First off, thank you for considering contributing to Arcbase! Arcbase is a community-driven project focused on building streamlined, performance-oriented Windows optimization tools. Your contributions help improve reliability, transparency, and user control.

This guide applies to all repositories under the Arcbase organization, including ArcOS and related tooling.

By participating in this project, you agree to maintain a respectful, constructive, and inclusive environment. Collaboration should remain professional and focused on improving the project.

If you find a bug:

1. Search existing issues first.
2. If it’s new, open an issue including:
   • A clear title
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Expected vs actual behavior
   • Windows version/build
   • ArcOS version

Be specific. Clear reports help us resolve issues faster.

Do not report security-related concerns via public issues.

Instead, contact:

security@arcbase.one

(Replace with your actual contact email before publishing.)

Before submitting a feature request:

• Check if it has already been proposed.
• Explain the problem it solves.
• Describe the expected behavior.
• Consider compatibility with Windows 10 and 11.

Arcbase prioritizes:

• Stability
• Reversibility
• Update compatibility
• Clean system modification practices

Clear documentation is critical for system-level tools.

You can help by:

• Improving README clarity
• Adding usage examples
• Expanding troubleshooting sections
• Writing rollback guidance
• Translating documentation

1. Find an Issue
   Look for good first issue or help wanted.

2. Fork & Clone
   Fork the repository and clone it locally.

3. Create a Branch
   Use descriptive naming, for example:

   • feature/ui-optimization
   • fix/service-detection
   • improvement/uninstall-logic

4. Follow Project Structure

   • Keep modules modular.
   • Respect config-based toggles.
   • Avoid hardcoding values where possible.

5. Test in a VM
   Never submit changes without testing in:

   • A clean Windows 10 or 11 VM
   • After reboot
   • After Windows Update check

6. Open a Pull Request
   Include:

   • A clear summary
   • Windows build tested on
   • Before/after behavior
   • Screenshots (if UI-related)

Arcbase primarily uses:

• PowerShell — system configuration and automation
• Batch scripts — launchers and privilege elevation
• JSON — configuration control
• Git — version control

Future tooling may include:

• Installer packaging
• GUI frontend (WPF / WinUI)
• Automated test validation in virtual environments

• Keep scripts modular and readable.
• Avoid unsafe system modifications.
• Do not remove servicing stack components.
• Always provide uninstall or rollback paths.
• Prefer policy-based configuration over binary tampering.

Arcbase prioritizes long-term system stability over aggressive stripping.

Before submitting features that:

• Modify services
• Change system policies
• Adjust system behavior

You must test:

• Reboot stability
• Windows Update functionality
• Defender integrity
• Driver installation
• New user account behavior

Project resources:

GitHub: https://github.com/arcbase
Contact: hello@arcbase.one

(Replace URLs and emails before publishing.)

Thank you for contributing to Arcbase.