Add a third-party integrations guide

COMMUNITY_INTEGRATIONS.md

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+# Community Integrations Guide
+
+Pipecat welcomes community-maintained integrations! As our ecosystem grows, we've established a process for any developer to create and maintain their own service integrations while ensuring discoverability for the Pipecat community.
+
+## Overview
+
+**What we support:** Community-maintained integrations that live in separate repositories and are maintained by their authors.
+
+**What we don't do:** The Pipecat team does not code review, test, or maintain community integrations. We provide guidance and list approved integrations for discoverability.
+
+**Why this approach:** This allows the community to move quickly while keeping the Pipecat core team focused on maintaining the framework itself.
+
+## Submitting your Integration
+
+To be listed as an official community integration, follow these steps:
+
+### Step 1: Build Your Integration
+
+Create your integration following the patterns and examples shown in the "Integration Patterns and Examples" section below.
+
+### Step 2: Set Up Your Repository
+
+Your repository must contain these components:
+
+- **Source code** - Complete implementation following Pipecat patterns
+- **Foundational example** - Single file example showing basic usage (see [Pipecat examples](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/tree/main/examples/foundational))
+- **README.md** - Must include:
+
+  - Introduction and explanation of your integration
+  - Installation instructions
+  - Usage instructions with Pipecat Pipeline
+  - How to run your example
+  - Pipecat version compatibility (e.g., "Tested with Pipecat v0.0.86")
+  - Company attribution: If you work for the company providing the service, please mention this in your README. This helps build confidence that the integration will be actively maintained.
+
+- **LICENSE** - Permissive license (BSD-2 like Pipecat, or equivalent open source terms)
+- **Code documentation** - Source code with docstrings (we recommend following [Pipecat's docstring conventions](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#docstring-conventions))
+- **Changelog** - Maintain a changelog for version updates
+
+### Step 3: Join Discord
+
+Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/pipecat
+
+### Step 4: Submit for Listing
+
+Post in the `#community-integrations` channel with:
+
+- Service name
+- Service type (STT, LLM, TTS, Image, etc.)
+- Link to your repository
+- Demo video (approx 30-60 seconds) showing:
+  - Core functionality of your integration
+  - Handling of an interruption (if applicable to service type)
+
+## Integration Patterns and Examples
+
+### STT (Speech-to-Text) Services
+
+#### Websocket-based Services
+
+**Base class:** `STTService`
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [DeepgramSTTService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/deepgram/stt.py)
+- [SpeechmaticsSTTService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/speechmatics/stt.py)
+
+#### File-based Services
+
+**Base class:** `SegmentedSTTService`
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [RivaSTTService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/riva/stt.py)
+- [FalSTTService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/fal/stt.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- STT services should push `InterimTranscriptionFrames` and `TranscriptionFrames`
+- If confidence values are available, filter for values >50% confidence
+
+### LLM (Large Language Model) Services
+
+#### OpenAI-Compatible Services
+
+**Base class:** `OpenAILLMService`
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [AzureLLMService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/azure/llm.py)
+- [GrokLLMService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/grok/llm.py) - Shows overriding the base class where needed
+
+#### Non-OpenAI Compatible Services
+
+**Requires:** Full implementation
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [AnthropicLLMService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/anthropic/llm.py)
+- [GoogleLLMService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/google/llm.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- **Frame sequence:** Output must follow this frame sequence pattern:
+
+  - `LLMFullResponseStartFrame` - Signals the start of an LLM response
+  - `LLMTextFrame` - Contains LLM content, typically streamed as tokens
+  - `LLMFullResponseEndFrame` - Signals the end of an LLM response
+
+- **Context aggregation:** Implement context aggregation to collect user and assistant content:
+  - Aggregators come in pairs with a `user()` instance and `assistant()` instance
+  - Context must adhere to the `LLMContext` universal format
+  - Aggregators should handle adding messages, function calls, and images to the context
+
+### TTS (Text-to-Speech) Services
+
+#### AudioContextWordTTSService
+
+**Use for:** Websocket-based services supporting word/timestamp alignment
+
+**Example:**
+
+- [CartesiaTTSService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/cartesia/tts.py)
+
+#### InterruptibleTTSService
+
+**Use for:** Websocket-based services without word/timestamp alignment, requiring disconnection on interruption
+
+**Example:**
+
+- [SarvamTTSService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/sarvam/tts.py)
+
+#### WordTTSService
+
+**Use for:** HTTP-based services supporting word/timestamp alignment
+
+**Example:**
+
+- [ElevenLabsHttpTTSService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/elevenlabs/tts.py)
+
+#### TTSService
+
+**Use for:** HTTP-based services without word/timestamp alignment
+
+**Example:**
+
+- [GoogleHttpTTSService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/google/tts.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- For websocket services, use asyncio WebSocket implementation (required for v13+ support)
+- Handle idle service timeouts with keepalives
+- TTSServices push both audio (`TTSRawAudioFrame`) and text (`TTSTextFrame`) frames
+
+### Telephony Serializers
+
+Pipecat supports telephony provider integration using websocket connections to exchange MediaStreams. These services use a FrameSerializer to serialize and deserialize inputs from the FastAPIWebsocketTransport.
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [Twilio](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/serializers/twilio.py)
+- [Telnyx](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/serializers/telnyx.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- Include hang-up functionality using the provider's native API, ideally using `aiohttp`
