[Feature Request]: Add note contribution guide and standardized MDX note template to streamline community contributions

[prince-pokharna]

Summary

openCSE invites community contributions but the CONTRIBUTING.md describes only the git workflow (fork → branch → PR). It does not specify the format, structure, or content standards for new notes. The result is inconsistent note quality across subjects — some notes may have code examples while others don't, some may use headers inconsistently, and new contributors have no template to follow.

Problem

• There is no note-writing template (MDX or Markdown) for contributors to base new notes on.
• No content standards exist specifying things like: required sections, code block languages, example difficulty progression, image/diagram requirements.
• The notes/dsa/arrays directory exists but is the only visible notes directory, suggesting the contribution model is unclear for other subjects.
• The CONTRIBUTING.md says "adding or improving subject notes" is welcome but gives no guidance on how a note should be structured.

Proposed Solution

1 — Create a NOTES_TEMPLATE.md:

---
title: "Topic Name"
subject: DSA | OS | DBMS | CN | <subject>
semester: 3
difficulty: beginner | intermediate | advanced
tags: [tag1, tag2]
lastUpdated: YYYY-MM-DD
---

## Introduction
<!-- 2-3 sentences: what this topic is and why it matters -->

## Prerequisites
<!-- Bullet list of topics the reader should know first -->

## Core Concepts

### Concept 1
<!-- Explanation with analogy if helpful -->

```language
// Code example with comments
```

## Key Points for Exam
<!-- Bulleted summary of what examiners typically ask -->

## Common Mistakes
<!-- Pitfalls beginners often encounter -->

## Practice Problems
<!-- 3-5 problems with difficulty tags -->

## References
<!-- Official docs, textbook chapters, video links -->

2 — Update CONTRIBUTING.md to point to the template and specify content standards.

3 — Add a GitHub Issue template for "New Notes Request" so the community can request topics they need.

4 — Add a notes quality checklist to the PR template.

Additional Notes

• Standardized notes templates improve contribution velocity and reduce back-and-forth review cycles.

I am happy to implement this. Could you assign this issue to me?

Labels: documentation, enhancement, contributor-experience, GSSoC 2026

[prince-pokharna]

Hey @pushkarscripts ,
Please assign it to me under GSSoC 2026.
/assign /claim /claim-assignment