docs/devel/submitting-a-patch.rst

8 some guidelines about submitting them. If you follow these, you'll
12 This page seems very long, so if you are only trying to post a quick
22 …- States you are legally able to contribute the code. See :ref:`patch_emails_must_include_a_signed…
28 You do not have to subscribe to post (list policy is to reply-to-all to
30 start), although you may find it easier as a subscriber to pick up good
31 ideas from other posts. If you do subscribe, be prepared for a high
33 moderated; first-time posts from an email address (whether or not you
37 The larger your contribution is, or if you plan on becoming a long-term
39 Reading the table of contents below should already give you an idea of
41 read the parts that you have doubts about.
55 You can run run *scripts/checkpatch.pl <patchfile>* before submitting to
56 check that you are in compliance with our coding standards. Be aware
76 tools, such as `patchew <http://patchew.org/QEMU/>`__, you should `add a
136 lines) of the lines you're changing.) If you think a section of code
150 historical record of why the changes you applied were necessary or
182 a bug in another public bug tracker, you can also use a line with
201 patches submitted to the list, it still saves everyone time if you
208 changes might have an unintended effect on other areas of the code you
243 If you already configured git send-email, you can simply use `git-publish
254 Each time you post a series, git-publish will create a local tag with the format
259 of the affected code. Generally you should accept the suggested CC list, but
265 If you cannot send patch emails
269 emails. You can use `sourcehut <https://sourcehut.org/>`__ to send your
289 files you are modifying. look in the MAINTAINERS file to find out who
291 for learning the most common committers for the files you touched.
297 In fact, you can automate this, via a one-time setup of ``git config
317 find out how to drive it). You can then edit the cover letter before
322 default install of git; you may need to download additional packages,
326 patches do not need a cover letter (but if you do send a cover letter,
336 If you added binaries to the repository, consider producing the patch
346 requirement because it's how you say "I'm legally okay to contribute
383 "RFC" means "Request For Comments" and is a statement that you don't
391    cases or work with all targets) but you want early review of a major
400    of the patchset you're looking for review on, and why reviewers
420 If you want to apply an existing series on top of your tree, you can simply use
428 list. You need to retrieve the "Message-Id:" header from one of the patches. Any
437 :ref:`maintainers<maintainers>`. You therefore should be prepared to
442 ideal patch submission. However for the best results you should
456 just point out code style issues or commit message typos. You'll need to
459 if you don't do it then your changes will never get into QEMU.
463 suggesting improvements and you simply re-post without either
465 for the change then it becomes wasted effort. You cannot demand others
482 patch. Reviewers aren't always perfect, so it is okay if you want to
486 turns out to be correct, it's probably a sign that you should improve
490 If you fix issues that are raised during review **resend the entire
507 the version applies to the whole series -- even if you only change one
508 patch, you resend the entire series and mark it as "v2". Don't try to
551 whitespace, that doesn't affect code content). You should then update
554 from the previous round. Conversely, if you significantly modify a patch
565 If your patchset has received no replies you should "ping" it after a
574 also ignored, ping again after another week or so. As the submitter, you
576 you have to be persistent.
587 send you an automated mail if it detected a problem with your patch.
593 for aggregating topic branches into mainline QEMU. Generally, you do not
594 need to send a pull request unless you have contributed enough patches
600 difficult merge conflicts, where you may be requested to help rebase and
613 from others as what you submit. Don't worry if you don't know the code
615 review is weak because you are unfamiliar with the code.