[openocd.git] / HACKING

// This file is part of the Doxygen Developer Manual
/** @page patchguide Patch Guidelines

@b NB! If you're behind a corporate wall with http only access to the
world, you can still use these instructions!

@b NB2! You can't send patches to the mailing list anymore at all. Nowadays
you are expected to send patches to the OpenOCD Gerrit GIT server for a
review.

@section gerrit Submitting patches to the OpenOCD Gerrit server

OpenOCD is to some extent a "self service" open source project, so to
contribute, you must follow the standard procedures to have the best
possible chance to get your changes accepted.

The procedure to create a patch is essentially:

- make the changes
- create a commit
- send the changes to the Gerrit server for review
- correct the patch and re-send it according to review feedback

Your patch (or commit) should be a "good patch": focus it on a single
issue, and make it be easily reviewable. Don't make
it so large that it's hard to review; split large
patches into smaller ones. (That can also help
track down bugs later on.) All patches should
be "clean", which includes preserving the existing
coding style and updating documentation as needed.

Say in the commit message if it's a bugfix (describe the bug) or a new
feature. Don't expect patches to merge immediately
for the next release. Be ready to rework patches
in response to feedback.

Add yourself to the GPL copyright for non-trivial changes.

@section stepbystep Step by step procedure

-# Create a Gerrit account at: http://openocd.zylin.com
  - On subsequent sign ins, use the full URL prefaced with 'http://'
    For example: http://user_identifier.open_id_provider.com
  -# Add a username to your profile.
     After creating the Gerrit account and signing in, you will need to
     add a username to your profile. To do this, go to 'Settings', and
     add a username of your choice.
     Your username will be required in step 3 and substituted wherever
     the string 'USERNAME' is found.
  -# Add an SSH public key following the directions on github:
     https://help.github.com/articles/generating-ssh-keys
-# Clone the git repository, rather than just download the source:
 @code
 git clone git://git.code.sf.net/p/openocd/code openocd
 @endcode
   or if you have problems with the "git:" protocol, use
   the slower http protocol:
 @code
 git clone http://git.code.sf.net/p/openocd/code openocd
 @endcode
-# Set up Gerrit with your local repository. All this does it
to instruct git locally how to send off the changes.
  -# Add a new remote to git using Gerrit username:
@code
git remote add review ssh://USERNAME@openocd.zylin.com:29418/openocd.git
git config remote.review.push HEAD:refs/publish/master
@endcode
  Or with http only:
@code
git remote add review http://openocd.zylin.com/p/openocd.git
git config remote.review.push HEAD:refs/publish/master
@endcode
  -# You will need to install this hook, we will look into a better solution:
@code
scp -p -P 29418 USERNAME@openocd.zylin.com:hooks/commit-msg .git/hooks/
@endcode
  Or with http only:
@code
wget http://openocd.zylin.com/tools/hooks/commit-msg
mv commit-msg .git/hooks
chmod +x .git/hooks/commit-msg
@endcode
@b NOTE A script exists to simplify the two items above. execute:
@code
tools/initial.sh <username>
@endcode
With @<username@> being your Gerrit username.
-# Set up git with your name and email:
@code
git config --global user.name "John Smith"
git config --global user.email "john@smith.org"
@endcode
-# Work on your patches. Split the work into
   multiple small patches that can be reviewed and
   applied seperately and safely to the OpenOCD
   repository.
@code
while(!done) {
  work - edit files using your favorite editor.
  run "git commit -s -a" to commit all changes.
  run tools/checkpatch.sh to verify your patch style is ok.
}
@endcode
   @b TIP! use "git add ." before commit to add new files.

   Comment template, notice the short first line w/topic. The topic field
   should identify the main part or subsystem the patch touches. Check
   git log for examples.
@code
topic: Short comment
<blank line>
Longer comments over several lines, explaining (where applicable) the
reason for the patch and the general idea the solution is based on,
any major design decisions, etc...
<blank line>
Signed-off-by: ...
@endcode
-# Next you need to make sure that your patches
   are on top of the latest stuff on the server and
   that there are no conflicts:
@code
git pull --rebase origin master
@endcode
-# Send the patches to the Gerrit server for review:
@code
git push review
@endcode
-# Forgot something, want to add more? Just make the changes and do:
@code
git commit --amend
git push review
@endcode

Further reading: http://www.coreboot.org/Git

@section timeline When can I expect my contribution to be committed?

The code review is intended to take as long as a week or two to allow
maintainers and contributors who work on OpenOCD only in their spare
time oportunity to perform a review and raise objections.

With Gerrit much of the urgency of getting things committed has been
removed as the work in progress is safely stored in Gerrit and
available if someone needs to build on your work before it is
submitted to the official repository.

Another factor that contributes to the desire for longer cool-off
times (the time a patch lies around without any further changes or
comments), it means that the chances of quality regression on the
master branch will be much reduced.

If a contributor pushes a patch, it is considered good form if another
contributor actually approves and submits that patch.

@section browsing Browsing Patches
All OpenOCD patches can be reviewed <a href="http://openocd.zylin.com/">here</a>.
*/
/** @file
This file contains the @ref patchguide page.
*/