Software Project Setup¶

Welcome to the Software Project Setup guide! This document outlines the steps to set up a new software project, select an appropriate open-source license, and organize your project using provided templates. An example for setting up CMake to build your software is also included. Follow these steps to get started quickly.

Setting Up a New Project¶

To set up a new project, follow these general steps:

Create Your Project Directory

Clone this repository into your local development environment and copy the project directory to your new project directory. Remove the software-project-setup repository if no longer needed.
```
git clone https://gitlab.tudelft.nl/imphys/software-project-setup.git
cd software-project-setup
cp -r project /path/to/your/new/project
cd .. ; rm -rf software-project-setup # optional
cd /path/to/your/new/project
```
Key Files in this new Project Directory:
- LICENSE: The open-source license for your project (MIT, Apache 2.0, etc.).
- README.md: Project overview and instructions. Customize this with your project’s specific details.
- CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md: A code of conduct to maintain a respectful and productive community.
- CONTRIBUTING.md: Guidelines for contributing to the project, including instructions for creating issues, submitting merge requests, and following coding standards.
- CHANGELOG.md: A log documenting the history of changes and updates to the project.
Choose the Right License Type

Select the appropriate license type by consulting License Types. Rename the selected LICENSE_<type> to LICENSE, and remove the others.
Initialize Your Project Directory with Git

Set up Git in your project directory and commit the initial state:
```
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
```
Fill in Metadata

Update the README.md with metadata such as:
- Project name
- Author(s)
- Source repository link
Check all other files for metadata fields and update them as needed.

Commit Changes Regularly

After making important changes, commit them with a meaningful message:

git add .  # Only the changed files will be added
git commit -m "Selected license type and updated metadata"

Your project is now ready to use.

Additional Files and Directories¶

Expand your project with more functionality or information by consulting Other Files. Be sure to review the .gitignore and version.txt files.

Selecting Build Methods¶

Depending on the programming language used, choose an appropriate build method. A guide for using CMake is provided in CMake Setup.

Checking Project for Publication¶

Before releasing your project, test it for documentation, build functionality, and usability by third parties. The provided Markdown form Test Form is used to verify these requirements.

Change Log¶

Track changes made to this Software Project Setup repository in the CHANGELOG.

Contribution Guidelines¶

Contributions to this repository are welcome! Please read CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

Licensing¶

Refer to the LICENSE file for license details.

Contact Information¶

For any questions or feedback, reach out to:

Author(s): Ronald Ligteringen
Email: r.ligteringen@tudelft.nl
Institution/Department: Delft University of Technology, Applied Sciences, ImPhys