diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/SubmittingPatches')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/SubmittingPatches | 65 |
1 files changed, 57 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches index de08d094e3..0e155c936c 100644 --- a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches +++ b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches @@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ Checklist (and a short version for the impatient): - if your name is not writable in ASCII, make sure that you send off a message in the correct encoding. - send the patch to the list (git@vger.kernel.org) and the - maintainer (gitster@pobox.com). If you use - git-send-email(1), please test it first by sending - email to yourself. + maintainer (gitster@pobox.com) if (and only if) the patch + is ready for inclusion. If you use git-send-email(1), + please test it first by sending email to yourself. Long version: @@ -112,7 +112,12 @@ lose tabs that way if you are not careful. It is a common convention to prefix your subject line with [PATCH]. This lets people easily distinguish patches from other -e-mail discussions. +e-mail discussions. Use of additional markers after PATCH and +the closing bracket to mark the nature of the patch is also +encouraged. E.g. [PATCH/RFC] is often used when the patch is +not ready to be applied but it is for discussion, [PATCH v2], +[PATCH v3] etc. are often seen when you are sending an update to +what you have previously sent. "git format-patch" command follows the best current practice to format the body of an e-mail message. At the beginning of the @@ -157,7 +162,8 @@ Note that your maintainer does not necessarily read everything on the git mailing list. If your patch is for discussion first, send it "To:" the mailing list, and optionally "cc:" him. If it is trivially correct or after the list reached a consensus, send -it "To:" the maintainer and optionally "cc:" the list. +it "To:" the maintainer and optionally "cc:" the list for +inclusion. Also note that your maintainer does not actively involve himself in maintaining what are in contrib/ hierarchy. When you send fixes and @@ -210,10 +216,53 @@ then you just add a line saying This line can be automatically added by git if you run the git-commit command with the -s option. -Some people also put extra tags at the end. They'll just be ignored for -now, but you can do this to mark internal company procedures or just -point out some special detail about the sign-off. +Notice that you can place your own Signed-off-by: line when +forwarding somebody else's patch with the above rules for +D-C-O. Indeed you are encouraged to do so. Do not forget to +place an in-body "From: " line at the beginning to properly attribute +the change to its true author (see (2) above). +Some people also put extra tags at the end. + +"Acked-by:" says that the patch was reviewed by the person who +is more familiar with the issues and the area the patch attempts +to modify. "Tested-by:" says the patch was tested by the person +and found to have the desired effect. + +------------------------------------------------ +An ideal patch flow + +Here is an ideal patch flow for this project the current maintainer +suggests to the contributors: + + (0) You come up with an itch. You code it up. + + (1) Send it to the list and cc people who may need to know about + the change. + + The people who may need to know are the ones whose code you + are butchering. These people happen to be the ones who are + most likely to be knowledgeable enough to help you, but + they have no obligation to help you (i.e. you ask for help, + don't demand). "git log -p -- $area_you_are_modifying" would + help you find out who they are. + + (2) You get comments and suggestions for improvements. You may + even get them in a "on top of your change" patch form. + + (3) Polish, refine, and re-send to the list and the people who + spend their time to improve your patch. Go back to step (2). + + (4) The list forms consensus that the last round of your patch is + good. Send it to the list and cc the maintainer. + + (5) A topic branch is created with the patch and is merged to 'next', + and cooked further and eventually graduates to 'master'. + +In any time between the (2)-(3) cycle, the maintainer may pick it up +from the list and queue it to 'pu', in order to make it easier for +people play with it without having to pick up and apply the patch to +their trees themselves. ------------------------------------------------ MUA specific hints |