diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ad8a8464..ced2f416 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,35 +1,148 @@
-# How to contribute
+# Contributing to the Node.js Client API
-We welcome contributions from the community. If you have a patch that you'd
-like us to consider, please do the following:
+The MarkLogic Node.js Client API welcomes new contributors. This document will guide you
+through the process.
-* Provide a signed
-[Contributor License Agreement](http://developer.marklogic.com/products/cla).
+ - [Question or Problem?](#question)
+ - [Issues and Bugs](#issue)
+ - [Feature Requests](#feature)
+ - [Submission Guidelines](#submit)
+
+## Have a Question or Problem?
-* Create an issue for the fix or enhancement.
+If you have questions about how to use the Node.js Client API, you can ask on
+[StackOverflow](http://stackoverflow.com/tags/marklogic), tagging the question
+with MarkLogic.
- For a bug, clearly describe the steps to reproduce the problem and the
- earliest version that exhibits the problem. For an enhancement, make sure
- you have basic agreement about the fix or enhancement.
+## Found an Issue?
+If you find a bug in the source code or a mistake in the documentation, you can help us by
+submitting an issue to our [GitHub Issue Tracker](https://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api/issues). Even better
+you can submit a Pull Request with a fix for the issue you filed.
-* [Fork the API repository](https://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api/fork) in your repository on GitHub.
+## Want a Feature?
+You can request a new feature by submitting an issue to our [GitHub Issue Tracker](https://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api/issues). If you would like to implement a new feature, first create a new issue and discuss it with one of our project
+maintainers.
-* Create a branch based on the `master` branch or (if you are in the Early
-Access program) on the `develop` branch.
+## Submission Guidelines
-* Implement the fix or enhancement.
+### Submitting an Issue
+If your issue appears to be a bug, and hasn’t been reported, open a new issue.
+Providing the following information will increase the chances of your issue being dealt with quickly:
- As with other projects, you should include unit tests using the same test
- harness (at present, [Mocha](http://visionmedia.github.io/mocha/) and [should](https://github.com/visionmedia/should.js/)). Follow the same style conventions
- as existing code. Run jshint on the changes. Create jsdoc for any new
- interfaces. (See the gulp tasks for a convenient way to run jshint.)
- Run all of the tests to make sure the change doesn't have side effects.
+* **Overview of the Issue** - If an error is being thrown a stack trace helps
+* **Motivation for or Use Case** - Explain why this is a bug for you
+* **Environment** - Which [version of MarkLogic](https://docs.marklogic.com/xdmp.version)? Which version of the Node.js Client API? Mac, Windows, Linux? Details help.
+* **Suggest a Fix** - if you can't fix the bug yourself, perhaps you can point
+to what might be causing the problem (line of code or commit)
-* Commit in one or more logical units with clear messages.
+### Submitting a Pull Request
-* Push to the branch in your fork.
+A pull request is the standard way to submit changes to a repository to which you don’t have commit privileges. GitHub provides a nice UI for viewing, discussing, and merging pull requests.
-* Create a pull request from your fork and add a comment to the issue.
+#### Fill in the CLA
- The team will then review the changes and possibly suggest improvements
- or alternatives.
+Before we can accept your pull request, you need to sign a [Contributor License Agreement](http://developer.marklogic.com/products/cla).
+
+#### Fork the Node.js Client API
+
+Fork the project [on GitHub](https://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api/fork)
+and clone your copy.
+
+ $ git clone git@github.com:username/node-client-api.git
+ $ cd node-client-api
+ $ git remote add upstream git://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api.git
+
+All bug fixes and new features go into the `develop` branch.
+
+We ask that you open an issue in the [issue tracker](https://github.com/marklogic/node-client-api/issues) and get agreement from at least one of the project maintainers before you start coding.
+
+Nothing is more frustrating than seeing your hard work go to waste because your vision does not align with that of a project maintainer.
+
+#### Create a branch for your changes
+
+Okay, so you have decided to fix something. Create a feature branch and start hacking:
+
+ $ git checkout -b issue/123 -t origin/dev
+
+In this case, the branch name, `issue/123`, references the fact that your changes address the issue (#123) that you just filed. Replace the `123` with your issue number. This naming convention is not required, but is generally helpful in navigating your branches.
+
+#### Commit your changes
+
+Make sure git knows your name and email address:
+
+ $ git config --global user.name "J. Random User"
+ $ git config --global user.email "j.random.user@example.com"
+
+Writing good commit logs is important. A commit log should describe what changed and why. Follow these guidelines when writing one:
+
+1. The first line should be 50 characters or less and contain a short description of the change including the Issue number prefixed by a hash (`#`).
+2. Keep the second line blank.
+3. Wrap all other lines at 72 columns.
+
+A good commit log looks like this:
+
+```
+Fixes #123: Makes the whatchamajigger work in MarkLogic 8
+
+Body of commit message is a few lines of text, explaining things
+in more detail, possibly giving some background about the issue
+being fixed, etc etc.
