Thanks for contributing to Graphlink.

• The UI product name is Graphlink, but many modules and folders still use Graphite.
• The app is currently developed primarily on Windows.
• The repository is script-oriented, so the launch working directory matters.

py -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install -r requirements.txt
cd graphite_app
python graphite_app.py

If you prefer Visual Studio, open graphite_app.sln.

• Launch the app from graphite_app/, not from the repo root.
• Prefer editing the real implementation modules in:
  • graphite_app/graphite_plugins/
  • graphite_app/graphite_nodes/
  • graphite_app/graphite_canvas/
  • graphite_app/graphite_ui_dialogs/
• Treat top-level wrapper modules such as graphite_plugin_code_review.py as compatibility facades unless the change is specifically about import stability.
• Keep changes focused. UI cleanup, plugin behavior, persistence updates, and provider changes should be easy to review independently.

Please include:

• A clear summary of the problem being solved.
• A concise explanation of the implementation approach.
• Notes about any architectural tradeoffs.
• Screenshots or short recordings for visible UI changes.
• Manual verification steps.

There is not yet a broad automated test suite, so please do at least the following when relevant:

1. Launch the app successfully.
2. Create or load a chat session.
3. Exercise the area you changed.
4. Verify the app still saves and reloads without obvious breakage.
5. Run a Python compile smoke check:

python -m compileall -q graphite_app

These areas are especially valuable for contributors:

• UI consistency and polish
• plugin ergonomics
• cross-platform cleanup
• settings and secret-storage improvements
• test coverage and CI expansion
• documentation

Use the GitHub issue templates when possible:

• Bug report for defects or regressions
• Feature request for product and workflow improvements

If the issue is security-sensitive, avoid posting exploit details publicly first.