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Update planning.md 

Reading for content; editing for consistency. 
Updated per seamuslee001's comment, and I found another missed edit in the automate testing paragraph.
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## Community input ## Community input
Before you start on any code to extend CiviCRM, it is really important Before you start on any code to extend CiviCRM, it is really important to discuss your ideas with the community. Here are a few of the reasons why this is a good idea:
to discuss your ideas with the community. Here are a few of the reasons
why this is a good idea:
- It may have been done already
- You'll get suggestions and advice on suitable ways to approach the
problem
- Other people will know what you are doing, and be able to contact
you if they want to collaborate
A typical pre-development workflow will start with a discussion on
[Mattermost](https://chat.civicrm.org/) (in the Developer channel) about what
you want to do. Here you'll receive feedback from other members of the
community and core team about your ideas. You might be lucky and find
out that there is a already a way to do what you want using the user
interface (and that no coding is necessary). Or it might be that someone
has done something similar already and all that is required is a few
tweaks to their code.
- It may have been done already.
- You'll get suggestions and advice on suitable ways to approach the problem.
- Other people will know what you are doing, and be able to contact you if they want to collaborate.
A typical pre-development workflow will start with a discussion on [Mattermost](https://chat.civicrm.org/) (in the Developer channel) about what you want to do. Here you'll receive feedback from other members of the community and core team about your ideas. You might be lucky and find out that there is a already a way to do what you want using the user interface (and that no coding is necessary). Or it might be that someone has done something similar already and all that is required is a few tweaks to their code.
## Requirements and specifications ## Requirements and specifications
If and when you have confirmed that some coding is required, it is good If and when you have confirmed that some coding is required, it is good practice, even for relatively small projects, to write:
practice, even for relatively small projects, to write
- a requirements document which describes in detail what you want the - a requirements document which describes in detail what you want the finished code to do, and
finished code to do - a specification that outlines how you are going to meet these requirements with CiviCRM.
- a specification that outlines how you are going to meet these
requirements with CiviCRM
The requirements are typically written to be understandable to end The requirements are typically written to be understandable to end users, and the specification can be thought of as a translation of those requirements into the language of CiviCRM.
users, and the specification can be thought of as a translation of those
requirements into the language of CiviCRM.
Store your requirements and specifications in a public location such as: Store your requirements and specifications in a public location such as:
* A markdown file in your project's repository * a markdown file in your project's repository,
* A google doc * a google doc, or
* The [CiviCRM wiki](http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/CiviCRM+Wiki) * the [CiviCRM wiki](http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/CiviCRM+Wiki).
Once you've written the requirements and specification document, you Once you've written the requirements and specification document, you should go about soliciting feedback. Get feedback on the requirements from your end users and feedback on the requirements and the specification from anyone that is willing to comment. To encourage more discussion, you can write a post on CiviCRM's [blog](https://civicrm.org/blog/), tweet it out with the [#civicrm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/civicrm) hashtag, tell similar CiviCRM users and organisations and so on. The more feedback you can get the better.
should go about soliciting feedback. Get feedback on the requirements
from your end users and feedback on the requirements and the
specification from anyone that is willing to comment. To encourage more
discussion, you can write a post on CiviCRM's
[blog](https://civicrm.org/blog/), tweet it out with
the [#civicrm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/civicrm) hashtag, tell similar
CiviCRM users and organisations and so on.
The more feedback you can get the better.
!!!tip !!!tip
If you get stuck writing your requirements and specification, or would If you get stuck writing your requirements and specification, or would like to get more background, have a look at some [existing requirements and specifications](https://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/Requirements+and+specifications) from CiviCRM developers.
like to get more background, have a look at some
[existing requirements and specifications](https://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/Requirements+and+specifications)
from CiviCRM developers.
## Bugs ## Bugs
Before starting work on a bug your first step should be to check Before starting work on a bug your first step should be to check [JIRA](https://issues.civicrm.org/), the issue tracking system for CiviCRM for any open issues before creating one yourself or working on a pull request.
[JIRA](https://issues.civicrm.org/), the issue tracking system for CiviCRM
for any open issues before creating one yourself or working on a pull request.
In order to reproduce the bug you can reproduce the issue in the appropriate In order to reproduce the bug you can reproduce the issue in the appropriate [CiviCRM Sandbox](https://civicrm.org/sandboxes). Enabling debugging can help to get more details.
[CiviCRM Sandbox](https://civicrm.org/sandboxes). Enabling debugging can help
to get more details.
Make sure to check [the contribution guidelines](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-core/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) Make sure to check [the contribution guidelines](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-core/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) for more information on how to create your PR.
for more information on how to create your PR.
