# Contributing containers

We encourage you to explore the GAME modules page and begin with an Evaluator or Predictor codebase that most closely matches your own implementation.

**The scripts listed below are meant to be re-usable across all GAME modules with minimal changes. We suggest testing your Evaluators/Predictors with the test module containers to validate their functionality.**

## Checklist for Predictor Modules

| File | Description | Edits Required |
|------|-------------|----------------|
| `config.py` | Sets the Predictor base name, automatically appends the container build timestamp for module-level versioning, determines container vs. dev paths, and configures supported request/response wire formats. | Edits required for each Predictor. |
| `predictor_RestAPI.py` | Includes GET `/formats` and `/help`, POST `/predict` methods; validates/preprocesses requests. | Edits required. |
| `predictor_content_handler.py` | Decodes requests, encodes responses (JSON/MsgPack), adds predictor name, handles MIME negotiation, integrates with Flask. | No edits required if dealing with JSON and MsgPack. |
| `schema_validation.py` | Validates payload keys/values; preprocesses sequences for inference; provides progress feedback. | Edits required for predictor-specific sections. |
| `error_checking_functions.py` | Error classes (`APIError`, `BadRequestError`, etc.); validation functions for sequences, keys, readouts, ranges, and consistency. | No edits required. |
| `<model_wrapper_script>` | Model specific code that sets up a callable for `predictor_RestAPI.py`. Like `predict_dream_rnn()`, `predict_borzoi()`, etc. | Edit to define model specific code for each Predictor. |
| `predictor_help_message.json` | HELP file per GAME API spec.  Must include `game_schema_version` (see [Predictor Help Classes](../API/help.md)) | Edits required for each Predictor. |
| `*_predictor.def` | Apptainer definition file for building the container. The build-date label is used automatically by `config.py` for [module-level versioning](../versioning.md). | Edits required for each Predictor. |

### Predictor Responsibilities

- Set up endpoints for `/formats`, `/help` and `/predict`
- Validate the requests, decline any requests the model can't fulfill
- Pre-process the data to add any adapters, and crop sequences if prediction ranges are sent
- Send sequences to the model, use Matcher if necessary
- Format predictions in API return formats, return HTTP error codes if necessary

## Checklist for Evaluator Modules

| File | Description | Edits Required |
|------|-------------|----------------|
| `config.py` | Sets the Evaluator base name, automatically appends the container build timestamp for module-level versioning, determines container vs. dev paths, and configures API communication settings (request/response format, retries, retry interval). | Edits required for each Evaluator. |
| `evaluator_RestAPI.py` | Loads/ validates input, sends data to predictor via HTTP, handles responses, saves raw predictions, computes metrics on success. | Minor edits based on Evaluator's Data |
| `evaluator_content_handler.py` | Sends HTTP requests with retries, negotiates formats (JSON/MsgPack), deserializes responses safely. | No edits required |
| `data_loader.py` | Loads and validates input files (`.json`, `.msgpack`, `.mpk`), checks for duplicates, returns validated dictionary. | Edit to load datasets |
| `evaluator_metrics_calculator.py` | Calculates/saves correlation and cell-type specificity metrics, handles invalid/missing data, outputs CSV with timestamps. | Edits required for evaluation metric calculation|
| `*evaluator.def` | Apptainer definition file for building the container. Must include `game_schema_version` in the `%labels` block. | Edits required for each Evaluator. |

### Evaluator Responsibilities

- Parsing data from the Evaluator data folder and transforming into one of the Predictor defined request formats
- Issue `POST` `/predict` request to the Predictors
- Receive and save predictions
- Calculate evaluation metrics and save in required format