[PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Willem de Bruijn]

From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>

The instructions on sending patches to iproute2 span both netdev and
bpf docs, contain outdated references and miss some instructions.
Address this:

- Move all info to maintainer-netdev
- Add a link in bpf_devel_QA to this location
- Update URLs to git repositories
- Update URL to patchwork instance
- Update subject prefix rules
- Add suggestion to Cc: maintainers
- Add pointer to iproute2 MAINTAINERS
- Add pointer to iproute2 README.devel

Signed-off-by: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
---
 Documentation/bpf/bpf_devel_QA.rst          | 30 ++++---------------
 Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst | 33 +++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 39 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/bpf/bpf_devel_QA.rst b/Documentation/bpf/bpf_devel_QA.rst
index 4729efd657c3..888b29599761 100644
--- a/Documentation/bpf/bpf_devel_QA.rst
+++ b/Documentation/bpf/bpf_devel_QA.rst
@@ -304,31 +304,13 @@ downstream distributions.
 
 Q: Do you accept patches as well for iproute2's BPF loader?
 -----------------------------------------------------------
-A: Patches for the iproute2's BPF loader have to be sent to:
+A: Patches for iproute2, including its BPF loader, are sent to
+netdev@vger.kernel.org. For details on iproute2 patch submission, see
+"Co-posting iproute2 patches" in Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst.
 
-  netdev@vger.kernel.org
-
-While those patches are not processed by the BPF kernel maintainers,
-please keep them in Cc as well, so they can be reviewed.
-
-The official git repository for iproute2 is run by Stephen Hemminger
-and can be found at:
-
-  https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/shemminger/iproute2.git/
-
-The patches need to have a subject prefix of '``[PATCH iproute2
-master]``' or '``[PATCH iproute2 net-next]``'. '``master``' or
-'``net-next``' describes the target branch where the patch should be
-applied to. Meaning, if kernel changes went into the net-next kernel
-tree, then the related iproute2 changes need to go into the iproute2
-net-next branch, otherwise they can be targeted at master branch. The
-iproute2 net-next branch will get merged into the master branch after
-the current iproute2 version from master has been released.
-
-Like BPF, the patches end up in patchwork under the netdev project and
-are delegated to 'shemminger' for further processing:
-
-  http://patchwork.ozlabs.org/project/netdev/list/?delegate=389
+While iproute2 BPF loader patches are not processed by the BPF kernel
+maintainers, please Cc bpf@vger.kernel.org and the BPF maintainers for
+review.
 
 Q: What is the minimum requirement before I submit my BPF patches?
 ------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst b/Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst
index df220a965438..51669d66c272 100644
--- a/Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst
+++ b/Documentation/process/maintainer-netdev.rst
@@ -363,6 +363,39 @@ to the mailing list, e.g.::
 Posting as one thread is discouraged because it confuses patchwork
 (as of patchwork 2.2.2).
 
+Co-posting iproute2 patches
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The official git repositories for iproute2 are:
+
+- iproute2: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/iproute2/iproute2.git
+- iproute2-next: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/iproute2/iproute2-next.git
+
+Patches for iproute2 must have a subject prefix of ``[PATCH iproute2]``
+or ``[PATCH iproute2-next]`` to indicate the target repository where the
+patch should be applied. If kernel changes target net-next or bpf-next,
+then the related iproute2 changes need to target iproute2-next, else they
+must target iproute2. The iproute2-next tree will be merged into the
+iproute2 tree after the current iproute2 version has been released.
+
+Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
+to 'shemminger' for further processing:
+
+  https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/netdevbpf/list/?delegate=7961&state=*
+
+Send patches to netdev@vger.kernel.org and always include the iproute2
+maintainers in the email Cc: list. See the MAINTAINERS file in the
+repository for email addresses and other details:
+
+  https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/iproute2/iproute2.git/tree/MAINTAINERS
+
+For patches that target iproute2's BPF loader, also include
+bpf@vger.kernel.org and the BPF maintainers.
+
+For more information, see also README.devel in the repository:
+
+  https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/iproute2/iproute2.git/tree/README.devel
+
 Co-posting selftests
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-- 
2.56.0.385.gac671c819a-goog

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Alexei Starovoitov]

On Mon, Nov 02, 2026 at 07:35 PM Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> - Move all info to maintainer-netdev
> - Add a link in bpf_devel_QA to this location

Acked-by: Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Stephen Hemminger]

On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:

> +
> +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> +

Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
I stick to only iproute. 

