chore: add MIT license and contributing guide

Author: NightmarePog

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Contributing to Lazarus
+
+Thanks for wanting to contribute. This document covers how to get set up, how the project is structured, and what to keep in mind before opening a PR.
+
+## Getting started
+
+You need Lua 5.4 installed. Clone the repo and verify everything works:
+
+```sh
+git clone https://github.com/NightmarePog/Lazarus
+cd Lazarus
+make selfhost
+```
+
+If `make selfhost` prints `fixpoint verified`, you're good. That command rebuilds the compiler from its own source and checks that the output is identical to the input binary.
+
+## Project layout
+
+```
+compiler/     Lazarus compiler source (written in Lazarus)
+std/          Standard library
+doc/          Documentation
+bin/          Compiled compiler binary (bin/lazarusc.lua)
+examples/     Example programs
+```
+
+The compiler pipeline goes: Linker → Expander → Lexer → Parser → Schematic → Typecheck → Optimizer → Codegen → Bundler. Each stage has its own directory under `compiler/frontend/` or `compiler/backend/`.
+
+## Adding a language feature
+
+Read `doc/adding-features.md` before touching anything. The short version: one concept, one file, registered in a `HANDLERS` or `TOKENS` table. Never add to an existing `if/elseif` chain. Walk the pipeline front to back.
+
+## Before submitting a PR
+
+Run all three:
+
+```sh
+make selfhost   # must print "fixpoint verified"
+make lint       # selene
+make format     # stylua
+```
+
+All three must pass. If `make selfhost` fails, the compiler can no longer compile itself and the PR won't be merged.
+
+## Commit style
+
+Conventional commits: `feat:`, `fix:`, `chore:`, `docs:`, `refactor:`. Keep the subject line under 72 characters. No `Co-Authored-By` trailers.
+
+## Opening issues
+
+Bug reports and feature requests are welcome. For bugs, include the source file that triggers the issue and the error output. For feature requests, check the open issues first -- a lot of planned work is already tracked there.
+
+## Code style
+
+- No comments that describe what the code does -- only comments that explain why something non-obvious is happening
+- Follow the patterns already in the file you're editing
+- Stylua handles formatting -- don't fight it
+
+## What's a good first contribution
+
+Issues tagged [`good first issue`](https://github.com/NightmarePog/Lazarus/issues?q=is%3Aopen+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22) are scoped to be approachable without deep knowledge of the full pipeline.

LICENSE

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026 Lukáš Erl
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.