diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
index 171d4af..4369549 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 <!-- How was this tested? Which test suites were run? -->
 
-- [ ] Unit tests pass (`ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure`)
+- [ ] Unit tests pass (`ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure` or Python `pytest`)
 - [ ] Integration tests pass
 - [ ] Manual testing performed
 - [ ] New tests added for new functionality
diff --git a/.gitmessage b/.gitmessage
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4de5418
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmessage
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# ============ Subject (50 chars max) ============
+# <type>(<scope>): <subject>
+
+
+# =================== Body (72 chars per line max) ===================
+
+
+
+Fixes/resolves/closes #<issue number>
+
+# Don't forget to use git commit -s for DCO sign-off
+
+# --- Commit Message Guidelines ---
+# Type: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore
+# Scope: ebuild, core, docs, ci, etc.
+# Subject: Imperative mood, no capitalization, no period
+# Body: Explain WHAT and WHY, not HOW
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 29dfb67..dfa4a01 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,24 +1,24 @@
 # Contributing to EoS
 
-## Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO)
+## Requirements
 
-All contributions require a DCO sign-off. Add to your commit message:
-
-    Signed-off-by: Your Name <your.email@example.com>
-
-Use: git commit -s -m "your message"
-
-This certifies you have the right to submit the code under the MIT license.
+1. **DCO Sign-off**: Every commit must carry a `Signed-off-by` line (use `git commit -s`).
+   This is the Developer Certificate of Origin: it certifies you have the right to submit the code under the MIT license.
+2. **License Headers**: Every new source file must have an SPDX header.
+3. **Tests**: New behavior requires a test. CI runs `python -m pytest tests/`; there is no coverage threshold yet (`--cov-fail-under=0` in `.github/workflows/ci.yml`), so reviewers enforce this.
+4. **Conventional Commits**: Commit messages must follow the `<type>(<scope>): <message>` format.
 
 ## Process
 
 1. Fork the repository
-2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feat/my-feature
-3. Write code with SPDX headers on all new files
-4. Add tests for new functionality
-5. Run: cmake -B build -DEOS_BUILD_TESTS=ON && cmake --build build && cd build && ctest
-6. Commit with DCO sign-off: git commit -s
-7. Push and create Pull Request
+2. Create a feature branch: `git checkout -b feat/my-feature`
+   (**Keep it up to date** to prevent "evil merges" (accidentally dropping other people's code during conflict resolution))
+3. (Optional) Configure the commit template: `git config commit.template .gitmessage`
+4. Write code with SPDX headers on all new files
+5. Add tests for new functionality
+6. Run what CI runs: `ruff check .` and `python -m pytest tests/`; for the C/CMake side, `cmake -B build -DEOS_BUILD_TESTS=ON && cmake --build build && cd build && ctest`
+7. Commit with DCO sign-off: `git commit -s`
+8. Push and create Pull Request
 
 **Windows contributors:** `.gitattributes` pins `*.yml` and `*.yaml` to LF so
 yamllint sees the same bytes on every platform. The attribute governs future