Hi Konstantin,
I agree the document could do with some love. I've got some suggestions to
make the tips a bit more useful, regardless of where we land on Rusty's
'iconic' prose.
---
Subject: [PATCH] hacking.rst: update for modern git-based workflows
The tips are fun, but they predate git. With git we do things differently.
Document something closer to what we do.
Reported-by: Emily Strickland <linux@xxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Daniel Axtens <dja@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst | 59 +++++++++++++++++++-----
1 file changed, 47 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst b/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
index 55bd37a2efb0..a4f7d717de3c 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
@@ -723,15 +723,9 @@ Putting Your Stuff in the Kernel
In order to get your stuff into shape for official inclusion, or even to
make a neat patch, there's administrative work to be done:
-- Figure out whose pond you've been pissing in. Look at the top of the
- source files, inside the ``MAINTAINERS`` file, and last of all in the
- ``CREDITS`` file. You should coordinate with this person to make sure
- you're not duplicating effort, or trying something that's already
- been rejected.
-
- Make sure you put your name and EMail address at the top of any files
- you create or mangle significantly. This is the first place people
- will look when they find a bug, or when **they** want to make a change.
+- Read ``Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst``. Kernel developers are
+ a picky bunch, and that document attempts to list what we do and do not like
+ in our patches.
- Usually you want a configuration option for your kernel hack. Edit
``Kconfig`` in the appropriate directory. The Config language is
@@ -748,15 +742,56 @@ make a neat patch, there's administrative work to be done:
can usually just add a "obj-$(CONFIG_xxx) += xxx.o" line. The syntax
is documented in ``Documentation/kbuild/makefiles.rst``.
+- Finally, re-read
+ ``Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst``. Seriously. Do it.
+
+
+Historical Notes
+----------------
+
+These were previous tips. They've largely become outdated by the adoption of git
+in the kernel, and creation better tooling generally, but in homage to Rusty's
+iconic prose, you can still read them here in annotated form.
+
+- Figure out whose pond you've been pissing in. Look at the top of the
+ source files, inside the ``MAINTAINERS`` file, and last of all in the
+ ``CREDITS`` file. You should coordinate with this person to make sure
+ you're not duplicating effort, or trying something that's already
+ been rejected.
+
+.. note::
+
+ Use ``scripts/get_maintainer.pl`` these days, don't try to read
+ ``MAINTAINERS`` manually. Coordinating big changes is still a good idea: use
+ a mailing list suggested by the script for this purpose. The lists should
+ have searchable archives as well.
+
+ Make sure you put your name and EMail address at the top of any files
+ you create or mangle significantly. This is the first place people
+ will look when they find a bug, or when **they** want to make a change.
+
+.. note::
+
+ With git, putting your name at the top of the file is now less useful.
+ People will do ``git log`` and ``git blame`` to if they need to find a
+ specific individual. Still put your name on new files, but only add it to
+ existing files if you've done really significant changes.
+
- Put yourself in ``CREDITS`` if you've done something noteworthy,
usually beyond a single file (your name should be at the top of the
source files anyway). ``MAINTAINERS`` means you want to be consulted
when changes are made to a subsystem, and hear about bugs; it implies
a more-than-passing commitment to some part of the code.
-- Finally, don't forget to read
- ``Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst`` and possibly
- ``Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst``.
+.. note::
+
+ ``CREDITS`` is now more of a honour roll of former maintainers. Your
+ contribution will be immortalised in the git history, you don't need to add
+ yourself to ``CREDITS`` as well.
+
+- As well as reading ``Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst``,
+ ``Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst`` is possibly useful.
+
Kernel Cantrips
===============
--
2.32.0
