The first thing to know about CanJS is that its code is split across dozens of different repositories. All but one of these are library repositories like canjs/can-event and canjs/can-define. These all work the same way. The canjs/canjs framework repository works slightly differently. The vast majority of code changes happen in one of the library repositories.

If you don’t know which repository you need to work on, join our Slack and ask us in the #canjs channel.

File organization and responsibilities

Most library repositories share a similar structure. Understanding it can help you figure out what code needs to be changed. The following outline shows the directory structure of a nonexistent can-example repository:

├── .editorconfig           — Configures editors for this project
├── .gitignore              — Tells git to ignore certain files
├── .jshintrc               — Configures JSHint
├── .npmignore              — Tells npm publish to ignore certain files
├── .travis.yml             — Travis CI configuration
├── build.js                — Build script to export code in other formats
├── can-example.js          — Main module code
├── package.json            — Configuration of package and dev scripts
├── readme.md               — Automatically generated readme
├── docs/                   — Documentation source
|   ├── can-example.md      — Package or module documentation
├── node_modules/           — Node dependency installation folder
├── test/                   — Test files
|   ├── can-example-test.js — Main test file
|   ├── test.html           — Main test page

Generally speaking, the most important files are:

• the main module — can-example.js
• the main test module — test/can-example-test.js
• the test page — test/test.html

To fix a bug or make a new feature, add a test in the main test module, update code in the main module, and then verify the tests are passing by running the test page.

Some modules have multiple modules, test modules, and test pages. These modules are commonly organized as modlets where each folder will have its own main module, test module, and test page:

├── a-module/            — Module’s modlet folder
|   ├── a-module.js      — The module
|   ├── a-module-test.js — The module’s tests
|   ├── test.html        — A test page that runs just the module’s tests

Priority, Tags, and Complexity

The core team reviews issues and assigns them a p0 to p4 label corresponding to the following priorities:

• p0 - An issue that will preempt any other issues currently being worked on.
• p1 - A critical feature or bug that needs to be fixed to keep CanJS’s high degree of quality.
• p2 - A feature or bug that is less likely to be encountered, but something we intend to get to.
• p3 - A nice to have. The OS team might get to it, but it’s helpful if the community assists.
• p4 - A nice to have that the OS team will accept, but will be unlikely to prioritize any effort towards.

There are several ways to influence these priorities:

• Offer to pair with a contributor on a solution.
• Write a good test.
• Come to a DoneJS Contributors meeting and make your case.
• Get others from other organizations to 👍 the issue.
• Make your case on Slack with a contributor or in the issue.
• You can always hire Bitovi or a contributor to make the change.