docs: add CONTRIBUTING.md with the isolated-instance dev loop - #1237
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Document the simple day-to-day loop: cargo build, then run the freshly
built binary against a scratch home —
CONSTRUCT_HOME=/tmp/construct-dev ./target/debug/construct
— which relocates all four path layers (config/state/data/run + socket)
so the TUI auto-starts a private daemon from the branch's own binary,
fully isolated from the daily instance. Covers restart-in-place after
rebuilds, CLI usage against the scratch instance, the short-socket-path
caveat, per-branch worktrees, web UI hot reload, tests (build before
e2e, Chrome optional), and PR expectations. Linked from the README's
documentation list; deeper repo conventions stay in AGENTS.md.
All commands verified against a scratch CONSTRUCT_HOME on this branch's
binary.
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Adds a
CONTRIBUTING.mdcentered on the simplest possible dev loop:CONSTRUCT_HOMErelocates all four path layers (config/state/data/run, including the IPC socket), so the TUI auto-starts a private daemon from the freshly built single binary — a fully isolated instance running your branch's code, coexisting with your daily one.Also covers:
daemon restartto swap in a rebuild in place (sessions preserved)list,new --no-tui shell,daemon paths,daemon stop)sun_pathlimit)target/), web UI hot reload pointercargo test --workspaceunfiltered;cargo buildfirst so e2e execs a fresh binary; browser tests skip without ChromeREADME's documentation list links to it.
Every command in the doc was executed against a scratch
CONSTRUCT_HOMEusing this branch's debug binary (daemon start → new --no-tui shell → list → daemon stop) to make sure the loop works exactly as written.