mirror of
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib.git
synced 2024-12-25 15:06:14 +01:00
docs: Rewrite CONTRIBUTING.md to update it
The new version is significantly based on the proposed GTK+ CONTRIBUTING.md file (https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gtk/merge_requests/358). Signed-off-by: Philip Withnall <withnall@endlessm.com>
This commit is contained in:
parent
1afeaa6cb3
commit
91493db48b
313
CONTRIBUTING.md
313
CONTRIBUTING.md
@ -1,63 +1,278 @@
|
||||
GLib is part of the GNOME git repository. At the current time, any
|
||||
person with write access to the GNOME repository, can make changes to
|
||||
GLib. This is a good thing, in that it encourages many people to work
|
||||
on GLib, and progress can be made quickly. However, GLib is a fairly
|
||||
large and complicated package that many other things depend on, so to
|
||||
avoid unnecessary breakage, and to take advantage of the knowledge
|
||||
about GLib that has been built up over the years, we'd like to ask
|
||||
people committing to GLib to follow a few rules:
|
||||
# Contribution guidelines
|
||||
|
||||
1. Ask first. If your changes are major, or could possibly break existing
|
||||
code, you should always ask. If your change is minor and you've
|
||||
been working on GLib for a while it probably isn't necessary
|
||||
to ask. But when in doubt, ask. Even if your change is correct,
|
||||
somebody may know a better way to do things.
|
||||
Thank you for considering contributing to the GLib project!
|
||||
|
||||
If you are making changes to GLib, you should be subscribed
|
||||
to `gtk-devel-list@gnome.org`. (Subscription address:
|
||||
`gtk-devel-list-request@gnome.org`.) This is a good place to ask
|
||||
about intended changes.
|
||||
These guidelines are meant for new contributors, regardless of their level
|
||||
of proficiency; following them allows the core developers of the GLib project to
|
||||
more effectively evaluate your contribution, and provide prompt feedback to
|
||||
you. Additionally, by following these guidelines you clearly communicate
|
||||
that you respect the time and effort that the people developing GLib put into
|
||||
managing the project.
|
||||
|
||||
`#gtk+` on GIMPNet (`irc.gimp.org`, `irc.us.gimp.org`, `irc.eu.gimp.org`, …)
|
||||
is also a good place to find GTK+ developers to discuss changes with,
|
||||
however, email to `gtk-devel-list` is the most certain and preferred
|
||||
method.
|
||||
GLib is a complex free software utility library, and it would not exist without
|
||||
contributions from the free and open source software community. There are
|
||||
many things that we value:
|
||||
|
||||
2. Ask _first_.
|
||||
- bug reporting and fixing
|
||||
- documentation and examples
|
||||
- tests
|
||||
- testing and support for other platforms
|
||||
- new features
|
||||
|
||||
3. You are expected to produce a meaningful commit message.
|
||||
Changes without a sufficient commit message will be reverted. See below for
|
||||
the expected format of commit messages.
|
||||
Please, do not use the issue tracker for support questions. If you have
|
||||
questions on how to use GLib effectively, you can use:
|
||||
|
||||
Notes:
|
||||
- the `#gtk+` IRC channel on irc.gnome.org
|
||||
- the [gtk](https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-list) mailing list,
|
||||
for general questions on GLib
|
||||
- the [gtk-devel](https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-devel-list)
|
||||
mailing list, for questions on developing GLib itself
|
||||
|
||||
* When developing larger features or complicated bug fixes, it is
|
||||
advisable to work in a branch in your own cloned GLib repository.
|
||||
You may even consider making your repository publically available
|
||||
so that others can easily test and review your changes.
|
||||
You can also look at the [`glib` tag on Stack
|
||||
Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/glib).
|
||||
|
||||
* The expected format for git commit messages is as follows:
|
||||
The issue tracker is meant to be used for actionable issues only.
