# Contributing to FSIG

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the MCP Financial Services Interest Group!

## Quick Start

1. **Join the Community**
   - Join the `#financial-services-ig` channel on [MCP Discord](https://discord.com/invite/6CSzBmMkjX)
   - Introduce yourself and your interests
   - Review recent [meeting notes](https://docs.google.com/document/d/18lj9jcdNnr4m9d1RovotEko5LTP_9vsRTuZdfg0Igmw/edit?tab=t.0)

2. **Understand the Scope**
   - Read the [README](./README.md) for an overview
   - Review the [CHARTER](./CHARTER.md) for mission and scope
   - Check [GOVERNANCE](./GOVERNANCE.md) for roles and decision-making

3. **Start Contributing**
   - Attend bi-weekly meetings (no approval needed!)
   - Browse [open issues](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/financial-services-interest-group/issues)
   - Open issues for new ideas or questions
   - Submit PRs for extensions, documentation, or improvements

## General Guidelines

For general contribution guidelines, please follow the [MCP Contributing Guide](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).

### FSIG-Specific Considerations

**Antitrust Compliance:**
All contributions and discussions must comply with the [MCP Antitrust Policy](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/blob/main/ANTITRUST.md).

**Do NOT discuss:**
- Pricing, costs, or margins
- Customer lists or strategies
- Market division or competitive coordination
- Confidential business information

**Focus on:**
- Technical standards and specifications
- Implementation approaches
- Interoperability patterns
- Documentation and testing

## Extension Development

When developing MCP extensions for financial services:

1. **Start with a Proposal**
   - Open an issue describing the extension
   - Discuss use cases and requirements
   - Get feedback before implementation

2. **Follow MCP Standards**
   - Align with the [MCP Specification](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io)
   - Use standard MCP patterns and conventions
   - Document deviations clearly

3. **Include Documentation & Examples**
   - Clear README with purpose and usage
   - Working examples demonstrating the extension
   - Implementation notes and considerations

4. **Consider Broad Applicability**
   - Could this extension benefit other domains?
   - Is there potential for promotion to core spec?
   - Document use cases beyond financial services

## Proposing Core Spec Enhancements

If you believe an extension should be promoted to the core MCP spec:

1. **Gather Implementation Experience** — Deploy in real scenarios and collect feedback
2. **Discuss with FSIG** — Present at a meeting and get consensus from maintainers
3. **Contact Core Maintainer Liaison** — Reach out to [David Soria Parra](https://github.com/dsp-ant)
4. **Draft SEP** — Follow the MCP SEP process with liaison support

See [CHARTER.md](./CHARTER.md#proactive-promotion) for more details.

## Communication Channels

- **Discord:** `#financial-services-ig` — Real-time chat and questions
- **GitHub Issues:** Proposals, bugs, and structured discussions
- **GitHub Discussions:** Longer-form conversations
- **Meetings:** Bi-weekly sync (see [README](./README.md#️-meetings))

## Recognition

Active contributors are recognized in [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md). After attending 2+ meetings or making substantive contributions, you can:
- Self-nominate by opening a PR
- Or a maintainer may add you

## Getting Help

- **Ask in Discord** — The `#financial-services-ig` channel is welcoming and responsive
- **Open an issue** — For specific questions or proposals
- **Attend a meeting** — Get face-time with maintainers and other contributors
- **Contact maintainers** — See [GOVERNANCE.md](./GOVERNANCE.md) for current maintainers

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**Thank you for contributing to FSIG! Together we're making MCP more accessible and useful for financial services.** 🎉