[PATCH -next] docs: submitting-patches: Fix section structure around DCO

[PATCH -next] docs: submitting-patches: Fix section structure around DCO

[Akira Yokosawa]

Commit 5903019b2a5e ("Documentation/SubmittingPatches: convert it to
ReST markup") made "DCO 1.1" a subsection under the section "Sign your
work - ...".  However, the DCO text is meant to be referenced in the
section.

Furthermore, in HTML and PDF docs, paragraphs following the DCO:

    then you just add a line saying:

        Signed-off-by: [...]

    [...]
    as it was propagated to the maintainers and ultimately to Linus, with
    the first SoB entry signalling primary authorship of a single author.

appear to belong to the DCO, rather than to "Sign your work - ..."
where it should.

In reST (and other documentation tools), once you start a subsection
under a section, there is no way to go back to the section.

Fix the section structure by making the DCO a literal block, with
indent changes made in commit 5903019b2a5e reverted.

While at it, fix the same issue at "Reviewer's statement of
oversight".

Signed-off-by: Akira Yokosawa <akiyks@gmail.com>
---
 Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 14 ++++++--------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
index cc6a1f73d7f2..7ae79452e1b4 100644
--- a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
+++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
@@ -404,12 +404,11 @@ patches that are being emailed around.
 The sign-off is a simple line at the end of the explanation for the
 patch, which certifies that you wrote it or otherwise have the right to
 pass it on as an open-source patch.  The rules are pretty simple: if you
-can certify the below:
+can certify the below::
 
-Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+        Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1
 
-By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:
+        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
@@ -554,12 +553,11 @@ some testing has been performed, provides a means to locate testers for
 future patches, and ensures credit for the testers.
 
 Reviewed-by:, instead, indicates that the patch has been reviewed and found
-acceptable according to the Reviewer's Statement:
+acceptable according to the Reviewer's Statement::
 
-Reviewer's statement of oversight
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+	Reviewer's statement of oversight
 
-By offering my Reviewed-by: tag, I state that:
+	By offering my Reviewed-by: tag, I state that:
 
 	 (a) I have carried out a technical review of this patch to
 	     evaluate its appropriateness and readiness for inclusion into

base-commit: 2933b82083e758fe6cfff570143541d4dba672c3
-- 
2.43.0

Re: [PATCH -next] docs: submitting-patches: Fix section structure around DCO

[Randy Dunlap]

Hi,

On 7/2/26 3:44 AM, Akira Yokosawa wrote:
> Commit 5903019b2a5e ("Documentation/SubmittingPatches: convert it to
> ReST markup") made "DCO 1.1" a subsection under the section "Sign your
> work - ...".  However, the DCO text is meant to be referenced in the
> section.
> 
> Furthermore, in HTML and PDF docs, paragraphs following the DCO:
> 
>     then you just add a line saying:
> 
>         Signed-off-by: [...]
> 
>     [...]
>     as it was propagated to the maintainers and ultimately to Linus, with
>     the first SoB entry signalling primary authorship of a single author.
> 
> appear to belong to the DCO, rather than to "Sign your work - ..."
> where it should.
> 
> In reST (and other documentation tools), once you start a subsection
> under a section, there is no way to go back to the section.
> 
> Fix the section structure by making the DCO a literal block, with
> indent changes made in commit 5903019b2a5e reverted.

I don't see much difference in the before and after HTML
other than the use of literal blocks, which do make it a
small bit clearer where the DCO/Reviewer's blocks are.

Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
Acked-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>

Thanks.

> While at it, fix the same issue at "Reviewer's statement of
> oversight".
> 
> Signed-off-by: Akira Yokosawa <akiyks@gmail.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 14 ++++++--------
>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

-- 
~Randy

Re: [PATCH -next] docs: submitting-patches: Fix section structure around DCO

[weibu]

Maybe it would be better to send this as a follow-up patch after the 
original patch is merged, to avoid unnecessary churn.

Thanks,
Akiyoshi Kurita


2026-07-09 06:04 に Randy Dunlap さんは書きました:
> Hi,
> 
> On 7/2/26 3:44 AM, Akira Yokosawa wrote:
>> Commit 5903019b2a5e ("Documentation/SubmittingPatches: convert it to
>> ReST markup") made "DCO 1.1" a subsection under the section "Sign your
>> work - ...".  However, the DCO text is meant to be referenced in the
>> section.
>> 
>> Furthermore, in HTML and PDF docs, paragraphs following the DCO:
>> 
>>     then you just add a line saying:
>> 
>>         Signed-off-by: [...]
>> 
>>     [...]
>>     as it was propagated to the maintainers and ultimately to Linus, 
>> with
>>     the first SoB entry signalling primary authorship of a single 
>> author.
>> 
>> appear to belong to the DCO, rather than to "Sign your work - ..."
>> where it should.
>> 
>> In reST (and other documentation tools), once you start a subsection
>> under a section, there is no way to go back to the section.
>> 
>> Fix the section structure by making the DCO a literal block, with
>> indent changes made in commit 5903019b2a5e reverted.
> 
> I don't see much difference in the before and after HTML
> other than the use of literal blocks, which do make it a
> small bit clearer where the DCO/Reviewer's blocks are.
> 
> Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
> Acked-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
> 
> Thanks.
> 
>> While at it, fix the same issue at "Reviewer's statement of
>> oversight".
>> 
>> Signed-off-by: Akira Yokosawa <akiyks@gmail.com>
>> ---
>>  Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 14 ++++++--------
>>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)