+
+The body of the commit message can be several paragraphs, and
+please do proper word-wrap and keep columns shorter than about
+72 characters or so. That way `git log` will show things
+nicely even when it is indented.
+```
+
+The header line should be meaningful; it is what other people see when they
+run `git shortlog` or `git log --oneline`.
+
+#### Rebase your repo
+
+Use `git rebase` (not `git merge`) to sync your work from time to time to make sure you don’t stray too far from the active development work.
+
+ $ git fetch upstream
+ $ git rebase upstream/develop
+
+#### Test your code
+
+Be sure to run the tests before submitting your pull request. PRs with failing tests won’t be accepted.
+
+ $ node etc/test-setup.js
+ $ mocha test-basic
+ $ node etc/test-teardown.js
+
+#### Push your changes
+
+ $ git push origin issue/123
+
+#### Submit the pull request
+
+Go to your fork (i.e. https://github.com/username/node-client-api) and select your feature branch. Click the “Pull Request” button and fill out the form.
+
+Pull requests are usually reviewed within a few days. If you get comments that need to be to addressed, apply your changes in a separate commit and push that to your feature branch. Post a comment in the pull request afterwards; GitHub does not send out notifications when you add commits to existing pull requests.
+
+That’s it. Thanks in advance for your contribution.
+
+
+#### After your pull request is merged
+
+After your pull request is merged, you can safely delete your branch and pull
+the changes from the main (upstream) repository:
+
+* Delete the remote branch on GitHub either through the GitHub web UI or your
+local shell as follows:
+
+ $ git push origin --delete issue/123
+
+* Check out the dev branch:
+
+ $ git checkout develop -f
+
+* Delete the local branch:
+
+ $ git branch -D issue/123
+
+* Update your dev with the latest upstream version:
+
+ $ git pull --ff upstream develop
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5c304d1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+Apache License
+ Version 2.0, January 2004
+ http://www.apache.org/licenses/
+
+ TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE, REPRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION
+
+ 1. Definitions.
+
+ "License" shall mean the terms and conditions for use, reproduction,
+ and distribution as defined by Sections 1 through 9 of this document.
+
+ "Licensor" shall mean the copyright owner or entity authorized by
+ the copyright owner that is granting the License.
+
+ "Legal Entity" shall mean the union of the acting entity and all
+ other entities that control, are controlled by, or are under common
+ control with that entity. For the purposes of this definition,
+ "control" means (i) the power, direct or indirect, to cause the
+ direction or management of such entity, whether by contract or
+ otherwise, or (ii) ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
+ outstanding shares, or (iii) beneficial ownership of such entity.
+
+ "You" (or "Your") shall mean an individual or Legal Entity
+ exercising permissions granted by this License.
+
+ "Source" form shall mean the preferred form for making modifications,
+ including but not limited to software source code, documentation
+ source, and configuration files.
+
+ "Object" form shall mean any form resulting from mechanical
+ transformation or translation of a Source form, including but
+ not limited to compiled object code, generated documentation,
+ and conversions to other media types.
+
+ "Work" shall mean the work of authorship, whether in Source or
+ Object form, made available under the License, as indicated by a
+ copyright notice that is included in or attached to the work
+ (an example is provided in the Appendix below).
+
+ "Derivative Works" shall mean any work, whether in Source or Object
+ form, that is based on (or derived from) the Work and for which the
+ editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications
+ represent, as a whole, an original work of authorship. For the purposes
+ of this License, Derivative Works shall not include works that remain
+ separable from, or merely link (or bind by name) to the interfaces of,
+ the Work and Derivative Works thereof.
+
+ "Contribution" shall mean any work of authorship, including
+ the original version of the Work and any modifications or additions
+ to that Work or Derivative Works thereof, that is intentionally
+ submitted to Licensor for inclusion in the Work by the copyright owner
+ or by an individual or Legal Entity authorized to submit on behalf of
+ the copyright owner. For the purposes of this definition, "submitted"
+ means any form of electronic, verbal, or written communication sent
+ to the Licensor or its representatives, including but not limited to
+ communication on electronic mailing lists, source code control systems,
+ and issue tracking systems that are managed by, or on behalf of, the
+ Licensor for the purpose of discussing and improving the Work, but
+ excluding communication that is conspicuously marked or otherwise
+ designated in writing by the copyright owner as "Not a Contribution."
+
+ "Contributor" shall mean Licensor and any individual or Legal Entity
+ on behalf of whom a Contribution has been received by Licensor and
+ subsequently incorporated within the Work.
+
+ 2. Grant of Copyright License. Subject to the terms and conditions of
+ this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual,
+ worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable
+ copyright license to reproduce, prepare Derivative Works of,
+ publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute the
+ Work and such Derivative Works in Source or Object form.