|
||||
|
||||
```
|
||||
Short explanation of the commit
|
||||
## How to report bugs
|
||||
|
||||
Longer explanation explaining exactly what's changed, whether any
|
||||
external or private interfaces changed, what bugs were fixed (with bug
|
||||
tracker reference if applicable) and so forth. Be concise but not too brief.
|
||||
```
|
||||
### Security issues
|
||||
|
||||
- Always add a brief description of the commit to the _first_ line of
|
||||
the commit and terminate by two newlines (it will work without the
|
||||
second newline, but that is not nice for the interfaces).
|
||||
You should not open a new issue for security related questions.
|
||||
|
||||
- First line (the brief description) must only be one sentence and
|
||||
should start with a capital letter unless it starts with a lowercase
|
||||
symbol or identifier. Don't use a trailing period either. Don't exceed
|
||||
72 characters.
|
||||
When in doubt, send an email to the [security](mailto:security@gnome.org)
|
||||
mailing list.
|
||||
|
||||
- The main description (the body) is normal prose and should use normal
|
||||
punctuation and capital letters where appropriate. Normally, for patches
|
||||
sent to a mailing list it's copied from there.
|
||||
### Bug reports
|
||||
|
||||
- When committing code on behalf of others use the `--author` option, e.g.
|
||||
`git commit -a --author "Joe Coder <joe@coder.org>"` and `--signoff`.
|
||||
If you’re reporting a bug make sure to list:
|
||||
|
||||
0. which version of GLib are you using?
|
||||
0. which operating system are you using?
|
||||
0. the necessary steps to reproduce the issue
|
||||
0. the expected outcome
|
||||
0. a description of the behavior
|
||||
0. a small, self-contained example exhibiting the behavior
|
||||
|
||||
If the issue includes a crash, you should also include:
|
||||
|
||||
0. the eventual warnings printed on the terminal
|
||||
0. a backtrace, obtained with tools such as GDB or LLDB
|
||||
|
||||
If the issue includes a memory leak, you should also include:
|
||||
|
||||
0. a log of definite leaks from a tool such as [valgrind’s
|
||||
memcheck](http://valgrind.org/docs/manual/mc-manual.html)
|
||||
|
||||
For small issues, such as:
|
||||
|
||||
- spelling/grammar fixes in the documentation,
|
||||
- typo correction,
|
||||
- comment clean ups,
|
||||
- changes to metadata files (CI, `.gitignore`),
|
||||
- build system changes, or
|
||||
- source tree clean ups and reorganizations;
|
||||
|
||||
or for self-contained bug fixes where you have implemented and tested a solution
|
||||
already, you should directly open a merge request instead of filing a new issue.
|
||||
|
||||
### Features and enhancements
|
||||
|
||||
Feature discussion can be open ended and require high bandwidth channels; if
|
||||
you are proposing a new feature on the issue tracker, make sure to make
|
||||
an actionable proposal, and list:
|
||||
|
||||
0. what you’re trying to achieve and the problem it solves
|
||||
0. three (or more) existing pieces of software which would benefit from the
|
||||
new feature
|
||||
0. how the feature is implementable on platforms other than Linux
|
||||
|
||||
New APIs, in particular, should follow the ‘rule of three’, where there should
|
||||
be three (or more) pieces of software which are ready to use the new APIs. This
|
||||
allows us to check that the new APIs are usable in real-life code, and fit well
|
||||
with related APIs. This reduces the chances of awkward or unusable APIs becoming
|
||||
stable in GLib and having to be supported forever.
|
||||
|
||||
A common way to introduce new APIs or data types to GLib is to prototype them in
|
||||
another code base for a while, to gain real-life experience with them before
|
||||
they are imported into GLib and marked as stable.
|
||||
|
||||
Each feature should also come fully documented, and with tests which approach
|
||||
full branch coverage of the new code. GLib’s CI system generates code coverage
|
||||
reports which are viewable for each merge request.
