Re: [docs] [PATCH] contributor-guide/submit-changes: encourage patch version changelogs

Antonin Godard
2025-03-18T08:08:23Z

Hi Trevor,

On Tue Mar 18, 2025 at 4:56 AM CET, Trevor Woerner via lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
> Add a section after the 'git format-patch' information encouraging developers
> to add patch version changelogs to their patch updates.
>
> Signed-off-by: Trevor Woerner <twoerner@gmail.com>
> ---
> .../contributor-guide/submit-changes.rst | 32 +++++++++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 32 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/documentation/contributor-guide/submit-changes.rst b/documentation/contributor-guide/submit-changes.rst
> index 0675aac984cf..5ade6ba5cdef 100644
> --- a/documentation/contributor-guide/submit-changes.rst
> +++ b/documentation/contributor-guide/submit-changes.rst
> @@ -776,6 +776,38 @@ argument to ``git format-patch`` with a version number::
>
> git format-patch -v2 <ref-branch>
>
> +
> +After generating updated patches (v2, v3, and so on) via ``git

s/via/with/? (to use simpler phrasings)

> +format-patch``, ideally developers will add a patch version changelog
> +to each patch that describes what has changed between each revision of
> +the patch. Add patch version changelogs after the ``---`` marker in the
> +patch, indicating that this information is part of this patch, but is not
> +suitable for inclusion in the commit message (i.e. the git history) itself.
> +Providing a patch version changelog makes it easier for maintainers and
> +reviewers to succinctly understand what changed in all versions of the
> +patch, without having to consult alternate sources of information, such as
> +searching through messages on a mailing list. For example::
> +
> + <patch title>
> +
> + <commit message>
> +
> + <SoB/etc lines>

Maybe write "<Signed-off-by/other trailers>" so there is no doubt about the
meaning of SoB?

> + ---
> + changes in v4:
> + - provide a clearer commit message
> + - fix spelling mistakes
> +
> + changes in v3:
> + - replace func() to use other_func() instead
> +
> + changes in v2:
> + - added

"added return value check for func"?
to give a more concrete example

I think it would also be nice to also instrict to give the link to the previous
patch but that might go a bit too far if done manually each time.

> + ---
> + <diffstat output>
> +
> + <unified diff>
> +
> Lastly please ensure that you also test your revised changes. In particular
> please don't just edit the patch file written out by ``git format-patch`` and
> resend it.

Otherwise this looks good to me, these are simply suggestions.

Thank you,
Antonin

--
Antonin Godard, Bootlin
Embedded Linux and Kernel engineering