> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/thedogecraft/sparkle/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contributing overview

> Ways to contribute to Sparkle and how to set up a local development environment.

Sparkle is an open-source project and contributions of all kinds are welcome. Whether you want to fix a bug, add a new tweak, improve the docs, or suggest a feature, this guide explains how to get involved.

<Warning>
  Sparkle is currently in beta. Always back up your system before applying tweaks, and test your changes thoroughly before submitting a pull request.
</Warning>

## Ways to contribute

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Report bugs" icon="bug">
    Open an issue on [GitHub](https://github.com/parcoil/sparkle/issues) with your Sparkle version, Windows version, log file, steps to reproduce, and the expected vs. actual behavior. Logs are located at `C:\Users\YOUR_USER\AppData\Roaming\sparkle\logs`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Submit pull requests" icon="code-pull-request">
    Fork the [repository](https://github.com/parcoil/sparkle), create a branch, make and test your changes, then open a pull request with a clear description of what you changed and why.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add tweaks" icon="sliders">
    Write a PowerShell script and a `meta.json` to add a new optimization tweak. See the [creating tweaks](/contributing/creating-tweaks) guide for the full spec.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add apps" icon="grid-2-plus">
    Add an entry to `apps.json` to make a new application available in the Sparkle app installer. See the [adding apps](/contributing/adding-apps) guide.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Improve documentation" icon="book-open">
    Fix typos, expand explanations, or add missing content. Documentation lives in the `docs/` directory of the repository.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enhance UI/UX" icon="paintbrush">
    Improve the look or usability of the Electron front-end. Sparkle is built with React and TypeScript.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Development setup

### Prerequisites

* **Node.js** v22 or higher
* **Windows 10 or 11** (required — some features only work on Windows)

<Note>
  Running Sparkle in development mode with administrator privileges is recommended. Some tweaks and features require elevated permissions to function correctly.
</Note>

### Run Sparkle locally

<Steps>
  <Step title="Fork and clone the repository">
    Fork the repository on GitHub, then clone your fork:

    ```bash theme={null}
    git clone https://github.com/parcoil/sparkle.git
    cd sparkle
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    ```bash theme={null}
    npm install
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start development mode">
    ```bash theme={null}
    npm run dev
    ```

    This launches Sparkle with hot reload enabled for both the Electron main process and the renderer process.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build for production">
    When you are ready to produce a distributable build, run:

    ```bash theme={null}
    npm run build
    ```

    This generates optimized production builds in the `dist/` directory.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Community

Join the conversation and get help from other contributors:

* [GitHub repository](https://github.com/parcoil/sparkle) — source code, issues, and pull requests
* [Discord server](https://discord.com/invite/En5YJYWj3Z) — chat with the community and the maintainers