GitHub Project Setup: Markdown Tips

Setting up a GitHub project with well-structured Markdown files can greatly improve collaboration and project clarity. Here are some essential tips for creating and organizing Markdown files in your repository, including how to use Mermaid for diagrams:

Pull Request (PR) Templates

Using PR templates ensures contributors provide consistent and sufficient information for code reviews.

How to Create a PR Template:

• Create a folder called .github.
• Inside it, create another folder named PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.
• Add a template file, e.g., pull_request_template.md.

Example PR Template:

### Description
Describe the purpose of this PR. What does it fix or improve?

### Type of Change
- [ ] Bug fix
- [ ] New feature
- [ ] Code improvement
- [ ] Documentation
- [ ] Other (please specify)

### Checklist
- [ ] My code follows the project's style guidelines.
- [ ] I tested my changes locally.
- [ ] I added tests to cover my changes.
- [ ] Documentation has been updated, if necessary.

### Related Issues
Resolves # (insert the related issue number, if applicable)

### Screenshots (if applicable)
Add screenshots to illustrate visual changes, if any.

### Additional Notes
Add any additional information relevant to the review.

Issue Templates

Issue templates standardize how tasks and bugs are reported, making it easier to track and resolve them.

How to Create an Issue Template:

• Inside the .github folder, create a folder named ISSUE_TEMPLATE.
• Add template files for different types of issues, such as bug_report.md and feature_request.md.

Example Bug Report Template:

### Bug Description
Describe the bug clearly and concisely.

### Steps to Reproduce
1. Go to '...'
2. Click on '....'
3. Scroll down to '....'
4. See the error

### Expected Behavior
Describe what you expected to happen.

### Actual Behavior
Describe what actually happened.

### Screenshots
Add screenshots to help explain the issue.

### Additional Information
- Operating System:
- Browser (if applicable):
- Software Version:

README and Documentation

A good README.md is essential for explaining your project, how to set it up, and how to contribute.
Suggested README Structure:

# Project Name

## Description
A brief description of the project.

## Setup
Steps to set up the project locally.

## Contributing
Instructions for contributing to the project.

## License
Information about the project's license.

Contributing Guidelines

Create a CONTRIBUTING.md file to guide new contributors.

Example:

# How to Contribute

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a branch for your feature (`git checkout -b feature/new-feature`).
3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add new feature'`).
4. Push your branch (`git push origin feature/new-feature`).
5. Open a Pull Request.

Mermaid for Diagrams

GitHub supports Mermaid, a powerful tool for creating diagrams directly in Markdown files. This is especially useful for documenting workflows, architectures, or processes.

How to Use Mermaid:

Wrap your Mermaid code in a code block with the mermaid language specifier.
Basic Flowchart Example:

'''mermaid
graph TD;
    A[Start] --> B{Decision?};
    B -->|Yes| C[Do something];
    B -->|No| D[Do something else];
    C --> E[End];
    D --> E;
'''

ps.: I needed to replace the character (`) for (') because of the dev.to code block.

By following these tips, you can ensure your GitHub project is well-documented, easy to navigate, and visually engaging with Mermaid diagrams. If you have any questions or need further examples, feel free to ask! 😊