How to Use PetLab
Complete guide to building, sharing, and collaborating on pet projects.
Getting Started
PetLab is a platform for sharing and growing your pet projects through structured documentation and community collaboration.
Key Concepts:
Build Log — Document your progress with structured entries
Micro-Sprints — Small tasks (30–120 min) for contributors
Feedback — Get actionable insights from the community
Ratings — Rate and review projects
Creating a Project
To create a new project:
- Click «New Project» in the navigation bar
- Fill in project details: title, description, tech stack
- Select project type and timebox estimate
- Add skills you're practicing and skills you need help with
- Click "Create Project"
Tip: A good project title is short and descriptive. Use the tagline to explain what makes it unique.
Build Log
The Build Log is your project's diary. Document what you did, what broke, what you learned, and what's next.
Entry Structure:
Done
What you accomplished
Failed
What didn't work (optional but valuable!)
Learned
Key insights and learnings
Next
What you plan to do next
Tip: Regular build log updates help others understand your progress and attract contributors.
Micro-Sprints
Micro-Sprints are small, time-boxed tasks that contributors can complete in 30–120 minutes.
Task Workflow:
For Contributors:
- Find a task that matches your skills and available time
- Click «Claim Task» to reserve it
- Do the work (create PR, implement feature, etc.)
- Click «Submit for Review» when done
- Wait for project owner approval
For Project Owners:
- Create tasks with clear descriptions and time estimates
- Review submissions in the "Pending Review" section
- Click «Approve» if work is satisfactory
- Click «Reject» to request changes (task returns to "Claimed")
Tip: Good tasks have clear acceptance criteria and realistic time estimates.
Visual Workflow:
Feedback System
Structured feedback helps project owners improve. When giving feedback, consider:
Unclear
What's confusing or needs better explanation?
Risk
What potential problems do you see?
Try Next
Suggestions for what to try
Praise
What's working well?
Ratings & Reviews
Rate projects from 1–5 stars to help others discover quality projects.
You can rate any project (except your own)
Ratings are saved and persist
Average rating is displayed on the project page
Notifications
Stay updated on your projects and contributions:
New feedback on your projects
Task status changes
New subscribers to your projects
Updates from projects you follow
Click the bell icon in the navigation bar to view your notifications.
Need more help? Contact the team or check out the community forums.