📝 add contributing

CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing
+
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to this project. This project relies on the help of volunteer developers for
+its development and maintenance.
+
+Before making any changes to this repository, please first discuss the proposed changes with the repository owners
+through an issue, email, or any other appropriate method of communication.
+
+Please note that a [code of conduct](CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md) is in place and should be adhered to during all interactions
+related to the project.
+
+## Python version support
+
+Currently, the package supports Python versions 3.8 and above. Once a new Python version is released, we will aim to 
+support it as soon as possible. If you encounter any issues with a new Python version, please create an issue in the 
+repository.
+
+## Testing
+
+Given the critical nature of correctly encoded HTTP query strings and the potential for security vulnerabilities if
+encoding is not done correctly or consistently across platforms and versions of Python, thorough testing is of utmost 
+importance. Please remember to write tests for any new code you create, using  the
+[pytest](https://pypi.org/project/pytest/) package for all test cases.
+
+### Running the test suite
+
+To run the test suite, follow these commands:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/techouse/qs_codec
+cd qs_codec
+python3 -m venv env
+source env/bin/activate
+pip install -e .
+pip install -r requirements_dev.txt
+tox
+```
+
+## qs JavaScript package compatibility
+
+As this package is a port of the [qs](https://www.npmjs.com/package/qs) package for JavaScript. We aim to provide a
+similar experience for Python developers, ensuring that the two packages are as similar as possible. If you encounter 
+any discrepancies between the two packages, please create an issue in the repository.
+
+### Ensuring compatibility
+
+To ensure compatibility with the Node.js package, please run the following command:
+
+```bash
+# cd into the test/comparison directory
+pushd test/comparison || exit 1
+
+# Install the Node.js dependencies
+npm install
+
+# Run the JavaScript and Python scripts and save their outputs
+node_output=$(node qs.js)
+python_output=$(python3 qs.py)
+
+# Compare the outputs
+if [ "$node_output" == "$python_output" ]; then
+    echo "The outputs are identical."
+else
+    echo "The outputs are different."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+popd || exit 1
+```
+
+For convenience, the same bash script exists
+in [test/comparison/compare_outputs.sh](test/comparison/compare_outputs.sh).
+
+## Submitting changes
+
+To contribute to this project, please submit a new pull request and provide a clear list of your changes. For guidance
+on creating pull requests, you can refer to this resource. When sending a pull request, we highly appreciate the
+inclusion of tests, as we strive to enhance our test coverage.
+Following our coding conventions is essential, and it would be ideal if you ensure that each commit focuses on a single
+feature. For commits, please write clear log messages. While concise one-line messages are suitable for small changes,
+more substantial modifications should follow a format similar to the example below:
+
+```bash
+git commit -m "A brief summary of the commit
+> 
+> A paragraph describing what changed and its impact."
+```
+
+## Coding standards
+
+Prioritizing code readability and conciseness is essential. To achieve this, we recommend using 
+[black](https://pypi.org/project/black/) for code formatting. Once your work is deemed complete, it is advisable to run
+the following command:
+
+```bash
+tox -e linters
+```
+
+This command runs the a set of linters to identify any potential issues or inconsistencies in your code. By following
+these guidelines, you can ensure a high-quality codebase.
+
+Thanks, Klemen Tusar