Clarify expectations around commit patches

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# Contributing
+
+Contributors are welcomed!
+
+We try to keep a number of [`good first issue`](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/labels/good%20first%20issue) for new contributors.
+If you feel confident, you can also check out the [`help wanted`](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/labels/help%20wanted) issues.
+
+To have an idea of the work in the pipeline, feel free to view the [js-waku project board](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/projects/1).
+This project board is to prioritize the work of core contributors so do not be deterred by issues in the `Icebox` or bottom of the `Backlog`.
+
+Do note that we have a [CI](./.github/workflows/ci.yml) powered by GitHub Action.
+To help ensure your PR passes, just run before committing:
+
+ - `npm run fix`: To format your code,
+ - `npm run test`: To run all tests, including lint checks.
+
+
+## Build & Test
+
+To build and test this repository, you need:
+  
+  - [Node.js & npm](https://nodejs.org/en/)
+  - [bufbuild](https://github.com/bufbuild/buf) (only if changing protobuf files)
+  - [protoc](https://grpc.io/docs/protoc-installation/) (only if changing protobuf files)
+
+To ensure interoperability with [nim-waku](https://github.com/status-im/nim-waku/), some tests are run against a nim-waku node.
+This is why `nim-waku` is present as a [git submodule](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Tools-Submodules), which itself contain several submodules.
+At this stage, it is not possible to exclude nim-waku tests, hence `git submodule update --init --recursive` is run before testing (see [`pretest` script](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/blob/main/package.json)).
+
+To build nim-waku, you also need [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install).
+
+## Guidelines
+
+- Please follow [Chris Beam's commit message guide](https://chris.beams.io/posts/git-commit/),
+- Usually best to test new code,
+
+### Committing Patches
+
+In general, [commits should be atomic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_commit#Atomic_commit_convention)
+and diffs should be easy to read.
+For this reason, do not mix any formatting fixes or code moves with actual code changes.
+
+Commit messages should be verbose by default consisting of a short subject line (50 chars max),
+a blank line and detailed explanatory text as separate paragraph(s),
+unless the title alone is self-explanatory in which case a single title line is sufficient.
+
+Commit messages should be helpful to people reading your code in the future, so explain the reasoning for
+your decisions.
+
+If a particular commit references another issue, please add the reference.
+For example: `refs #1234` or `fixes #4321`.
+Using the `fixes` or `closes` keywords will cause the corresponding issue to be closed when the pull request is merged.
+
+Commit messages should never contain any `@` mentions (usernames prefixed with "@").
+
+Please refer to the [Git manual](https://git-scm.com/doc) for more information
+about Git.
+

README.md

@@ -80,25 +80,7 @@ it is not necessary in normal usage when you just connect to the fleet.
 
 ## Contributing
 
-### Build & Test
+See [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md).
-
-To build and test this repository, you need:
-  
-  - [Node.js & npm](https://nodejs.org/en/)
-  - [bufbuild](https://github.com/bufbuild/buf) (only if changing protobuf files)
-  - [protoc](https://grpc.io/docs/protoc-installation/) (only if changing protobuf files)
-
-To ensure interoperability with [nim-waku](https://github.com/status-im/nim-waku/), some tests are run against a nim-waku node.
-This is why `nim-waku` is present as a [git submodule](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Tools-Submodules), which itself contain several submodules.
-At this stage, it is not possible to exclude nim-waku tests, hence `git submodule update --init --recursive` is run before testing (see [`pretest` script](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/blob/main/package.json)).
-
-To build nim-waku, you also need [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install).
-
-### Guidelines
-
-- Please follow [Chris Beam's commit message guide](https://chris.beams.io/posts/git-commit/),
-- Usually best to test new code,
-- [CI](https://github.com/status-im/js-waku/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) must pass.
 
 ## License
 Licensed and distributed under either of