Create CONTRIBUTING.md

docs/CONTRIBUTING.md

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+This document outlines the process for developing and contributing to my own thesis project. By following these guidelines, this will ensure consistent quality and maintain a clear development history.
+
+## Development Workflow
+
+### 1. Issue Creation
+Before working on any new feature, experiment, or bug fix:
+- Create a GitHub issue using the appropriate template
+- Assign it to myself
+- Add relevant labels
+- Link it to the project board if applicable
+
+### 2. Branching Strategy
+Use the following branch naming convention:
+- `feature/<issue-number>-short-description`
+- `bugfix/<issue-number>-short-description`
+- `experiment/<issue-number>-short-description`
+- `doc/<issue-number>-short-description`
+
+Always branch from `main` for new features/experiments.
+
+### 3. Development Process
+- Make regular, atomic commits following the commit message template
+- Include the issue number in commit messages (e.g., "#42")
+- Push changes at the end of each work session
+
+### 4. Code Quality
+- Follow PEP 8 guidelines for Python code
+- Document functions with docstrings
+- Maintain test coverage for custom functions
+- Keep notebooks clean and well-documented
+
+### 5. Pull Requests
+Even working alone, use PRs for significant changes:
+- Create a PR from your feature branch to `main`
+- Reference the issue(s) it resolves
+- Include a summary of changes
+- Self-review the PR before merging
+
+### 6. Versioning
+Follow semantic versioning:
+- Major version: Significant thesis milestones or structural changes
+- Minor version: New experiments, features, or chapters
+- Patch version: Bug fixes and minor improvements
+
+### 7. Documentation
+Update documentation with each significant change:
+- Keep README current
+- Update function documentation
+- Maintain clear experiment descriptions in notebooks
+- Record significant decisions and findings
+
+## LaTeX Guidelines
+- Use consistent citation style
+- Break long sections into multiple files
+- Use meaningful label names for cross-references
+- Consider using version-control friendly LaTeX practices (one sentence per line)
+
+## Experiment Tracking
+For each experiment:
+- Create an issue documenting the experiment design
+- Reference related papers and previous experiments
+- Document parameters and results in the notebook
+- Summarize findings in the issue before closing
+
+## Commit Categories
+Use the categories defined in the commit template to clearly classify changes.