|
||||
|
||||
If proposing a large feature or change, it’s better to discuss it (on the
|
||||
`#gtk+` IRC channel or on the
|
||||
[gtk-devel](https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-devel-list) mailing
|
||||
list) before putting time into writing an actionable issue — and certainly
|
||||
before putting time into writing a merge request.
|
||||
|
||||
## Your first contribution
|
||||
|
||||
### Prerequisites
|
||||
|
||||
If you want to contribute to the GLib project, you will need to have the
|
||||
development tools appropriate for your operating system, including:
|
||||
|
||||
- Python 3.x
|
||||
- Meson
|
||||
- Ninja
|
||||
- Gettext (19.7 or newer)
|
||||
- a [C99 compatible compiler](https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GLib/CompilerRequirements)
|
||||
|
||||
Up-to-date instructions about developing GNOME applications and libraries
|
||||
can be found on [the GNOME Developer Center](https://developer.gnome.org).
|
||||
|
||||
The [GLib project uses GitLab](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/) for code
|
||||
hosting and for tracking issues. More information about using GitLab can be
|
||||
found [on the GNOME wiki](https://wiki.gnome.org/GitLab).
|
||||
|
||||
### Getting started
|
||||
|
||||
You should start by forking the GLib repository from the GitLab web UI, and
|
||||
cloning from your fork:
|
||||
|
||||
```sh
|
||||
$ git clone https://gitlab.gnome.org/yourusername/glib.git
|
||||
$ cd glib
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
**Note**: if you plan to push changes to back to the main repository and
|
||||
have a GNOME account, you can skip the fork, and use the following instead:
|
||||
|
||||
```sh
|
||||
$ git clone git@gitlab.gnome.org:GNOME/glib.git
|
||||
$ cd glib
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
To compile the Git version of GLib on your system, you will need to
|
||||
configure your build using Meson:
|
||||
|
||||
```sh
|
||||
$ meson _builddir .
|
||||
$ cd _builddir
|
||||
$ ninja
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Typically, you should work on your own branch:
|
||||
|
||||
```sh
|
||||
$ git checkout -b your-branch
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Once you’ve finished working on the bug fix or feature, push the branch
|
||||
to the Git repository and open a new merge request, to let the GLib
|
||||
core developers review your contribution.
|
||||
|
||||
### Code reviews
|
||||
|
||||
Each contribution is reviewed by the core developers of the GLib project.
|
||||
|
||||
The [CODE-OWNERS](./docs/CODE-OWNERS) document contains the list of core
|
||||
contributors to GLib and the areas for which they are responsible; you
|
||||
should ensure to receive their review and signoff on your changes.
|
||||
|
||||
It is our intention that every commit to GLib is reviewed by at least one other
|
||||
person, including commits from core developers. We all make mistakes and can
|
||||
always learn from each other, and code review allows that. It also reduces
|
||||
[bus factor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_factor) by spreading knowledge
|
||||
of each commit between at least two people.
|
||||
|
||||
With each code review, we intend to:
|
||||
|
||||
0. Identify if this is a desirable change or new feature. Ideally for larger
|
||||
features this will have been discussed (in an issue, on IRC, or on the
|
||||
mailing list) already, so that effort isn’t wasted on putting together merge
|
||||
requests which will be rejected.
|
||||
0. Check the design of any new API.
|
||||
0. Provide realistic estimates of how long a review might take, if it can’t
|
||||
happen immediately.
|
||||
0. Ensure that all significant contributions of new code, or bug fixes, are
|
||||
adequately tested, either through requiring tests to be submitted at the
|
||||
same time, or as a follow-up.
|
||||
0. Ensure that all new APIs are documented and have [introspection
|
||||
annotations](https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GObjectIntrospection/Annotations).
|
||||
0. Check that the contribution is split into logically separate commits, each
|
||||
with a good commit message.
|
||||
0. Encourage further high quality contributions.
|
||||
0. Ensure code style and quality is upheld.
|
||||
|
||||
If a code review is stalled (due to not receiving comments for two or more
|
||||
weeks; or due to a technical disagreement), please ping another GLib core
|
||||
developer on the merge request, or on IRC, to ask for a second opinion.
