Contributing Guide

Contributing Guide

Welcome! Here’s how to get involved and contribute effectively to the Expense Tracker project.

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Contribution Structure

We encourage contributions in the following areas:

Area	Contribution Ideas
Backend	New filters, improved data storage options, optimization
Frontend	UI polish, better chart UX, faster responsiveness
Data Science	Budget prediction, smart categorization algorithms
DevOps	Deployment setup, Docker support, CI/CD integrations

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🛠️ Getting Started

1. Fork the Repo

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/Expense-Tracker.git
   cd Expense-Tracker
   

2. Create a Branch

   git checkout -b your-feature-name
   

3. Install Dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

4. Develop Locally

   • Make your changes

   • Ensure everything runs properly:

     streamlit run app.py
     

5. Commit and Push

   git add .
   git commit -m "Add your message here"
   git push origin your-feature-name
   

6. Submit a Pull Request

   • Go to your forked repo

   • Open a PR against the main branch

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⚙️ Code Standards

• Use clear, descriptive commit messages

• Write modular, documented functions

• Avoid hardcoding — opt for config or constants

• Follow PEP8 for Python formatting

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🔍 Review Process

Your PR will be reviewed within 48–72 hours by maintainers. Feedback might be provided for improvements before merging.

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🙌 First Time Contributors

We love helping newcomers, students or experienced Programmers! Look out for issues labeled good first issue or help wanted on our GitHub issues tab.