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

Quentin Schulz
2025-03-18T10:56:54Z

Hi Trevor,

On 3/18/25 4:56 AM, 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
> +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::
> +

If you're looking at this from a maintainer perspective, maybe consider
using b4.

For reviewing stuff, I sometimes do

b4 diff -v 1 2 -- <lore.kernel.org URL to v2>

and that helps.

This is orthogonal to this patch though but just wanted to mention it :)

Cheers,
Quentin