Modified the documentation of contributing.md to more clear and under…

…standable format FIXES #11

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
-# Contributing to Review App API
+# Contributing to the development of the Review App API
 
 Thank you for your interest in contributing to the Review App API!
-We appreciate your support and welcome your contributions to help 
-enhance and improve the project. Please read through the following 
+We welcome your contributions to help improve the Review App API.
+Please read through the following
 guidelines to get started.
 
 ## Table of Contents
+
 - [Contributing to Review App API](#contributing-to-review-app-api)
   - [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents)
   - [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
@@ -16,13 +17,13 @@ guidelines to get started.
     - [Process](#process)
   - [Code of Conduct](#code-of-conduct)
   - [We appreciate your contributions and look forward to
-     collaborating with you to improve the Review App API!]
-   (#we-appreciate-your-contributions-and-look-forward-to-collaborating-with-you-to-improve-the-review-app-api)
+    collaborating with you to improve the Review App API!]
+    (#we-appreciate-your-contributions-and-look-forward-to-collaborating-with-you-to-improve-the-review-app-api)
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-Before you begin contributing to the backend of the Review App, 
-please ensure you have the following prerequisites installed and 
+Before you begin contributing to the backend of the Review App,
+please ensure you have the following prerequisites installed and
 configured on your local machine:
 
 - Docker: To set up and manage the development environment.
@@ -41,99 +42,128 @@ We follow these guidelines for contributing:
    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/yourusername/review-app-api.git
 
+   ```
+
 3. Navigate to the backend project directory:
-   ```bash 
+
+   ```bash
     cd review-app-api
 
+   ```
+
 4. Create a new branch for your contribution:
+
    ```bash
    git checkout -b feature-name
 
-5. Make your changes and ensure your code follows our coding
-   standards and practices.
+   ```
+
+5. Make your changes and follow our coding standards and practices.
 
 6. Test your changes locally to ensure they work as expected.
 
 7. Commit your changes with clear and concise commit messages:
+
    ```bash
    git commit -m "Add feature: your feature description"
 
+   ```
+
 8. Create a pull request (PR) to the `main` repository's `main` branch.
 
 ## Setting Up the Development Environment
+
 To set up the development environment locally, follow these steps:
 
 1. Clone the backend repository:
+
    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/yourusername/review-app-api.git cd review-app-api
 
+   ```
+
 2. Run Docker Compose to set up the development environment:
+
    ```bash
    docker-compose up -d
 
+   ```
+
 3. Install project dependencies using Yarn:
+
    ```bash
    yarn
 
+   ```
+
 4. Copy the `.env.example` file to .`env.local` and configure the
 5. following environment variables in the `.env.local` file:
    ```env
    DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/review
    JWT_SECRET=superman123
+   ```
 
-  You can replace superman123 with any secret of your choice.
+You can replace superman123 with any secret of your choice.
 
 5. Run database migrations to set up the database:
+
    ```bash
    yarn migrate:latest
 
+   ```
+
 6. Start the local development server:
+
    ```bash
    yarn local
+   * ##Database migrations
+    can potentially destroy your data. Back up your database before running any migrations. *
+
+   ```
 
 7. The backend will be up and running on port 8000.
 
 ## Submitting a Pull Request (PR)
 
 When you're ready to submit your changes, create a pull request
-(PR) to the `main` repository's main branch following our guidelines. 
-Be sure to provide a clear description of your changes in the PR, and 
+(PR) to the `main` repository's main branch following our guidelines.
+Be sure to provide a clear description of your changes in the PR, and
 one of our maintainers will review it.
 
-##  `.env Configuration` 
-- Instructions on how to configure the environment variables for the
-  Review App API. 
-  
+## `.env Configuration`
+
+-Configure the environment variables for the Review App API.
+
 1. You need to copy the `.env.example` file to
- `.env.local` 
+   `.env.local`
 
 2. Then configure the necessary environment variables in the `.env.local`
-    file. 
-   
-4. In this case, the required environment variables are `DATABASE_URL` and
-  `JWT_SECRET`. 
-   
-6. The example shows the format for these variables and provides a placeholder
-   value for `JWT_SECRET`. 
-   
-8. You are instructed to replace this placeholder value with a secret of your choice.
+   file.
+3. In this case, the required environment variables are `DATABASE_URL` and
+   `JWT_SECRET`.
+4. The example shows the format for these variables and provides a placeholder
+   value for `JWT_SECRET`.
+5. You are instructed to replace this placeholder value with a secret of your choice.
 
 ### Process
 
 - Copy the `.env.example` file to `.env.local` and configure the following
   environment variables in the `.env.local` file:
-    ```env
-    DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/review
-    JWT_SECRET=superman123
 
- - You can replace superman123 with any secret of your choice.
+  ```env
+  DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/review
+  JWT_SECRET=superman123
+
+  ```
+
+- You can replace superman123 with any secret of your choice.
 
 ## Code of Conduct
 
-Please be aware that we have a Code of Conduct (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) that all
-contributors are expected to follow. Please read and adhere to it throughout 
+We have a Code of Conduct (CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) that all contributors are expected to follow.
+Please read and adhere to it throughout
 your contribution journey.
 
-## We appreciate your contributions and look forward to collaborating with you 
-to improve the Review App API!
+## We are delighted to have you as a contributor to the Review App API.
 
+Your contributions are invaluable, and we appreciate you taking the time to help us make the API even better.