Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A GitHub account
• Admin access to a GitHub organization (or create a new one)
• Basic understanding of GitHub Issues and Pull Requests
• Optional: Payment infrastructure for bounties (USDC wallet, Stripe, etc.)

Step 1: Create Repository from Template

The easiest way to get started is to use the GitForge template:

1. Visit the GitForge template repository
2. Click the green "Use this template" button
3. Choose your organization or personal account
4. Name your repository (e.g., "my-project-dao")
5. Choose public or private visibility
6. Click "Create repository from template"

Step 2: Enable GitHub Actions

GitForge uses GitHub Actions for automation. Enable them in your repository:

1. Go to your repository settings
2. Click on "Actions" in the left sidebar
3. Under "Actions permissions", select "Allow all actions and reusable workflows"
4. Click "Save"

Step 3: Configure Bounty Settings

Customize the bounty configuration to match your project's needs. Edit the .github/BOUNTY_CONFIG.json file:

{
  "bounty_levels": {
    "beginner": {
      "emoji": "🟢",
      "amount": "$50-$200",
      "description": "Basic coding, documentation"
    },
    "intermediate": {
      "emoji": "🟡",
      "amount": "$200-$500",
      "description": "Features, integrations"
    },
    "advanced": {
      "emoji": "🔴",
      "amount": "$500-$2000",
      "description": "Protocol work, security"
    }
  },
  "payment_method": "USDC",
  "payment_address": "0x...",
  "auto_payout": true,
  "governance": {
    "voting_duration_days": 7,
    "approval_threshold": 0.6,
    "quorum": 0.1
  },
  "reputation": {
    "enabled": true,
    "points_per_pr": 10,
    "points_per_bounty": 50
  },
  "notifications": {
    "discord_webhook": "",
    "slack_webhook": ""
  }
}

Configuration Options

• bounty_levels: Define your bounty tiers with emojis, amounts, and descriptions
• payment_method: USDC, ETH, equity, or custom
• payment_address: Your wallet address for payments (if using crypto)
• auto_payout: Automatically trigger payments on PR merge
• governance: Set voting duration, approval threshold, and quorum
• reputation: Configure reputation tracking and point values
• notifications: Integrate Discord, Slack, or other webhooks

Step 4: Set Up Payment Integration (Optional)

If you want to automate payments, you'll need to set up a payment integration:

Option 1: Manual Payments

The simplest approach - manually send payments when bounties are completed. No setup required!

Option 2: Crypto Payments (USDC/ETH)

1. Create a wallet for your DAO (e.g., MetaMask, Gnosis Safe)
2. Add the wallet address to BOUNTY_CONFIG.json
3. Set up GitHub Secrets for private keys (for automated transfers)
4. Fund the wallet with USDC or ETH

Option 3: Stripe/PayPal Integration

For traditional payments, integrate with Stripe or PayPal:

1. Create a Stripe or PayPal business account
2. Add your API keys to GitHub Secrets
3. Configure the payment workflow in .github/workflows/bounty-payout.yml

Step 5: Customize Issue Templates

GitForge comes with pre-configured issue templates. Customize them for your project:

Edit the bounty template to match your workflow. You can:

• Add or remove fields
• Change validation rules
• Customize labels
• Add project-specific requirements

See Issue Templates Documentation for detailed customization options.

Step 6: Enable Discussions (Optional)

For governance features, enable GitHub Discussions:

1. Go to repository Settings
2. Scroll to "Features"
3. Check "Discussions"
4. Configure discussion categories for governance, proposals, and general chat

Step 7: Configure GitHub Pages (For Landing Page)

Deploy your GitForge landing page and documentation using GitHub Pages:

1. Go to repository Settings
2. Scroll to "Pages" section
3. Under "Source", select your main branch
4. Choose "/ (root)" as the folder
5. Click "Save"

Your landing page will be available at:

Step 8: Create Your First Bounty

Test your setup by creating your first bounty:

1. Go to the "Issues" tab in your repository
2. Click "New issue"
3. Select the "Bounty" template
4. Fill in the details (title, description, amount, difficulty)
5. Submit the issue

Next Steps

Now that your GitForge is set up, here's what to do next:

Troubleshooting

GitHub Actions not running?

• Check that Actions are enabled in repository settings
• Verify workflow files are in .github/workflows/
• Check the Actions tab for error messages

Issue templates not showing up?

• Ensure templates are in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/
• Verify YAML syntax is correct
• Try refreshing the page or clearing cache

Need more help?

Join our Discord community or check the detailed troubleshooting guide.