Want to start helping with Xonotic code

So I'm a beginning C programmer, but not a beginning programmer. I've been studying C for a while and I'm at the point where I think I can contribute to Xonotic in a (hopefully) useful way. I just finished this game as practice/experience coding in C:

http://www.jaynix.dyndns.org/files/SpacePong.zip
(Compiled for 32/64-bit Linux and Windows 32-bit. Source included.)



Here's another example of my work: http://www.treeofvoices.dyndns.org

/shameless self promotion

I just had a few questions, about Git and some things to clear up first.

I'm not sure I understand how branching works/how I should go about editing/testing my code. Do I just create a new branch and start editing any of the the .C files and recompile to test? Is there any way I can accidentally fuck someone elses work up doing this (I'd like to avoid that)? Any other pointers/tips/things I should know/useful links you could throw at me to get me pointed in the right direction for making useful contributions? I'm new to open source/working on code that isn't my own :p

C code is useful for the engine, darkplaces.
On IRC go to irc.anynet.org channel #darkplaces

I'm not sure I understand how branching works/how I should go about editing/testing my code. Do I just create a new branch and start editing any of the the .C files and recompile to test?

Exactly.

Is there any way I can accidentally fuck someone elses work up doing this (I'd like to avoid that)?

As long as you're making changes in your own branch, no.

In this thread there are some helpful links and tipps, otherwise visit some IRC channels or read in the wiki

Hi. First, you might like to get write access to the repository. It will take some time for your request to get reviewed, but meanwhile you can start making local changes. Basically, you create a branch for each feature you implement. The branch name should start with your username followed by a slash, like so: jaywalker/feature, otherwise pushes will fail (so you can't accidentally screw up others' work, don't worry). When you change something on your branch, you simply recompile, test, and then commit your changes (git commit -a). To make your changes available publicly (assuming you have write access), you have to do a "git push". When you think your work is worth adding into Xonotic, you can request a merge with the web interface.


Also, you don't really have to know alot of C unless you want to screw with the engine, but it helps. The game code is writen in a special language called QuakeC, it is similar to C in syntax but is different in many aspects. Read this page for a quick reference.