# Contributor Code of Conduct

## Our Commitment

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inspiring community for all. We pledge that participating in our community is a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, caste, disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socioeconomic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

We are dedicated to providing a positive, inclusive, and safe environment where all contributors feel respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their best work.

## Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to creating a positive environment include:

### Be Respectful
- Use welcoming and inclusive language
- Be respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences
- Accept constructive criticism gracefully
- Respect cultural and linguistic differences
- Acknowledge and celebrate diverse backgrounds

### Be Collaborative
- Work together to resolve conflicts
- Give credit and recognize others' contributions
- Help others learn and grow
- Share knowledge and ask questions
- Support fellow community members

### Be Professional
- Keep discussions focused and productive
- Avoid demeaning or insulting remarks
- Stay on topic in issues and discussions
- Use clear and respectful communication
- Assume good intent in others' messages

### Be Inclusive
- Welcome new contributors
- Help onboard people new to the project
- Provide constructive feedback
- Include people with different perspectives
- Create space for quiet voices to be heard

## Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:

### Harassment and Discrimination
- Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, age, race, or religion
- Unwelcome comments regarding a person's lifestyle choices and practices
- Deliberate misgendering or use of 'dead' or rejected names
- Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior
- Physical contact and simulated physical contact without consent or after a request to stop

### Abusive Behavior
- Threats of violence or violent language directed against another person
- Incitement of violence or violent language toward any individual
- Deliberate intimidation
- Stalking or following
- Harassment through repeated contact
- Any other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate

### Online Harassment
- Sustained disruption of online discussion
- Publishing others' private information (doxxing)
- Unwelcome sexual attention or advances
- Trolling or intentional disruption
- Spam or repetitive advertising
- Spreading misinformation or disinformation

### Retaliation
- Taking retaliatory action against someone for reporting a violation
- Treating someone unfairly because they reported unacceptable behavior
- Threatening to report someone in retaliation

## Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to:
- All community spaces (GitHub issues, pull requests, discussions, etc.)
- Project repositories and documentation
- Events and gatherings organized by or representing the project
- Public spaces where individuals are representing the project or the community
- Private communications when they relate to project business

The Code of Conduct applies to all project spaces, and it also applies when an individual is representing the project or community in public spaces. Examples of representing a project or community include using an official project e-mail address, posting via an official social media account, or acting as an appointed representative at an online or offline event.

## Enforcement

Community leaders are responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behavior and will take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any behavior that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

### Reporting a Violation

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please report it by:

1. **Email**: Contact the project maintainers at [provide contact method if available]
2. **GitHub Issues**: Private report feature (if available in your GitHub settings)
3. **Direct Message**: Contact a project maintainer directly

Please provide:
- Your contact information
- Names of those involved (if you feel comfortable sharing)
- Description of the incident
- Context and any relevant links
- How the incident affected you

**All reports will be kept confidential.**

### Investigation and Response

Community leaders will:
- Review and investigate all complaints promptly and fairly
- Maintain confidentiality with respect to the reporter
- Respond to the reporter about the status of their report
- Take appropriate action based on findings

Possible actions include:
- Private warning or coaching
- Public apology (if the violator agrees)
- Temporary or permanent removal from community spaces
- Loss of contributor privileges
- Escalation to GitHub or other platforms as needed

### Appeal Process

If you believe a decision was made in error, you may appeal by:
1. Providing new information or context
2. Requesting a review by multiple maintainers
3. Following up within 30 days of the initial decision

## Guidelines for Respectful Disagreement

Disagreements are natural in technical communities. Here's how to disagree respectfully:

### Do's
- ✅ Focus on the idea, not the person
- ✅ Ask clarifying questions
- ✅ Acknowledge valid points in opposing views
- ✅ Use "I" statements ("I disagree because...")
- ✅ Cite sources and evidence
- ✅ Thank others for their perspective

### Don'ts
- ❌ Make personal attacks
- ❌ Use dismissive language ("That's stupid")
- ❌ Assume bad intent
- ❌ Bring up unrelated past conflicts
- ❌ Escalate tone or become hostile
- ❌ Deliberately misrepresent others' views

### Example of Respectful Disagreement
```
❌ Bad: "That's a dumb idea and you clearly don't understand the project."

✅ Good: "I see your point, but I'm concerned this approach might
not scale well with larger projects. Have you considered the
performance implications shown in this benchmark? I'd love to
hear your thoughts on this."
```

## Building Bridges

We believe in the power of dialogue and reconciliation:

- If someone calls out your behavior, listen and reflect
- Be willing to apologize if you've caused harm
- Support others in learning and growth
- Recognize that people make mistakes
- Focus on solutions, not blame
- Assume good intent while holding people accountable

## Benefits of Following This Code

By maintaining a respectful and inclusive community, we:
- Attract diverse contributors with varied perspectives
- Create better solutions through collaboration
- Build stronger relationships
- Make the project more welcoming to newcomers
- Produce higher-quality documentation and examples
- Foster a culture of learning and growth

## Special Considerations

### For Maintainers
- Lead by example in adhering to this Code
- Be responsive to reports
- Be transparent about decisions
- Help resolve conflicts fairly
- Create a safe environment for all

### For Contributors
- Assume good intent from maintainers and other contributors
- Provide constructive feedback
- Support newcomers
- Help enforce community standards
- Take ownership of the community culture

### For Everyone
- Remember there's a human behind every message
- Take breaks if you're feeling frustrated
- Reach out to community leaders if you need support
- Help create the community you want to be part of

## Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from:
- The [Contributor Covenant](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/)
- The [Mozilla Community Participation Guidelines](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/governance/policies/participation/)
- The [Python Community Code of Conduct](https://www.python.org/psf/conduct/)

## Questions?

If you have questions about this Code of Conduct, please reach out to the project maintainers.

## Version History

- **Version 1.0** (January 2026) - Initial Code of Conduct

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**Thank you for helping us create a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful community!** 🌟
