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Contributing to Continue Documentation

docs/CONTRIBUTING.mdx

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🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

  1. Node.js (v20 or higher)
  2. Git for version control
  3. GitHub CLI - Install from cli.github.com

Setup Steps

  1. Fork and clone the repository

    bash
    # Fork the repository (this will also clone it locally)
    gh repo fork continuedev/continue
    cd continue/docs
    
  2. Install dependencies

    bash
    npm install
    
  3. Start the local development server

    bash
    npm run dev
    

    Your docs will be available at http://localhost:3000

💬 Creating Discussions and Issues

Before creating any issues, we ask that you start with a GitHub Discussion. This helps us organize feedback and determine the best path forward.

Starting a Discussion

<Steps> <Step title="Go to GitHub Discussions"> Visit the [Continue GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/continuedev/continue/discussions) page. </Step> <Step title="Choose the right category"> Select the **Docs** category for documentation improvements, corrections, or suggestions. </Step> <Step title="Provide detailed information"> Include the following in your discussion: - Clear description of the issue or suggestion - Steps to reproduce (if applicable) - Expected vs. actual behavior - Screenshots or code examples when helpful - Your environment (OS, IDE, Continue version) </Step> </Steps>

Issue Escalation Process

<Info>

Important: All issues should start as discussions. The Continue team will determine if and when a discussion should be escalated to a GitHub issue.

</Info>

The Continue team will review discussions and may:

  • Provide a solution or clarification directly in the discussion
  • Ask for additional information or testing
  • Convert the discussion to an issue if it requires code changes or is a confirmed bug
  • Close the discussion if it's resolved or not actionable

When Discussions Become Issues

A discussion will typically be converted to an issue when:

  • A bug in the documentation is confirmed
  • A new feature or significant documentation change is approved
  • Community consensus supports the proposed change
  • Technical implementation is required

🤖 AI-Powered Documentation with Continue

We strongly encourage using Continue's AI assistance to maintain consistency and quality in our documentation. Here are three ways to set this up:

The easiest way to get started is using our pre-configured documentation agent:

<Steps> <Step title="Install the agent from Continue Mission Control"> Visit [the Docs Assistant - Mintlify in Mission Control](https://continue.dev/continuedev/docs-mintlify) and click "Install" to add it to your Continue setup. This agent comes pre-configured with all our documentation standards.
<Info>
Learn more about Continue Configs in our [config documentation](/guides/understanding-configs).
</Info>
</Step> <Step title="Use the agent"> <Tabs> <Tab title="Command Line"> ```bash # Install the Continue CLI if you haven't already npm install -g @continuedev/cli
    # Use the agent from the command line
    cn "Create a new guide for using the Continue CLI with Linear" --config continuedev/docs-mintlify
    ```
  </Tab>
  
  <Tab title="IDE">
    1. Open Continue in your IDE
    2. Select the "Docs Assistant - Mintlify" agent from the model dropdown
    3. Ask it to help you create or edit documentation
    
    Example prompts:
    - "Create a new guide for using the Continue CLI with Linear"
    - "Update the getting-started guide with the new installation process"
    - "Format this documentation according to Mintlify standards"
  </Tab>
</Tabs>
</Step> </Steps> <Tip> You can also remix this config to customize it for your specific needs. Learn how to create your own remix in our [remix config documentation](/mission-control/configs/create-a-config#how-to-remix-a-config). </Tip>

Option 2: Create Your Own Custom Agent

If you want more control or customization, you can create your own documentation agent:

<Steps> <Step title="Create a new config"> Follow our [config creation guide](/mission-control/configs/create-a-config) to set up your own config. </Step> <Step title="Add the Continue Docs MCP"> Install from Continue Mission Control: https://continue.dev/continuedev/continue-docs-mcp
This MCP provides context about Continue's documentation structure and standards.
</Step> <Step title="Add Mintlify formatting rules"> Install from Continue Mission Control: https://continue.dev/mintlify/technical-writing-rule
This rule ensures proper Mintlify component formatting.
</Step> <Step title="Use your custom agent"> <Tabs> <Tab title="Command Line"> ```bash # Install the Continue CLI if you haven't already npm install -g @continuedev/cli
    # Use your agent from the command line
    cn --config your-org/your-agent-name "Create a new guide for API authentication"
    ```
  </Tab>
  