|
||||
|
||||
### Commit messages
|
||||
|
||||
The expected format for git commit messages is as follows:
|
||||
|
||||
```plain
|
||||
Short explanation of the commit
|
||||
|
||||
Longer explanation explaining exactly what’s changed, whether any
|
||||
external or private interfaces changed, what bugs were fixed (with bug
|
||||
tracker reference if applicable) and so forth. Be concise but not too
|
||||
brief.
|
||||
|
||||
Closes #1234
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
- Always add a brief description of the commit to the _first_ line of
|
||||
the commit and terminate by two newlines (it will work without the
|
||||
second newline, but that is not nice for the interfaces).
|
||||
|
||||
- First line (the brief description) must only be one sentence and
|
||||
should start with a capital letter unless it starts with a lowercase
|
||||
symbol or identifier. Don’t use a trailing period either. Don’t exceed
|
||||
72 characters.
|
||||
|
||||
- The main description (the body) is normal prose and should use normal
|
||||
punctuation and capital letters where appropriate. Consider the commit
|
||||
message as an email sent to the developers (or yourself, six months
|
||||
down the line) detailing **why** you changed something. There’s no need
|
||||
to specify the **how**: the changes can be inlined.
|
||||
|
||||
- When committing code on behalf of others use the `--author` option, e.g.
|
||||
`git commit -a --author "Joe Coder <joe@coder.org>"` and `--signoff`.
|
||||
|
||||
- If your commit is addressing an issue, use the
|
||||
[GitLab syntax](https://docs.gitlab.com/ce/user/project/issues/automatic_issue_closing.html)
|
||||
to automatically close the issue when merging the commit with the upstream
|
||||
repository:
|
||||
|
||||
```plain
|
||||
Closes #1234
|
||||
Fixes #1234
|
||||
Closes: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/issues/1234
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
- If you have a merge request with multiple commits and none of them
|
||||
completely fixes an issue, you should add a reference to the issue in
|
||||
the commit message, e.g. `Bug: #1234`, and use the automatic issue
|
||||
closing syntax in the description of the merge request.
|
||||
|
||||
### Merge access to the GLib repository
|
||||
|
||||
GLib is part of the GNOME infrastructure. At the current time, any
|
||||
person with write access to the GNOME repository can merge merge requests to
|
||||
GLib. This is a good thing, in that it allows maintainership to be delegated
|
||||
and shared as needed. However, GLib is a fairly large and complicated package
|
||||
that many other things depend on, and which has platform specific behavior — so
|
||||
to avoid unnecessary breakage, and to take advantage of the knowledge about GLib
|
||||
that has been built up over the years, we’d like to ask people contributing to
|
||||
GLib to follow a few rules:
|
||||
|
||||
0. Never push to the `master` branch, or any stable branches, directly; you
|
||||
should always go through a merge request, to ensure that the code is
|
||||
tested on the CI infrastructure at the very least. A merge request is
|
||||
also the proper place to get a comprehensive code review from the core
|
||||
developers of GLib.
|
||||
|
||||
0. Always get a code review, even for seemingly trivial changes.
|
||||
|
||||
0. Pay attention to the CI results. Merge requests cannot be merged until the
|
||||
CI passes. If they consistently fail, either something is wrong with the
|
||||
change, or the CI tests need fixing — in either case, please bring this to
|
||||
the attention of a core developer rather than overriding the CI.
|
||||
|
||||
If you have been contributing to GLib for a while and you don’t have commit
|
||||
access to the repository, you may ask to obtain it following the [GNOME account
|
||||
process](https://wiki.gnome.org/AccountsTeam/NewAccounts).
|
||||
|
2
docs/CODE-OWNERS
Normal file
2
docs/CODE-OWNERS
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
|
||||
Currently, all code is maintained equally by the core maintainers.
|
||||
See glib.doap for their names.
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user