+- Support DTMF (dual-tone multi-frequency) events if the provider supports them:
+  - Deserialize DTMF events from the provider's protocol to `InputDTMFFrame`
+  - Use `KeypadEntry` enum for valid keypad entries (0-9, \*, #, A-D)
+  - Handle invalid DTMF digits gracefully by returning `None`
+
+### Image Generation Services
+
+**Base class:** `ImageGenService`
+
+**Examples:**
+
+- [FalImageGenService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/fal/image.py)
+- [GoogleImageGenService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/google/image.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- Must implement `run_image_gen` method returning an `AsyncGenerator`
+
+### Vision Services
+
+Vision services process images and provide analysis such as descriptions, object detection, or visual question answering.
+
+**Base class:** `VisionService`
+
+**Example:**
+
+- [MoondreamVisionService](https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/src/pipecat/services/moondream/vision.py)
+
+#### Key requirements:
+
+- Must implement `run_vision` method that takes an `LLMContext` and returns an `AsyncGenerator[Frame, None]`
+- The method processes the latest image in the context and yields frames with analysis results
+- Typically yields `TextFrame` objects containing descriptions or answers
+
+## Implementation Guidelines
+
+### Naming Conventions
+
+- **STT:** `VendorSTTService`
+- **LLM:** `VendorLLMService`
+- **TTS:**
+  - Websocket: `VendorTTSService`
+  - HTTP: `VendorHttpTTSService`
+- **Image:** `VendorImageGenService`
+- **Vision:** `VendorVisionService`
+- **Telephony:** `VendorFrameSerializer`
+
+### Metrics Support
+
+Enable metrics in your service:
+
+```python
+def can_generate_metrics(self) -> bool:
+    """Check if this service can generate processing metrics.
+
+    Returns:
+        True, as this service supports metrics.
+    """
+    return True
+```
+
+### Dynamic Settings Updates
+
+STT, LLM, and TTS services support `ServiceUpdateSettingsFrame` for dynamic configuration changes. The base STTService has an `_update_settings()` method that handles settings, and the private `_settings` `Dict` is used to store settings and provide access to the subclass.
+
+```python
+async def set_language(self, language: Language):
+    """Set the recognition language and reconnect.
+
+    Args:
+        language: The language to use for speech recognition.
+    """
+    logger.info(f"Switching STT language to: [{language}]")
+    self._settings["language"] = language
+    await self._disconnect()
+    await self._connect()
+```
+
+Note that, in this example, Deepgram requires the websocket connection be disconnected and reconnected to reinitialize the service with the new value. Consider if your service requires reconnection.
+
+### Sample Rate Handling
+
+Sample rates are set via PipelineParams and passed to each frame processor at initialization. The pattern is to _not_ set the sample rate value in the constructor of a given service. Instead, use the `start()` method to initialize sample rates from the frame:
+
+```python
+async def start(self, frame: StartFrame):
+    """Start the service."""
+    await super().start(frame)
+    self._settings["output_format"]["sample_rate"] = self.sample_rate
+    await self._connect()
+```
+
+Note that `self.sample_rate` is a `@property` set in the TTSService base class, which provides access to the private sample rate value obtained from the StartFrame.
+
+### Tracing Decorators
+
+Use Pipecat's tracing decorators:
+
+- **STT:** `@traced_stt` - decorate a function that handles `transcript`, `is_final`, `language` as args
+- **LLM:** `@traced_llm` - decorate the `_process_context()` method
+- **TTS:** `@traced_tts` - decorate the `run_tts()` method
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### Packaging and Distribution
+
+- Use [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) for packaging (encouraged)
+- Consider releasing to PyPI for easier installation
+- Follow semantic versioning principles
+- Maintain a changelog
+
+### HTTP Communication
+
+For REST-based communication, use aiohttp. Pipecat includes this as a required dependency, so using it prevents adding an additional dependency to your integration.
+
+### Error Handling
+
+- Wrap API calls in appropriate try/catch blocks
+- Handle rate limits and network failures gracefully
+- Provide meaningful error messages
+- When errors occur, raise exceptions AND push `ErrorFrame`s to notify the pipeline:
+
+```python
+from pipecat.frames.frames import ErrorFrame
+
+try:
+    # Your API call
+    result = await self._make_api_call()
+except Exception as e:
+    # Push error frame to pipeline
+    await self.push_error(ErrorFrame(error=f"{self} error: {e}"))
+    # Raise or handle as appropriate
+    raise
+```
+
+### Testing
+
+- Your foundational example serves as a valuable integration-level test
+- Unit tests are nice to have. As the Pipecat teams provides better guidance, we will encourage unit testing more
+
+## Disclaimer
+
+Community integrations are community-maintained and not officially supported by the Pipecat team. Users should evaluate these integrations independently. The Pipecat team reserves the right to remove listings that become unmaintained or problematic.
+
+## Staying Up to Date
+
+Pipecat evolves rapidly to support the latest AI technologies and patterns. While we strive to minimize breaking changes, they do occur as the framework matures.
+
+**We strongly recommend:**
+
+- Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/pipecat and monitor the `#announcements` channel for release notifications
+- Follow our changelog: https://github.com/pipecat-ai/pipecat/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md
+- Test your integration against new Pipecat releases promptly
+- Update your README with the last tested Pipecat version
+
+This helps ensure your integration remains compatible and your users have clear expectations about version support.
+
+## Questions?
+
+Join our Discord community at https://discord.gg/pipecat and post in the `#community-integrations` channel for guidance and support.
+
+For additional questions, you can also reach out to us at [email protected].

CONTRIBUTING.md

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 ## Contributing to Pipecat
 
+**Want to add a new service integration?**
+We encourage community-maintained integrations! Please see our [Community Integration Guide](COMMUNITY_INTEGRATIONS.md) for the process and requirements.
+
+**Want to contribute to Pipecat core?**
 We welcome contributions of all kinds! Your help is appreciated. Follow these steps to get involved:
 
 1. **Fork this repository**: Start by forking the Pipecat Documentation repository to your GitHub account.