (i.e. `new` and `delete`), preferring to use
+  standard library containers, as well as `std::unique_ptr` and
+  `std::shared_ptr` when dynamic allocation is required.
+* Portions of Boost which are "header only" may be used. If possible, include
+  Boost header files only within .cpp files rather than other header files to
+  avoid unnecessary increases in compilation time.
+* While Cantera does not specifically follow these rules, the following style
+  guides are useful references for possible style choices and the rationales behind them.
+  * The Google C++ Style Guide: https://google.github.io/styleguide/cppguide.html
+  * http://geosoft.no/development/cppstyle.html
+* For any new code, do *not* use the `doublereal` and `integer` typedefs for the
+  basic types `double` and `int`, but also do not go out of your way to change
+  uses of these in otherwise unmodified code.
+
+## Python
+
+* Style generally follows PEP8 (https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/)
+* Code in .py files needs to be written to work with both Python 2
+  and Python 3. Code in Cython files (.pyx or .pxd) should automatically work with both.
+* Code in the Python examples should be written for Python 3. Python 2 versions
+  are automatically generated as part of the build process