CasaOS-Store/CONTRIBUTING.md

# Contributing to CasaOS AppStore

This document describes how to contribute an app to CasaOS AppStore.

## Submit Process 

App submission should be done via Pull Request. Fork this repository and prepare the app per guidelines below.

Once the PR is ready, create and assign your PR to anyone from CasaOS Team or some other contributor you trust.

## Guidelines

### Project Structure

```shell
CasaOS-AppStore
├─ category-list.json   # Configuration file for category list
├─ recommend-list.json  # Configuration file for recommended apps list
├─ featured-apps.json   # TBD
├─ help                 # Help script for old version app store
├─ Apps                 # Apps Store files
├─ build                # Installation script for Apps Store
└─ psd-source           # Icon thumbnail screenshot PSD Templates
```

### A CasaOS App typically includes following files

```shell
App-Name
├─ docker-compose.yml   # (Required) A valid Docker Compose file
├─ icon.png             # (Required) App icon
├─ screenshot-1.png     # (Required) At least one screenshot is needed, to demonstrate the app runs on CasaOS successfully.
├─ screenshot-2.png     # (Optional) More screenshots to demonstrate different functionalities is highly recommended.
├─ screenshot-3.png     # (Optional) ...
└─ thumbnail.png        # (Optional) A thumbnail file is needed only if you want it to be featured in AppStore front. (see specification at bottom)
```

#### A CasaOS App is a Docker Compose app, or a *compose app*

Each directory under [Apps](Apps) correspond to a CasaOS App. The directory should contain at least a `docker-compose.yml` file:

- It should be a valid [Docker Compose file](https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/).

- Image tag should be specific, e.g. `:0.1.2`, instead of `:latest`.

  > [What's Wrong With The Docker `:latest` Tag?](https://github.com/IceWhaleTech/CasaOS-AppStore/issues/167)

- The `name` property is used as the *store App ID*, which should be unique across all apps.

    For example, in the [`docker-compose.yml` of Syncthing](Apps/Syncthing/docker-compose.yml#L1), its store App ID is `syncthing`:

    ```yaml
    name: syncthing
    services:
        syncthing:
            image: linuxserver/syncthing:latest
    ...
    ```

- Language codes are case sensitive and should be in all lower case, e.g. `en_us`, `zh_cn`.

- There are few system wide variables can be used in `environment` and `volumes`:

    ```yaml
    environment:
      PGID: $PGID                           # Preset Group ID
      PUID: $PUID                           # Preset User ID
      TZ: $TZ                               # Current system timezone
    ...
    volumes:
      - type: bind
        source: /DATA/AppData/$AppID/config # $AppID = app name, e.g. syncthing
    ```

- CasaOS specific metadata, also called *store info*, are stored under [extension](https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/#extension) property `x-casaos` at two positions.

    1. Service level

        A `docker-compose.yml` file can contain one or more `services`. Each [service](https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/#services-top-level-element) can have its own store info.

        For the same example, at the buttom of the `syncthing` service in the [`docker-compose.yml` of Syncthing](Apps/Syncthing/docker-compose.yml)

        ```yaml
        x-casaos:
            envs:                           # description of each environment variable
                ...
              - container: PUID
                description:
                    en_us: Run Syncthing as specified uid.
            ports:                          # description of each port
              - container: "8384"
                description:
                    en_us: WebUI HTTP Port
                ...
            volumes:                        # description of each volume
                - container: /config
                  description:
                      en_us: Syncthing config directory.
                - container: /DATA
                  description:
                    en_us: Syncthing Accessible Directory.
        ```

    1. Compose app level

        For the same example, at the bottom of the [`docker-compose.yml` of Syncthing](Apps/Syncthing/docker-compose.yml)

        ```yaml
        x-casaos:
            architectures:                  # a list of architectures that the app supports
                - amd64
                - arm
                - arm64
            main: syncthing                 # the name of the main service under `services`
            author: CasaOS Team
            category: Backup
            description:                    # multiple locales are supported
                en_us: Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program. It synchronizes files between two or more computers in real time, safely protected from prying eyes. Your data is your data alone and you deserve to choose where it is stored, whether it is shared with some third party, and how it's transmitted over the internet.
            developer: Syncthing
            icon: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/IceWhaleTech/CasaOS-AppStore@main/Apps/Syncthing/icon.png
            tagline:                        # multiple locales are supported
                en_us: Free, secure, and distributed file synchronisation tool.
            thumbnail: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/IceWhaleTech/CasaOS-AppStore@main/Apps/Jellyfin/thumbnail.jpg
            title:                          # multiple locales are supported
                en_us: Syncthing
            tips:
                before_install:
                    en_us: |
                        (some notes for user to read prior to installation, such as preset `username` and `password` - markdown is supported!)
            index: /                        # the index page for web UI, e.g. index.html
            port_map: "8384"                # the port for web UI
        ```

## Requirements for Featured Apps

Once in a while, we pick certain apps as featured apps and display them at the AppStore front. The standard for apps to be featured is a bit higher than rest of the apps:

- Icon image should be a transparent background PNG image with a size of 192x192 pixels.
- Thumbnail image should be 784x442 pixels, with a rounded corner mask. It is recommended to be saved as a PNG image with a transparent background.
- Screenshot image should be 1280x720 pixels and can be saved in either PNG or JPG format. Please try to keep the file size as small as possible.

Please find the prepared [PSD template files](psd-source), to quickly create the above images if you need.

If you have any feedback and suggestion about this contributing process, please let us know via Discord or Issues immediately. Thanks!