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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/pret/pokeemerald/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

pokeemerald is a community decompilation effort. The primary goal is accuracy: every line of C code must compile to machine code that is byte-identical to the original ROM. Contributions that change game behavior are only accepted when explicitly labeled as a bugfix or intentional feature addition.

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Community

pret Discord

The main hub for decompilation discussion, review coordination, and contributor support. You must join before opening a PR.

IRC

IRC is also available for contributors who prefer it. Ask in Discord for current channel details.
All contributors are required to join the pret Discord and include their Discord username in every pull request.

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Pull request requirements

Every PR must use the provided template and include two things:
  • Description — a clear summary of what changed and why.
  • Discord contact info — your username (e.g. pikalaxalt) or legacy username#numbers format (e.g. PikalaxALT#5823).
PRs missing either field will not be reviewed until they are filled in.

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The matching requirement

Any change that is not explicitly a bugfix or new feature must not alter game behavior. The compiled ROM must be byte-identical to the original. Run make compare before opening a PR to verify this.
make compare
make compare builds the ROM and compares it against the known-good SHA-1 hash: 
sha1: f3ae088181bf583e55daf962a92bb46f4f1d07b7
If the comparison fails, the change is not yet matching and cannot be merged as-is.

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How to contribute

1

Fork the repository

Fork pokeemerald on GitHub and clone your fork locally. Follow INSTALL.md to set up the build environment, including the agbcc toolchain.
2

Create a branch

Create a dedicated branch for your changes. Use a descriptive name that reflects the scope of the work (e.g. decompile-battle-anim-util or fix-berry-crush-score).
git checkout -b decompile-my-function
3

Make your changes and verify

Make your changes, then run make compare to confirm the ROM is still byte-identical to the original.
make compare
The build must succeed and the comparison must pass before you proceed.
4

Open a pull request

Push your branch and open a PR against pret/pokeemerald. Fill in the PR template completely:
  • Describe exactly what you changed and how you verified matching.
  • Include your Discord username so reviewers can reach you.
5

Participate in review

Join the pret Discord and follow the #pokeemerald channel. Reviewers may ask you to adjust your code to achieve a better match or improve readability. Respond promptly to keep the review moving.

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Welcomed contributions

Many functions still exist only as assembly stubs under asm/. Replacing them with equivalent, matching C code is the core ongoing work of the project. See Decompilation Standards for matching requirements.
Some already-decompiled functions have known non-matching details — minor differences in register allocation or instruction scheduling. Fixes that bring these closer to the original ROM are always welcome.
Improving comments, naming previously anonymous structs or fields, and writing documentation for this site all help future contributors understand the codebase faster.
Scripts, Makefiles, and build tooling improvements that do not change the ROM output are generally accepted. Discuss large changes in Discord first.

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Changes that require prior discussion

Do not open a PR for any of the following without first discussing it in the pret Discord:
  • Behavior changes — any modification that causes make compare to fail and is not an agreed-upon bugfix.
  • Refactoring — renaming, restructuring, or reformatting existing code in a way that breaks make compare.
  • New features — adding gameplay content or mechanics not present in the original ROM.
Bring these proposals to #pokeemerald on Discord so the team can evaluate them before you invest time in implementation.