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Contributing to immich-go

Hello, and thank you for your interest in contributing to immich-go! Your help is vital for the health and growth of this project. To ensure a smooth and effective collaboration, please follow the guidelines outlined in this document.

By following these rules, you help us maintain a clean, stable, and well-organized codebase.

Getting Started

To get started with your contribution, please follow the standard GitHub workflow:

  1. Fork the Repository: Start by forking the simulot/immich-go repository to your own GitHub account. This creates a personal copy of the project where you can work freely.
  2. Clone your Fork: Clone your fork to your local machine to begin development. You can do this using the Git command line: 
    git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/immich-go.git
cd immich-go
  3. Add the Original Repository as a Remote: To stay up to date with the main project, add the original repository as an "upstream" remote. 
    git remote add upstream https://github.com/simulot/immich-go.git
    You can now use git pull upstream develop to fetch the latest changes from the main development branch.

Development Setup

Before you can start contributing to immich-go, you need to set up your development environment. A go.mod file is present and defines the Go version to use.

Prerequisites

  • Go Installation: immich-go requires the version of Go specified in the go.mod file.
  • golangci-lint: Optional, but recommended for running the linter locally.

Building and Testing

Once you have Go installed and your fork cloned:

  1. Navigate to the project directory: 
    cd immich-go
  2. Install dependencies: 
    go mod download
  3. Build the project: 
    go build -o immich-go main.go
  4. Run tests: 
    go test ./...
  5. Run the application: 
    ./immich-go --help

You can run the linter locally before submitting your PR:

golangci-lint run

CI/CD Workflows

Our repository uses a multi-tier CI workflow system that provides fast feedback to all contributors while securely managing E2E tests that require secrets.

1. Fast Feedback Workflow (.github/workflows/pr-fast-feedback.yml)

Runs automatically on all pull requests - No secrets required.

Provides quick validation in 3-5 minutes with parallel jobs:

  • Linting: golangci-lint for code quality checks
  • Unit Tests (Linux): Comprehensive tests with race detection (CGO_ENABLED=0)
  • Security Scanning: govulncheck for vulnerabilities + dependency review
  • Build Check: Cross-platform compilation validation (Linux, Windows, macOS, ARM)

Path Filtering: Only runs when code files change. Documentation-only PRs skip this workflow for efficiency.

Security: This workflow runs on all PRs, including from external contributors, without exposing any secrets.

2. E2E Tests Workflow (.github/workflows/e2e-tests.yml)

Requires maintainer approval for external contributors - Uses Tailscale secrets.

Runs comprehensive end-to-end tests with real Immich server (12-15 minutes):

  • E2E Server: Ubuntu runner deploying Immich in Docker, accessible via Tailscale network
  • Linux Client: Creates admin user and runs E2E tests against the server
  • Windows Client: Runs unit tests, builds binary, verifies build, then runs E2E tests

Cost Optimization: Windows testing is consolidated into the E2E workflow only (not in fast feedback) to reduce runner costs.

Who Can Run E2E Tests?

  • Trusted Contributors (Repository members/collaborators): E2E tests run automatically when code changes
  • External Contributors: E2E tests require maintainer approval

How to Run E2E Tests on an External PR

When you submit a pull request from a fork:

  1. ✅ Fast feedback checks run immediately (lint, test, security, build)
  2. 🤖 A comment will explain that E2E tests require maintainer approval
  3. ⌛ A maintainer will review your code for safety and correctness
  4. ✅ To approve, the maintainer can either:
    • Post a comment: /run-e2e
    • Approve the PR (triggers E2E automatically)
  5. 🚀 The E2E test workflow will then start

Why? This approval process prevents malicious code in a PR from accessing sensitive credentials (Tailscale network, Immich server).

3. Documentation Quality Checks (.github/workflows/doc-quality-checks.yml)

Manual trigger only - Disabled by default, can be enabled later.

Validates documentation quality with auto-fix capability:

  • Markdown Linting: Style and formatting checks
  • Link Validation: Detects broken links
  • Spell Checking: Technical dictionary with project terms
  • Grammar: Microsoft Writing Style Guide

To run manually: Go to Actions → Documentation Quality Checks → Run workflow

4. Workflow Security Gate (.github/workflows/check-workflow-changes.yml)

Runs automatically on PRs modifying workflow files - No secrets required.

Detects changes to .github/workflows/** or CODEOWNERS and:

  • Posts a security review checklist for maintainers
  • Automatically requests review from code owners
  • Helps prevent malicious workflow modifications

CODEOWNERS Protection: Workflow files require approval from designated code owners before merge.

Our Git Branching Model

Our repository uses a simple branching model:

  • main: This branch always contains the code for the latest official release. It is considered stable.
  • develop: This is the primary development branch. All new features and bug fixes should be integrated here.

Your Contribution Workflow

  1. Sync with develop: Ensure your local develop branch is up to date with the latest changes from the main repository. 
    git checkout develop
git pull upstream develop
  2. Create a New Branch: Create a new branch for your work from the develop branch. Use a short, descriptive name (e.g., fix-login-bug, add-album-feature). 
    git checkout -b my-new-feature
  3. Develop and Commit: Make your changes, test them, and commit your work. Use clear and descriptive commit messages.
  4. Push your Branch: Push your new branch to your personal fork on GitHub. 
    git push origin my-new-feature
  5. Create a Pull Request: Go to your fork on GitHub and open a new Pull Request.
    • The base branch must be develop.
    • Your Pull Request will automatically be checked by our CI system.

Pull Request Guidelines

To make the review process as efficient as possible, please follow these guidelines:

  • Descriptive Title and Body: Provide a clear and concise title for your PR. In the description, explain the purpose of your changes, the problem they solve, and any relevant context.
  • Pass CI Checks: All Pull Requests must have a passing status from our automated checks before they can be merged.
  • Target the develop Branch: All pull requests should target the develop branch. Hotfixes to main are handled by maintainers as an exception.

Thank you for your contribution!