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CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# CONTRIBUTING
+
+## Running an example app after cloning the repo
+
+You will need to run applications, and specify filenames, from the
+root directory of the repository. e.g., if the name of the app you
+want to run is `my_dash_app` and the app filename is `app.py`, you
+would need to run `python apps/my_dash_app/app.py` from the root
+of the repository.
+
+Each app has a requirements.txt, install the dependencies in a virtual
+environment.
+
+
+## Contributing to the sample apps repo
+
+_"DDS app" below refers to the deployed application. For example, if
+the deployment will eventually be hosted at
+https://dash-gallery.plotly.host/my-dash-app, "DDS app name" is
+`my-dash-app`._
+
+### Adding a new app
+
+Create an app on Dash Playground. This will be the location of the
+auto-deployment. To do this, log into the app manager on
+[dash-playground.plotly.host](https://dash-playground.plotly.host)
+and click "initialize app".
+
+Create a branch from `master` to work on your app, the name is not required
+to be anything specific. Switch to this branch, then navigate to the `apps/`
+directory and add a directory for your app.
+
+There are two options when you are naming the folder:
+
+1. Make the folder have the _exact same_ name as the Dash app name.
+
+2. (Python apps only) Select any other name, but _update the file
+   [`apps_mapping.py`](apps_directory_mapping.py)_ with the Dash app
+   name and the folder name you have selected.
+
+Navigate to the directory you just created, and write a small README
+that only contains the name of the app. Stage the README and commit it
+to your branch.
+
+See [project boilerplate!](https://github.com/plotly/dash-sample-apps#project-boilerplate)
+
+### Notes on adding a new Dash for R app
+
+Contributing an app written with Dash for R is very similar to the steps outlined above. 
+
+1. Make the folder have the _exact same_ name as the Dash app name.
+
+2. Ensure that the file containing your app code is named `app.R`.
+
+3. The `Procfile` should contain 
+
+```
+web: R -f /app/app.R
+```
+
+4. Routing and request pathname prefixes should be set. One approach might be to include
+
+```
+appName <- Sys.getenv("DASH_APP_NAME")
+pathPrefix <- sprintf("/%s/", appName)
+
+Sys.setenv(DASH_ROUTES_PATHNAME_PREFIX = pathPrefix,
+           DASH_REQUESTS_PATHNAME_PREFIX = pathPrefix)
+```
+
+at the head of your `app.R` file.
+
+5. `run_server()` should be provided the host and port information explicitly, e.g.
+
+``
+app$run_server(host = "0.0.0.0", port = Sys.getenv('PORT', 8050))
+``
+
+### Making changes to an existing app
+
+Create a new branch - of any name - for your code changes.
+Then, navigate to the directory that has the same name as
+the DDS app.
+
+When you are finished, make a pull request from your branch to the master
+branch. Once you have passed your code review, you can merge your PR.
+
+## Dash app project structure
+
+#### Data
+- All data (csv, json, txt, etc) should be in a data folder
+- `/apps/{DASH_APP_NAME}/data/`
+
+#### Assets
+- All stylesheets and javascript should be in an assets folder
+- `/apps/{DASH_APP_NAME}/assets/`
+
+####  These files will still need to be present within the app folder.
+
+- **`Procfile`** gets run at root level for deployment
+    - Make sure python working directory is at the app level
+    - Ex. `web: gunicorn app:server`
+- **`requirements.txt`**
+    - Install project dependecies in a virtual environment
+
+#### Project boilerplate
+
+    apps
+    ├── ...
+    ├── {DASH_APP_NAME}         # app project level
+    │   ├── assets/             # all stylesheets and javascript files
+    │   ├── data/               # all data (csv, json, txt, etc)
+    │   ├── app.py              # dash application entry point
+    │   ├── Procfile            # used for heroku deployment (how to run app)
+    │   ├── requirements.txt    # project dependecies
+    │   └── ...                 
+    └── ...
+
+#### Handle relative path
+
+Assets should never use a relative path, as this will fail when deployed to Dash Enterprise due to use of subdirectories for serving apps.
+
+Reading from assets and data folder
+```Python
+Img(src="./assets/logo.png") will fail at root level
+```
+
+Tips
+
+-  Use [get_asset_url()](https://dash.plot.ly/dash-deployment-server/static-assets)
+-  Use [Pathlib](https://docs.python.org/3/library/pathlib.html) for more flexibility
+
+```Python
+import pathlib
+import pandas as pd
+
+# get relative assets
+html.Img(src=app.get_asset_url('logo.png'))       # /assets/logo.png
+
+# get relative data
+
+DATA_PATH = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath("data")  # /data
+df = pd.read_csv(DATA_PATH.joinpath("sample-data.csv"))    # /data/sample-data.csv
+
+with open(DATA_PATH.joinpath("sample-data.csv")) as f:  # /data/sample-data.csv
+    some_string = f.read()
+```
+
+## Developer Guide
+
+#### Creating a new project
+
+```
+# branch off master
+git checkout -b "{YOUR_CUSTOM_BRANCH}"
+
+# create a new folder in apps/
+mkdir /apps/{DASH_APP_NAME}
+
+# push new branch
+git push -u origin {YOUR_CUSTOM_BRANCH}
+```
+
+#### Before committing
+
+```
+# make sure your code is linted (we use black)
+black . --exclude=venv/ --check
+
+# if black is not installed
+pip install black
+```
+
+
+#### App is ready to go!
+```
+# once your branch is ready, make a PR into master!
+
+PR has two checkers.
+1. make sure your code passed the black linter
+2. make sure your project is deployed on dns playground
+```
+