+
+ 3. Grant of Patent License. Subject to the terms and conditions of
+ this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual,
+ worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable
+ (except as stated in this section) patent license to make, have made,
+ use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the Work,
+ where such license applies only to those patent claims licensable
+ by such Contributor that are necessarily infringed by their
+ Contribution(s) alone or by combination of their Contribution(s)
+ with the Work to which such Contribution(s) was submitted. If You
+ institute patent litigation against any entity (including a
+ cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Work
+ or a Contribution incorporated within the Work constitutes direct
+ or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses
+ granted to You under this License for that Work shall terminate
+ as of the date such litigation is filed.
+
+ 4. Redistribution. You may reproduce and distribute copies of the
+ Work or Derivative Works thereof in any medium, with or without
+ modifications, and in Source or Object form, provided that You
+ meet the following conditions:
+
+ (a) You must give any other recipients of the Work or
+ Derivative Works a copy of this License; and
+
+ (b) You must cause any modified files to carry prominent notices
+ stating that You changed the files; and
+
+ (c) You must retain, in the Source form of any Derivative Works
+ that You distribute, all copyright, patent, trademark, and
+ attribution notices from the Source form of the Work,
+ excluding those notices that do not pertain to any part of
+ the Derivative Works; and
+
+ (d) If the Work includes a "NOTICE" text file as part of its
+ distribution, then any Derivative Works that You distribute must
+ include a readable copy of the attribution notices contained
+ within such NOTICE file, excluding those notices that do not
+ pertain to any part of the Derivative Works, in at least one
+ of the following places: within a NOTICE text file distributed
+ as part of the Derivative Works; within the Source form or
+ documentation, if provided along with the Derivative Works; or,
+ within a display generated by the Derivative Works, if and
+ wherever such third-party notices normally appear. The contents
+ of the NOTICE file are for informational purposes only and
+ do not modify the License. You may add Your own attribution
+ notices within Derivative Works that You distribute, alongside
+ or as an addendum to the NOTICE text from the Work, provided
+ that such additional attribution notices cannot be construed
+ as modifying the License.
+
+ You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and
+ may provide additional or different license terms and conditions
+ for use, reproduction, or distribution of Your modifications, or
+ for any such Derivative Works as a whole, provided Your use,
+ reproduction, and distribution of the Work otherwise complies with
+ the conditions stated in this License.
+
+ 5. Submission of Contributions. Unless You explicitly state otherwise,
+ any Contribution intentionally submitted for inclusion in the Work
+ by You to the Licensor shall be under the terms and conditions of
+ this License, without any additional terms or conditions.
+ Notwithstanding the above, nothing herein shall supersede or modify
+ the terms of any separate license agreement you may have executed
+ with Licensor regarding such Contributions.
+
+ 6. Trademarks. This License does not grant permission to use the trade
+ names, trademarks, service marks, or product names of the Licensor,
+ except as required for reasonable and customary use in describing the
+ origin of the Work and reproducing the content of the NOTICE file.
+
+ 7. Disclaimer of Warranty. Unless required by applicable law or
+ agreed to in writing, Licensor provides the Work (and each
+ Contributor provides its Contributions) on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+ implied, including, without limitation, any warranties or conditions
+ of TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, or FITNESS FOR A
+ PARTICULAR PURPOSE. You are solely responsible for determining the
+ appropriateness of using or redistributing the Work and assume any
+ risks associated with Your exercise of permissions under this License.
+
+ 8. Limitation of Liability. In no event and under no legal theory,
+ whether in tort (including negligence), contract, or otherwise,
+ unless required by applicable law (such as deliberate and grossly
+ negligent acts) or agreed to in writing, shall any Contributor be
+ liable to You for damages, including any direct, indirect, special,
+ incidental, or consequential damages of any character arising as a
+ result of this License or out of the use or inability to use the
+ Work (including but not limited to damages for loss of goodwill,
+ work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or any and all
+ other commercial damages or losses), even if such Contributor
+ has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
+
+ 9. Accepting Warranty or Additional Liability. While redistributing
+ the Work or Derivative Works thereof, You may choose to offer,
+ and charge a fee for, acceptance of support, warranty, indemnity,
+ or other liability obligations and/or rights consistent with this
+ License. However, in accepting such obligations, You may act only
+ on Your own behalf and on Your sole responsibility, not on behalf
+ of any other Contributor, and only if You agree to indemnify,
+ defend, and hold each Contributor harmless for any liability
+ incurred by, or claims asserted against, such Contributor by reason
+ of your accepting any such warranty or additional liability.
+
+ END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
+
+ APPENDIX: How to apply the Apache License to your work.
+
+ To apply the Apache License to your work, attach the following
+ boilerplate notice, with the fields enclosed by brackets "{}"
+ replaced with your own identifying information. (Don't include
+ the brackets!) The text should be enclosed in the appropriate
+ comment syntax for the file format. We also recommend that a
+ file or class name and description of purpose be included on the
+ same "printed page" as the copyright notice for easier
+ identification within third-party archives.
+
+ Copyright {yyyy} {name of copyright owner}
+
+ Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+ http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ limitations under the License.