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| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 148 |
1 files changed, 16 insertions, 132 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst index 2cacec13780d..04cd41567186 100644 --- a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst +++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst @@ -18,11 +18,10 @@ submitting code. If you are submitting a driver, also read for device tree binding patches, read Documentation/devicetree/bindings/submitting-patches.rst. -Many of these steps describe the default behavior of the ``git`` version -control system; if you use ``git`` to prepare your patches, you'll find much -of the mechanical work done for you, though you'll still need to prepare -and document a sensible set of patches. In general, use of ``git`` will make -your life as a kernel developer easier. +This documentation assumes that you're using ``git`` to prepare your patches. +If you're unfamiliar with ``git``, you would be well-advised to learn how to +use it, it will make your life as a kernel developer and in general much +easier. Obtain a current source tree ---------------------------- @@ -39,64 +38,6 @@ patches prepared against those trees. See the **T:** entry for the subsystem in the MAINTAINERS file to find that tree, or simply ask the maintainer if the tree is not listed there. -It is still possible to download kernel releases via tarballs (as described -in the next section), but that is the hard way to do kernel development. - -1) ``diff -up`` ---------------- - -If you must generate your patches by hand, use ``diff -up`` or ``diff -uprN`` -to create patches. Git generates patches in this form by default; if -you're using ``git``, you can skip this section entirely. - -All changes to the Linux kernel occur in the form of patches, as -generated by :manpage:`diff(1)`. When creating your patch, make sure to -create it in "unified diff" format, as supplied by the ``-u`` argument -to :manpage:`diff(1)`. -Also, please use the ``-p`` argument which shows which C function each -change is in - that makes the resultant ``diff`` a lot easier to read. -Patches should be based in the root kernel source directory, -not in any lower subdirectory. - -To create a patch for a single file, it is often sufficient to do:: - - SRCTREE=linux - MYFILE=drivers/net/mydriver.c - - cd $SRCTREE - cp $MYFILE $MYFILE.orig - vi $MYFILE # make your change - cd .. - diff -up $SRCTREE/$MYFILE{.orig,} > /tmp/patch - -To create a patch for multiple files, you should unpack a "vanilla", -or unmodified kernel source tree, and generate a ``diff`` against your -own source tree. For example:: - - MYSRC=/devel/linux - - tar xvfz linux-3.19.tar.gz - mv linux-3.19 linux-3.19-vanilla - diff -uprN -X linux-3.19-vanilla/Documentation/dontdiff \ - linux-3.19-vanilla $MYSRC > /tmp/patch - -``dontdiff`` is a list of files which are generated by the kernel during -the build process, and should be ignored in any :manpage:`diff(1)`-generated -patch. - -Make sure your patch does not include any extra files which do not -belong in a patch submission. Make sure to review your patch -after- -generating it with :manpage:`diff(1)`, to ensure accuracy. - -If your changes produce a lot of deltas, you need to split them into -individual patches which modify things in logical stages; see -:ref:`split_changes`. This will facilitate review by other kernel developers, -very important if you want your patch accepted. - -If you're using ``git``, ``git rebase -i`` can help you with this process. If -you're not using ``git``, ``quilt`` <https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/quilt> -is another popular alternative. - .. _describe_changes: Describe your changes @@ -351,7 +292,12 @@ on the changes you are submitting. It is important for a kernel developer to be able to "quote" your changes, using standard e-mail tools, so that they may comment on specific portions of your code. -For this reason, all patches should be submitted by e-mail "inline". +For this reason, all patches should be submitted by e-mail "inline". The +easiest way to do this is with ``git send-email``, which is strongly +recommended. An interactive tutorial for ``git send-email`` is available at +https://git-send-email.io. + +If you choose not to use ``git send-email``: .. warning:: @@ -371,23 +317,14 @@ See :ref:`Documentation/process/email-clients.rst <email_clients>` for hints about configuring your e-mail client so that it sends your patches untouched. -E-mail size ------------ - -Large changes are not appropriate for mailing lists, and some -maintainers. If your patch, uncompressed, exceeds 300 kB in size, -it is preferred that you store your patch on an Internet-accessible -server, and provide instead a URL (link) pointing to your patch. But note -that if your patch exceeds 300 kB, it almost certainly needs to be broken up -anyway. - Respond to review comments -------------------------- Your patch will almost certainly get comments from reviewers on ways in -which the patch can be improved. You must respond to those comments; -ignoring reviewers is a good way to get ignored in return. Review comments -or questions that do not lead to a code change should almost certainly +which the patch can be improved, in the form of a reply to your email. You must +respond to those comments; ignoring reviewers is a good way to get ignored in +return. You can simply reply to their emails to answer their comments. Review +comments or questions that do not lead to a code change should almost certainly bring about a comment or changelog entry so that the next reviewer better understands what is going on. @@ -422,6 +359,7 @@ convention to prefix your subject line with [PATCH]. This lets Linus and other kernel developers more easily distinguish patches from other e-mail discussions. +``git send-email`` will do this for you automatically. Sign your work - the Developer's Certificate of Origin @@ -469,6 +407,7 @@ then you just add a line saying:: Signed-off-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.example.org> using your real name (sorry, no pseudonyms or anonymous contributions.) +This will be done for you automatically if you use ``git commit -s``. 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 @@ -796,61 +735,6 @@ either below the ``---`` line or at the very bottom of all other content, right before your email signature. -Sending ``git pull`` requests ------------------------------ - -If you have a series of patches, it may be most convenient to have the -maintainer pull them directly into the subsystem repository with a -``git pull`` operation. Note, however, that pulling patches from a developer -requires a higher degree of trust than taking patches from a mailing list. -As a result, many subsystem maintainers are reluctant to take pull -requests, especially from new, unknown developers. If in doubt you can use -the pull request as the cover letter for a normal posting of the patch -series, giving the maintainer the option of using either. - -A pull request should have [GIT PULL] in the subject line. The -request itself should include the repository name and the branch of -interest on a single line; it should look something like:: - - Please pull from - - git://jdelvare.pck.nerim.net/jdelvare-2.6 i2c-for-linus - - to get these changes: - -A pull request should also include an overall message saying what will be -included in the request, a ``git shortlog`` listing of the patches -themselves, and a ``diffstat`` showing the overall effect of the patch series. -The easiest way to get all this information together is, of course, to let -``git`` do it for you with the ``git request-pull`` command. - -Some maintainers (including Linus) want to see pull requests from signed -commits; that increases their confidence that the request actually came -from you. Linus, in particular, will not pull from public hosting sites -like GitHub in the absence of a signed tag. - -The first step toward creating such tags is to make a GNUPG key and get it -signed by one or more core kernel developers. This step can be hard for -new developers, but there is no way around it. Attending conferences can -be a good way to find developers who can sign your key. - -Once you have prepared a patch series in ``git`` that you wish to have somebody -pull, create a signed tag with ``git tag -s``. This will create a new tag -identifying the last commit in the series and containing a signature -created with your private key. You will also have the opportunity to add a -changelog-style message to the tag; this is an ideal place to describe the -effects of the pull request as a whole. - -If the tree the maintainer will be pulling from is not the repository you -are working from, don't forget to push the signed tag explicitly to the -public tree. - -When generating your pull request, use the signed tag as the target. A -command like this will do the trick:: - - git request-pull master git://my.public.tree/linux.git my-signed-tag - - References ---------- |