|
|
|
# CONTRIBUTING
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The node.js project welcomes new contributors. This document will guide you
|
|
|
|
through the process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### FORK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fork the project [on GitHub](https://github.com/joyent/node) and check out
|
|
|
|
your copy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ git clone git@github.com:username/node.git
|
|
|
|
$ cd node
|
|
|
|
$ git remote add upstream git://github.com/joyent/node.git
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now decide if you want your feature or bug fix to go into the master branch
|
|
|
|
or the stable branch. As a rule of thumb, bug fixes go into the stable branch
|
|
|
|
while new features go into the master branch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The stable branch is effectively frozen; patches that change the node.js
|
|
|
|
API/ABI or affect the run-time behavior of applications get rejected.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The rules for the master branch are less strict; consult the
|
|
|
|
[stability index page][] for details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In a nutshell, modules are at varying levels of API stability. Bug fixes are
|
|
|
|
always welcome but API or behavioral changes to modules at stability level 3
|
|
|
|
and up are off-limits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Node.js has several bundled dependencies in the deps/ and the tools/
|
|
|
|
directories that are not part of the project proper. Any changes to files
|
|
|
|
in those directories or its subdirectories should be sent to their respective
|
|
|
|
projects. Do not send your patch to us, we cannot accept it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In case of doubt, open an issue in the [issue tracker][], post your question
|
|
|
|
to the [node.js mailing list][] or contact one of the [project maintainers][]
|
|
|
|
on [IRC][].
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Especially do so if you plan to work on something big. Nothing is more
|
|
|
|
frustrating than seeing your hard work go to waste because your vision
|
|
|
|
does not align with that of a project maintainer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### BRANCH
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Okay, so you have decided on the proper branch. Create a feature branch
|
|
|
|
and start hacking:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ git checkout -b my-feature-branch -t origin/v0.8
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Where v0.8 is the latest stable branch as of this writing.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### COMMIT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Make sure git knows your name and email address:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ git config --global user.name "J. Random User"
|
|
|
|
$ git config --global user.email "j.random.user@example.com"
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Writing good commit logs is important. A commit log should describe what
|
|
|
|
changed and why. Follow these guidelines when writing one:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. The first line should be 50 characters or less and contain a short
|
|
|
|
description of the change.
|
|
|
|
2. Keep the second line blank.
|
|
|
|
3. Wrap all other lines at 72 columns.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A good commit log looks like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Header line: explaining the commit in one line
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Body of commit message is a few lines of text, explaining things
|
|
|
|
in more detail, possibly giving some background about the issue
|
|
|
|
being fixed, etc etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The body of the commit message can be several paragraphs, and
|
|
|
|
please do proper word-wrap and keep columns shorter than about
|
|
|
|
72 characters or so. That way `git log` will show things
|
|
|
|
nicely even when it is indented.
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The header line should be meaningful; it is what other people see when they
|
|
|
|
run `git shortlog` or `git log --oneline`.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have a look at `git log` for inspiration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### REBASE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use `git rebase` (not `git merge`) to sync your work from time to time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ git fetch upstream
|
|
|
|
$ git rebase upstream/v0.8 # or upstream/master
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### TEST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bug fixes and features should come with tests. Add your tests in the
|
|
|
|
test/simple/ directory. Look at other tests to see how they should be
|
|
|
|
structured (license boilerplate, common includes, etc.).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ make jslint test
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Make sure the linter is happy and that all tests pass. Please, do not submit
|
|
|
|
patches that fail either check.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### PUSH
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
$ git push origin my-feature-branch
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Go to https://github.com/username/node and select your feature branch. Click
|
|
|
|
the 'Pull Request' button and fill out the form.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pull requests are usually reviewed within a few days. If there are comments
|
|
|
|
to address, apply your changes in a separate commit and push that to your
|
|
|
|
feature branch. Post a comment in the pull request afterwards; GitHub does
|
|
|
|
not send out notifications when you add commits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### CONTRIBUTOR LICENSE AGREEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please visit http://nodejs.org/cla.html and sign the Contributor License
|
|
|
|
Agreement. You only need to do that once.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[stability index page]: https://github.com/joyent/node/blob/master/doc/api/documentation.markdown
|
|
|
|
[issue tracker]: https://github.com/joyent/node/issues
|
|
|
|
[node.js mailing list]: http://groups.google.com/group/nodejs
|
|
|
|
[IRC]: http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=node.js
|
|
|
|
[project maintainers]: https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Project-Organization
|