Update contributing.md

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 splinepy welcomes and appreciates discussions, issues and pull requests!
 
 ## Quick start
+<<<<<<< Updated upstream
 Once the repo is forked, one possible starting point would be creating a new python environments, for example, using [conda](https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html) with `python=3.10`
+=======
+Once the repo is forked, one possible starting point would be creating a new python environments, for example, using [conda](https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html) with, for example, `python=3.9`
+>>>>>>> Stashed changes
 ```bash
 conda create -n splinepyenv python=3.10
 conda activate splinepyenv
@@ -15,15 +19,19 @@ pip install -e. --config-settings=cmake.args=-DSPLINEPY_MORE=OFF --config-settin
 `--config-settings=cmake.args=-DSPLINEPY_MORE` build argument builds splines up to 3D (both parametric and physical dimensions if they are part of template parameters), and that way we can reduce compile time. `--config-settings=cmake.build-type="Debug"` build also reduces compile time. We are experimenting with ways to reduce compile time during development. Let us know if you have a great idea!
 
 ## Python style / implementation preferences
-- use `if` and `raise` instead of `assert`
+- use [`PEP 8`](https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/) style guide for python code
 - no complex comphrehensions: preferably fits in a line, 2 lines max if it is totally necessary
 - use first letter abbreviations in element loops:  `for kv in knot_vectors`
 - use `i`, `j`, `k`, `l` for pure index: `for i, kv in enumerate(knot_vectors)`
+<<<<<<< Updated upstream
 - module local import with a leading underscore: `from splinepy import settings as _settings`
+=======
+- to avoid redundancy, doc strings can be copied (see, e.g., helpme module)
+>>>>>>> Stashed changes
 
 ## C++ style / implementation preferences
 For c++, we've prepared a `.clang-format`, with that you can just run `clang-format`. We closely follow naming scheme suggested by [google stype guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/cppguide.html#Naming), with a clear exception of file naming.
-Here's a preference:
+Here's another preference:
 - `#pragma once`
 
 ## Automatic formatting / style check
@@ -36,6 +44,7 @@ precommit run -a
 ## Local documentation build
 ```bash
 pip install -r docs/requirements.txt
-sphinx-build -b html docs/source docs/build -E -j auto  # `-E` to ignore existing files, -j auto for parallel build (or specify number of processes)
-# you can now open `docs/build/index.html` with your browser
+sphinx-build -b html docs/source docs/build -E -j auto
+# `-E` to ignore existing files, -j auto for parallel build (or specify number
+# of processes) you can now open `docs/build/index.html` with your browser
 ```