## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work
> - Contributors follow `CONTRIBUTING.md` and the PR template when
opening pull requests
> - Those docs still tell contributors to manually capture and attach
before/after screenshots for UI changes
> - That requirement is now redundant: the `cutter.sh` bot automatically
captures and posts before/after UI screenshots to every PR
> - Asking contributors to also do it by hand adds friction and produces
duplicate screenshots
> - This pull request removes the manual screenshot obligation from
`CONTRIBUTING.md` and the PR template, and documents that `cutter.sh`
handles it
> - The benefit is a clearer, lower-friction contribution flow that
matches how screenshots actually get posted today
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
No public GitHub issue. Underlying change:
Our contributor docs and PR template instructed contributors to attach
before/after screenshots for any UI change. We now run a bot
(`cutter.sh`) that automatically captures and posts before/after UI
screenshots to the PR, so the manual step is no longer needed. This
change removes the manual requirement and instead documents that the bot
handles screenshots, asking contributors to simply describe the visible
change.
## What Changed
- `CONTRIBUTING.md`: removed the "Before / After screenshots"
requirement from the Path 2 PR checklist and from the "Writing a Good PR
message" section; both now explain that the `cutter.sh` bot posts UI
screenshots automatically and ask contributors to describe the visible
change instead.
- `.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md`: updated the Verification guidance
to note that `cutter.sh` posts before/after screenshots automatically,
and removed the "include before/after screenshots" item from the
checklist.
- Issue templates were intentionally left unchanged — they only offer
screenshots as an optional "if helpful" field, never a requirement.
## Verification
- Docs-only change; no code paths affected.
- `grep -rin "screenshot" CONTRIBUTING.md .github/` confirms no
screenshot *requirement* remains — only the new `cutter.sh` wording and
the optional "if helpful" fields in issue templates.
- Render `CONTRIBUTING.md` and the PR template to confirm the wording
reads cleanly.
## Risks
Low risk — documentation-only change. No build, runtime, or migration
impact.
## Model Used
Claude (Anthropic), model `claude-opus-4-8`, extended thinking with tool
use.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant
issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass (docs-only; no tests apply)
- [ ] I have added or updated tests where applicable (N/A — docs-only)
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [ ] All Paperclip CI gates are green (pending CI)
- [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
(pending review)
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
Devin Foley
254b01d2af