A pull request, or PR, is how you propose a change to an open-source project without having permission to edit it directly. It feels intimidating the first time and routine forever after. This walkthrough assumes you have a GitHub account and have installed Git, but have never submitted a PR. We will fix a small documentation issue, the safest possible first contribution.

Step 1: Fork the repository

On the Malairte repository page, click Fork in the top right. This creates your own copy under your account. You can do anything to your fork without affecting the real project, which is exactly the point.

Step 2: Clone your fork locally

Copy the clone URL from your fork and run git clone with it in a terminal. You now have the files on your own machine. Then add the original project as a remote called upstream so you can pull in future updates.

Step 3: Create a branch

Never work on the main branch. Run git checkout -b fix-install-typo to make a clearly named branch for your change. Good branch names describe the change in a few words.

Step 4: Make one small change

Open the file, fix the single thing you came to fix, and save. Resist the urge to "improve" five other things while you are there; one change per PR keeps reviews fast and friendly.

Step 5: Commit with a clear message

Stage the file and commit with a message that explains the why, not just the what:

  • git add docs/install.md
  • git commit -m "Fix incorrect download URL in install guide"

Step 6: Push and open the PR

Push your branch with git push origin fix-install-typo. GitHub will print a link to open a pull request. Click it, write a short description of what you changed and why, and submit. That is your first PR.

Step 7: Respond to review

A maintainer will probably leave comments. This is normal and good; it is how the work improves. Make the requested changes, commit them to the same branch, and push again; the PR updates automatically. Stay polite, say thanks, and do not take feedback personally. Once a maintainer approves and merges, your name is permanently part of the project history.