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+# Contributing to Neon Vision Editor
+
+Thanks for taking the time to contribute.
+
+## Scope & goals
+
+Neon Vision Editor is intentionally a lightweight native macOS editor.
+Please keep PRs focused and aligned with the project goals:
+- fast file opening
+- readable UI
+- reliable syntax highlighting
+- stability/performance
+
+Non-goals (for now):
+- plugin system
+- full IDE features (LSP/refactors/project indexing)
+
+## Reporting bugs
+
+Please open a GitHub issue and include:
+- macOS version
+- Xcode version (if building from source)
+- Neon Vision Editor version/tag
+- steps to reproduce
+- expected vs actual behavior
+- screenshots or a short screen recording if applicable
+- sample file (if the bug is file-content dependent)
+
+## Proposing features
+
+Open a feature request issue first, especially for anything large.
+Describe:
+- the user problem
+- the proposed solution
+- alternatives considered
+- why it fits the scope
+
+## Pull requests
+
+- Keep PRs small and focused.
+- Prefer one logical change per PR.
+- Include a short summary and any relevant screenshots.
+- If behavior changes, mention it in the PR description and update the changelog if appropriate.
+
+## Development notes
+
+- The project is built with Swift and AppKit.
+- Ensure the app builds and runs locally before opening a PR.
+- Avoid committing Xcode user state or DerivedData artifacts (see `.gitignore`).