gpgme/doc/HACKING

# HACKING                                                       -*- org -*-
#+TITLE: Hacking notes for GPGME
#+STARTUP: showall

* How to contribute
** No more ChangeLog files

  Do not modify any of the ChangeLog files in GPGME.  Starting
  on December 1st, 2011 we put change information only in the GIT
  commit log, and generate a top-level ChangeLog file from logs at
  "make dist" time.  As such, there are strict requirements on the
  form of the commit log messages.  The old ChangeLog files have all
  be renamed to ChangeLog-2011


** Commit log requirements

  Your commit log should always start with a one-line summary, the
  second line should be blank, and the remaining lines are usually
  ChangeLog-style entries for all affected files.  However, it's fine
  -- even recommended -- to write a few lines of prose describing the
  change, when the summary and ChangeLog entries don't give enough of
  the big picture.  Omit the leading TABs that you're used to seeing
  in a "real" ChangeLog file, but keep the maximum line length at 72
  or smaller, so that the generated ChangeLog lines, each with its
  leading TAB, will not exceed 80 columns.

  Note that ./autogen.sh installs a git hook to do some basic syntax
  checking on the commit log message.

** License policy

  GPGME is currently licensed under the LGPLv2.1+ with tools and the
  manual being under the GPLv3+.  We may eventually update to a newer
  version of the licenses or a combination of them.  It is thus
  important, that all contributed code allows for an update of the
  license; for example we can't accept code under the LGPLv2(only).

  If you want to contribute code or documentation to GPGME you are
  asked to assert that the contribution is in accordance to the "GPGME
  Developer's Certificate of Origin" as found in the file "DCO".
  Except for a slight wording change, this DCO is identical to the one
  used by the Linux kernel.  Please take these simple steps:

  - Decide which mail address you want to use.  Please have your real
    name in the address and not a pseudonym.  Anonymous contributions
    can only be done if you find a proxy who certifies for you.

  - If your employer or school might claim ownership of code written
    by you; you need to talk to them to make sure that you have the
    right to contribute under the DCO.

  - Send an OpenPGP signed mail to the gnupg-devel@gnupg.org public
    mailing list from your mail address.  Include a copy of the DCO as
    found in the official master branch.  Insert your name and email
    address into the DCO in the same way you want to use it later.
    Example:

      Signed-off-by: Joe R. Hacker <joe@example.org>

    If you need it, you may perform simple transformations on the mail
    address: Replacing "@" by " at " or "." by " dot ".)

  - That's it.  From now on you only need to add a "Signed-off-by:"
    line with your name and mail address to the GIT commit message.
    It is recommended to send the patches using a PGP/MIME signed
    mail.

** Coding standards

  Please follow the GNU coding standards.  If you are in doubt consult
  the existing code as an example.  Do no re-indent code without a
  need.  If you really need to do it, use a separate commit for such a
  change.

* Debug hints

  - Use gpgme-tool for manual tests.
  - The envvar GPGME_DEBUG enables debugging; see debug.[ch] for
    details.