## Recommendations ## Recommendations
**Open a free [GitHub](https://github.com/) account** for revision control. **Open a free [GitHub](https://github.com/) account** for revision control. The official CiviCRM [repositories](https://github.com/civicrm) are housed in `git` repositories on GitHub. If you use GitHub you will find it easy to access the latest source-code, to submit pull requests for any patches you create and to collaborate with many other CiviCRM developers who also use GitHub.
The official CiviCRM [repositories](https://github.com/civicrm)
are housed in `git` repositories on GitHub. If you use GitHub you will find **Install the [buildkit](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-buildkit)**, ideally as a [vagrant virtual-machine](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-buildkit-vagrant) or using one of available `docker` images ([1](https://github.com/progressivetech/docker-civicrm-buildkit), [2](https://github.com/ErichBSchulz/dcbk)). The buildkit is not an absolute requirement but it is definitely the fastest path to a good development experience!
it easy to access the latest source-code, to submit pull requests
for any patches you create and to collaborate with many other **From the outset, [automate testing](/testing/setup.md)**. In the current climate of rapid evolution of not just CiviCRM, but also it's myriad of dependancies, automated testing of PHP code with `phpunit` and javascript with tools like `karma` and `jasmine` is essential. Start all your work by considering how you will provide automated testing for it. Starting with the buildkit will make this much simpler for you to set up. Getting started with unit-testing may seem daunting and onerous when you start, but you will soon come to love the freedom it gives you. If you are unsure how to proceed with testing ask the [community](/basics/community.md).
CiviCRM developers who also use GitHub.
**Create a native [extension](/extensions/index.md)**. If you have new functionality to add to CiviCRM, it probably belongs in an extension. "Native" extensions will install into all CiviCRM sites regardless of the underlying CMS used (Drupal or Wordpress), making it easy to share your extension with the CiviCRM community.
**Install the [buildkit](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-buildkit)**,
ideally as a [vagrant virtual-machine](https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-buildkit-vagrant) **Use the [API](/api/index.md) and [hooks](/hooks/index.md)** to access and manage CiviCRM data in any patch, native extension, CMS module, or external program that you develop. The API will function as expected with every new release and backwards compatibility of the API is maintained for several versions of CiviCRM.
or using one of available `docker` images ([1](https://github.com/progressivetech/docker-civicrm-buildkit),
[2](https://github.com/ErichBSchulz/dcbk)). The buildkit is not an absolute **Avoid [hacking the core](/core/hacking.md)** of CiviCRM unless you understand the implications.
requirement but it is definitely the fastest path to a good development
experience!
**From the outset, [automate testing](/testing/setup.md)**.
In the current climate of rapid evolution of not just CiviCRM, but
also it's myriad of dependancies, automated testing of PHP code with `phpunit`
and javascript with tools like `karma` and `jasmine` is essential. Start all
your work by considering how you will provide automated testing for it.
Starting with the buildkit will make this much simpler for you to set up.
Getting started with unit-testing may seem daunting and onerous when you start,
but you will soon come to love the freedom it gives you. If you are
unsure how to proceed with testing ask the [community](/basics/community.md).
**Create a native [extension](/extensions/index.md)**.
If you have new functionality to add to CiviCRM, it probably belongs in an
extension. "Native" extensions will install into all CiviCRM sites
regardless of the underlying CMS used (Drupal or Wordpress), making it easy to
share your extension with the CiviCRM community.
**Use the [API](/api/index.md) and [hooks](/hooks/index.md)** to access and manage CiviCRM data in any patch,
native extension, CMS module, or external program that you
develop. The API will function as expected with every new release
and backwards compatibility of the API is maintained for several
versions of CiviCRM.
**Avoid [hacking the core](/core/hacking.md)** of CiviCRM unless you understand
the implications.
**Follow the
[Coding Standards](/standards/index.md)**
for uniform structure that will make everyone's development work easier.
**Follow the [Coding Standards](/standards/index.md)** for uniform structure that will make everyone's development work easier.
## Make it happen ## Make it happen
If you need or would like extra resources for your code improvement, you If you need or would like extra resources for your code improvement, you might consider a [Make It Happen](https://civicrm.org/make-it-happen) (aka MIH) campaign, which is a crowd-sourcing initiative for CiviCRM. The MIH work is carried out by the core team or trusted consultants, and has helped build many amazing new features into CiviCRM in recent years.
might consider a [Make It Happen](https://civicrm.org/make-it-happen)
(aka MIH) campaign, which is a crowd-sourcing initiative for CiviCRM.
The MIH work is carried out by the
core team or trusted consultants, and has helped build many amazing new
features into CiviCRM in recent years.
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