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Willem de Bruijn]

Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
> Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > +
> > +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> > +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> > +
> 
> Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
> I stick to only iproute. 

I know, but there is no separate delegation in patchwork to David.

I assumed all iproute2 patches would get delegated to your patchwork
component. Is this not correct?

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Stephen Hemminger]

On Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:44:53 -0500
Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:

> Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> > On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
> > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> >   
> > > +
> > > +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> > > +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> > > +  
> > 
> > Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
> > I stick to only iproute.   
> 
> I know, but there is no separate delegation in patchwork to David.
> 
> I assumed all iproute2 patches would get delegated to your patchwork
> component. Is this not correct?

Right now we correct it manually. Often patches target the wrong tree.

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Willem de Bruijn]

Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:44:53 -0500
> Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> > > On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
> > > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >   
> > > > +
> > > > +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> > > > +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> > > > +  
> > > 
> > > Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
> > > I stick to only iproute.   
> > 
> > I know, but there is no separate delegation in patchwork to David.
> > 
> > I assumed all iproute2 patches would get delegated to your patchwork
> > component. Is this not correct?
> 
> Right now we correct it manually. Often patches target the wrong tree.

This is not about the trees, but delegate on patchwork. There is no
delegate dsahern in the dropdown menu.

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Stephen Hemminger]

On Thu, 05 Nov 2026 08:46:22 -0500
Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:

> Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> > On Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:44:53 -0500
> > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> >   
> > > Stephen Hemminger wrote:  
> > > > On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
> > > > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >     
> > > > > +
> > > > > +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> > > > > +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> > > > > +    
> > > > 
> > > > Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
> > > > I stick to only iproute.     
> > > 
> > > I know, but there is no separate delegation in patchwork to David.
> > > 
> > > I assumed all iproute2 patches would get delegated to your patchwork
> > > component. Is this not correct?  
> > 
> > Right now we correct it manually. Often patches target the wrong tree.  
> 
> This is not about the trees, but delegate on patchwork. There is no
> delegate dsahern in the dropdown menu.

David is dsa in patchwork

Re: [PATCH net-next] docs: netdev: fix iproute2 process documentation

[Willem de Bruijn]

Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Thu, 05 Nov 2026 08:46:22 -0500
> Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> > > On Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:44:53 -0500
> > > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >   
> > > > Stephen Hemminger wrote:  
> > > > > On Mon,  2 Nov 2026 22:35:56 -0500
> > > > > Willem de Bruijn <willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >     
> > > > > > +
> > > > > > +Patches are tracked in patchwork under the netdevbpf project and delegated
> > > > > > +to 'shemminger' for further processing:
> > > > > > +    
> > > > > 
> > > > > Minor nit. David Ahern (dsa) handles the iproute-next patches.
> > > > > I stick to only iproute.     
> > > > 
> > > > I know, but there is no separate delegation in patchwork to David.
> > > > 
> > > > I assumed all iproute2 patches would get delegated to your patchwork
> > > > component. Is this not correct?  
> > > 
> > > Right now we correct it manually. Often patches target the wrong tree.  
> > 
> > This is not about the trees, but delegate on patchwork. There is no
> > delegate dsahern in the dropdown menu.
> 
> David is dsa in patchwork

Ah. I assumed that stood for Distributed Switch Architecture.

A convenient homonym perhaps? :)

Will send a v2 with that part revised. Thanks!