Re: [PATCH] checkpatch: validate commit tag ordering

[Konstantin Ryabitsev <konstantin@linuxfoundation.org>]

On Sat, Aug 02, 2025 at 12:12:00PM +0200, Mauro Carvalho Chehab wrote:
> > Let's just decide whatever order b4 uses *is* the proper order, and save
> > ourselves endless hours of debating! :p
> 
> I don't think it makes sense to have a "proper order" verified on
> checkpatch, as some tags may appear on different places.
> 
> For instance, the custody chain was designed to have SoBs appearing
> in different places:
> 
> - author(s) SoB together co-developed-by are usually the first ones;
> - then patches may have been reviewed, tested, acked or passed on some
>   other trees, gaining tags like tested-by, R-B, A-B, SoB, Cc;
> - the subsystem maintainer will add his SoB in the end.
> 
> non-custody chain tags, like fixes, closes, reported-by...
> usually comes first, but I don't think we need to enforce an specific
> order.

I wholeheartedly agree -- it really doesn't matter the order the trailers are
in, as long as it's clear who is the person who pulled the trailer in, which
is why I stick to the chain of custody. I'm pretty sure nobody has ever looked
at a commit and went "I can't believe they put the Link trailer above the
Suggested-by trailer," so enforcing it in checkpatch seems like wasted effort
to me.

-K