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CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to polysolve
+
+First off, thank you for considering contributing! We welcome any contributions, from fixing a typo to implementing a new feature.
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+* [Reporting Bugs](#reporting-bugs)
+* [Suggesting Enhancements](#suggesting-enhancements)
+* [Setting Up the Development Environment](#setting-up-the-development-environment)
+* [Running Tests](#running-tests)
+* [Pull Request Process](#pull-request-process)
+
+## Reporting Bugs
+
+If you find a bug, please open an issue on our Gitea issue tracker. Please include as many details as possible, such as your OS, Python version, steps to reproduce, and any error messages.
+
+## Suggesting Enhancements
+
+If you have an idea for a new feature or an improvement, please open an issue to discuss it. This allows us to coordinate efforts and ensure the proposed change aligns with the project's goals.
+
+## Setting Up the Development Environment
+
+1.  **Fork the repository** on Gitea.
+
+2.  **Clone your fork** locally:
+    ```bash
+    git clone [https://gitea.example.com/YourUsername/PolySolve.git](https://gitea.example.com/YourUsername/PolySolve.git)
+    cd PolySolve
+    ```
+
+3.  **Create and activate a virtual environment:**
+    ```bash
+    # For Unix/macOS
+    python3 -m venv .venv
+    source .venv/bin/activate
+
+    # For Windows
+    python -m venv .venv
+    .venv\Scripts\activate
+    ```
+
+4.  **Install the project in editable mode with development dependencies.** This command installs `polysolve` itself, plus `pytest` for testing.
+    ```bash
+    pip install -e '.[dev]'
+    ```
+
+5.  If you need to work on the CUDA-specific features and test them, install the appropriate CuPy extra alongside the `dev` dependencies:
+    ```bash
+    # For a development setup with CUDA 12.x
+    pip install -e '.[dev,cuda12]'
+
+    # For a development setup with CUDA 11.x
+    pip install -e '.[dev,cuda11]'
+    ```
+
+## Running Tests
+
+We use `pytest` for automated testing. After setting up the development environment, you can run the full test suite with a single command from the root of the repository:
+
+```bash
+pytest
+```
+
+This will automatically discover and run all tests located in the `tests/` directory.
+
+All tests should pass before you submit your changes. If you are adding a new feature or fixing a bug, please add a corresponding test case to ensure the code is working correctly and to prevent future regressions.
+
+## Pull Request Process
+
+1.  Create a new branch for your feature or bugfix from the `main` branch:
+    ```bash
+    git checkout -b your-feature-name
+    ```
+2.  Make your changes to the code in the `src/` directory.
+3.  Add or update tests in the `tests/` directory to cover your changes.
+4.  Run the test suite to ensure everything passes:
+    ```bash
+    pytest
+    ```
+5.  Commit your changes with a clear and descriptive commit message.
+6.  Push your branch to your fork on Gitea.
+7.  Open a pull request to the `main` branch of the original `PolySolve` repository. Please provide a clear title and description for your pull request.
+
+Once you submit your pull request, our automated CI tests will run. We will review your contribution and provide feedback as soon as possible. Thank you for your contribution!