  <Tab title="IDE">
    1. Open Continue in your IDE
    2. Select your custom agent from the model dropdown
    3. Ask it to help you create or edit documentation
    
    Example prompts:
    - "Help me format this documentation according to Mintlify standards"
    - "Create a troubleshooting section for this feature"
  </Tab>
</Tabs>
</Step> </Steps>

📝 Documentation Standards

Mintlify Component Guidelines

When using Mintlify components, follow these formatting rules:

Cards and Info Boxes

mdx
<Card title="Best Practice" icon="lightbulb">

Always include blank lines and proper indentation:

- Use 2-space indentation
- Add blank lines after opening tags
- Format lists as bullet points

</Card>

Warning and Note Components

mdx
<Warning>

Important information should be formatted clearly:

- Each point on its own line
- Consistent indentation
- Clear, concise language

</Warning>

Writing Style

  1. Be concise: Get to the point quickly
  2. Use examples: Show, don't just tell
  3. Include code blocks: Provide working examples
  4. Add visuals: Screenshots and diagrams help understanding
  5. Test your changes: Ensure all links and code examples work
<Warning> If you are creating a new guide, please test the steps yourself to ensure accuracy. </Warning>

🔧 Common Tasks

Adding a New Guide

  1. Create a new .mdx file in the guides directory
  2. Add frontmatter:
    mdx
    ---
    title: "Your Guide Title"
    description: "Brief description of what this guide covers"
    ---
    
  3. Use the Continue agent to help format your content
  4. Update docs.json to include your new page in the navigation
<Tip> We have both guides and cookbooks. Use guides for step-by-step instructions and cookbooks for creating agents for the CLI. </Tip>

Updating Existing Documentation

  1. Use the Continue agent with prompts like:
    • "Update the installation guide with the new npm package"
    • "Add a troubleshooting section for connection issues"
  2. The agent will maintain consistent formatting automatically

Adding Code Examples

Use language-specific code blocks:

mdx
```typescript
// Your TypeScript code here
const example = "Hello, Continue!";
```

🐛 Testing Your Changes

  1. Local preview: In the docs directory, run npm run dev and check your changes
  2. Link validation: Ensure all internal and external links work
  3. Format check: Use the Continue agent to validate Mintlify formatting
  4. Build test: Run npm run build to ensure no build errors

📤 Submitting Your Contribution

  1. Create a feature branch

    bash
    git checkout -b docs/your-feature-name
    
  2. Commit your changes

    bash
    git add .
    git commit -m "docs: describe your changes"
    
  3. Push and create a Pull Request

    bash
    # Push to your fork and create a PR
    git push origin docs/your-feature-name
    gh pr create --web
    
<Tip>

The gh pr create command will automatically:

  • Push your branch to your fork
  • Create a pull request to the main repository
  • Allow you to add a title, description, and reference issues
  • Open the PR in your browser if using --web
</Tip>

Linking Your PR to Issues

<Info>

Important: When your PR addresses a specific issue, make sure to link it using GitHub keywords.

</Info>

To automatically link your PR to an issue and close it when the PR is merged, use one of these keywords in your PR description:

  • closes #issue_number
  • fixes #issue_number
  • resolves #issue_number

Example PR description:

markdown
Improved the installation guide with clearer steps for Windows users.

Closes #1234

This helps us track which issues are being worked on and automatically closes them when your PR is merged.

<Tip>

Learn more about linking PRs to issues in the GitHub documentation.

</Tip>

💡 Tips for Success

  • Use the Continue agent: It knows our documentation standards and will save you time
  • Preview frequently: Check your changes in the local dev server
  • Ask questions: Open an issue or discussion if you need clarification
  • Small PRs are better: Focus on one topic or fix per PR
  • Update examples: Ensure code examples reflect the latest API

🆘 Getting Help


Thank you for contributing to Continue! Your efforts help make our documentation better for everyone. To learn more about contibuting to other parts of the project, check out our main CONTRIBUTING guide 🎉