Checklist for Patches: ////////////////////// Submitting patches should follow this guideline (derived from the Git project): If you are familiar with upstream Linux kernel development, then you do not need to read this file, it's basically the same process, send your patches via git-send-email(1) to . Always make sure they meet high quality if you want them to be taken serious. * Commits: - make sure to comply with the coding guidelines (see CodingStyle) - make sure, you are working on the latest repository version - make commits of logical units - check for unnecessary whitespace with "git diff --check" before committing - do not check in commented out code or unneeded files - no binary files are allowed - the first line of the commit message should be a short description (50 characters is the soft limit, see DISCUSSION in git-commit(1)), and should skip the full stop . it should have the first line like: "subject: short title" - the body should _always_ provide a meaningful commit message, which: . explains the problem the change tries to solve, iow, what is wrong with the current code without the change. . justifies the way the change solves the problem, iow, why the result with the change is better. . alternate solutions considered but discarded, if any. - describe changes in imperative mood, e.g. "make xyzzy do frotz" instead of "[This patch] makes xyzzy do frotz" or "[I] changed xyzzy to do frotz", as if you are giving orders to the codebase to change its behaviour. - try to make sure your explanation can be understood without external resources. Instead of giving a URL to a mailing list archive, summarize the relevant points of the discussion. - add a "Signed-off-by: Your Name " line to the commit message (or just use the option "-s" when committing) to confirm that you agree to the Developer's Certificate of Origin (see also http://linux.yyz.us/patch-format.html _or_ further below); this is mandatory otherwise we cannot accept your patches! - patches via mail resp. mailing list that have been sent via git-send-email(1) are preferred over patches via Github. However, we also accept stuff via Github, in case you do not know how to setup git-send-email(1). * For Patches via Mail: - use git-format-patch(1) to create the patch, just to give you a few examples: . git format-patch HEAD~1 `- this will create a git-send-email(1)'able patch of your last commit . git format-patch --cover-letter HEAD~ `- this will create a git-send-email(1)'able patchset of your last commits including a cover letter, that should be filled out by yourself; > 1 - do not PGP sign your patch - do not attach your patch, but read in the mail body, unless you cannot teach your mailer to leave the formatting of the patch alone. - be careful doing cut & paste into your mailer, not to corrupt whitespaces. - provide additional information (which is unsuitable for the commit message) between the "---" and the diffstat - if you change, add, or remove a command line option or make some other user interface change, the associated documentation should be updated as well. - if your name is not writable in ASCII, make sure that you send off a message in the correct encoding. - send the patch to the list (netsniff-ng@googlegroups.com) and CC one of the maintainers if (and only if) the patch is ready for inclusion. If you use git-send-email(1), please test it first by sending email to yourself. - if you first want to have comments on your patch before it should be seriously taken into account, add an RFC into the subject like ``[PATCH RFC] ...'' * For Patches via GitHub: - fork the netsniff-ng project on GitHub to your local GitHub account - create a feature branch from the latest up to date master branch . git checkout -b my-fancy-feature - only work in this branch, so that you can keep your master always clean/in sync - open a pull request and send a notification to the list (netsniff-ng@googlegroups.com) and CC one of the maintainers if (and only if) the patch is ready for inclusion. - add a short description what the patch or patchset is about * What does the 'Signed-off-by' mean? It certifies the following (extract from the Linux kernel documentation): Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1 By making a contribution to this project, I certify that: (a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I have the right to submit it under the open source license indicated in the file; or (b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the best of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open source license and I have the right under that license to submit that work with modifications, whether created in whole or in part by me, under the same open source license (unless I am permitted to submit under a different license), as indicated in the file; or (c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified it. (d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution are public and that a record of the contribution (including all personal information I submit with it, including my sign-off) is maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed consistent with this project or the open source license(s) involved. then you just add a line saying Signed-off-by: Random J Developer using your real name (sorry, no pseudonyms or anonymous contributions). * Example commit: Please write good git commit messages. A good commit message looks like this: Header line: explaining the commit in one line Body of commit message is a few lines of text, explaining things in more detail, possibly giving some background about the issue being fixed, etc etc. The body of the commit message can be several paragraphs, and please do proper word-wrap and keep columns shorter than about 74 characters or so. That way "git log" will show things nicely even when it's indented. Reported-by: whoever-reported-it Signed-off-by: Your Name where that header line really should be meaningful, and really should be just one line. That header line is what is shown by tools like gitk and shortlog, and should summarize the change in one readable line of text, independently of the longer explanation. Note that future (0.5.7 onwards) changelogs will include a summary that is generated by 'git shortlog -n'. Hence, that's why we need you to stick to the convention.