Update README.md

README.md

@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 # FreeCAD Addon Manager
 
-Install and update third-party addons to FreeCAD, including Workbenches, Macros, Preference Packs, and more. Install
-*this* addon to update the internal Addon Manager to the latest version (and to allow future self-updating).
-
-This module was originally developed within FreeCAD, and has now been extracted into its own git repository. It is
-currently re-integrated into FreeCAD's source tree as a git submodule and continues to ship with FreeCAD.
+Install and update third-party addons to FreeCAD, including Workbenches, Macros, Preference Packs, and more. FreeCAD
+ships with a point-in-time snapshot of this Addon: by the time you install FreeCAD it is possible that version of the
+Addon Manager is no longer the most recent version. Install *this* addon to update the internal Addon Manager to the
+latest version (and to allow future self-updating).
 
 ## Addon Sources
 
@@ -13,6 +12,20 @@ be configured in the Addon Manager preferences when running FreeCAD. These addon
 third parties and provided by repositories not under the FreeCAD authors' or maintainers' control: you use these addons
 at your own risk.
 
+## Information for Addon Developers
+
+To submit an addon you have created see the documentation [here](https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD-addons/blob/master/Documentation/Submission.md).
+For information about developing an addon in the first place, see [the FreeCAD wiki](https://wiki.freecad.org/Workbench_creation#Distribution).
+The Addon Manager supports five different types of addons: "Workbench", "Macro", "Preference Pack", "Bundle", and "Other". This
+information is provided to the Addon Manager via a file called `package.xml` whose [format is documented on the wiki](https://wiki.freecad.org/Package_Metadata).
+
+The Addon Manager relies on a remote cache of all addons maintained at https://addons.freecad.org,
+[generated by a script](https://github.com/FreeCAD/AddonManager/blob/main/AddonCatalogCacheCreator.py) that runs
+every six hours. This cache contains the complete code for all addons listed in the addon catalog. Another
+process runs to cache all macros from both [the GitHub repository](https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD-macros/)
+and [the Wiki](https://wiki.freecad.org/Macros_recipes). All official catalog-based addons and macros are downloaded from
+that server.
+
 ## Addon Manager Design Goals
 
 The Addon Manager is now designed to be self-updating, with a goal of allowing versions of FreeCAD back to 0.21 to
@@ -23,14 +36,27 @@ The Addon Manager is also designed to be run in a "standalone" mode to allow for
 it does not interact with FreeCAD at all, and does not use or affect "real" FreeCAD preferences, module installation,
 etc.
 
-## Roadmap
+### Request to Developers
 
-This module is under active development, with the following rough plan
+If you plan on submitting a PR to improve the Addon Manager, please write unit tests as appropriate for your development
+work. Network and filesystem access should be mocked, and the tests should be able to run without access to FreeCAD (always
+use the `addonmanager_freecad_interface.py` file to mediate FreeCAD interactions).
 
-1. Migrate to a JSON-formatted addon repository catalog, replacing the original `.gitmodules`-based addon source
-2. Rearrange codebase to better separate GUI from logic code.
-3. Implement detection of changed addon dependencies when updating.
-4. Implement remote caching of icons and macros.
-5. Begin GUI redesign.
+## Roadmap
 
-PRs are welcome!
+This module is under active development, with the following rough plan (the order of priorities is only approximate,
+and actual development may happen out of order).
+
+1. Handle download interruption and allow resumption
+2. Automatic update check for Addon Manager to update itself, even if it's not installed as an Addon
+3. Implement automatic Python dependency resolution on FreeCAD/Python version switching
+4. Construct `requirements.txt` for <depends> to ensure correct Python module installation
+5. FreeCAD in Virtual Env to eliminate `--user` option to `pip`
+6. Add/remove macro toolbar button
+7. Add option to perform background update checks and recaches
+8. Implement "offline mode" for uninstallation
+9. Add option to run Preference Pack after install
+10. Redesign the GUI
+
+Bug reports and pull requests are welcome. Please make sure you are familiar with
+[the contributing process](https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).