Hi Javier, On Mon, Sep 29, 2025 at 14:58, Javier Tia <[email protected]> wrote:
> Replace references to patman with b4 as the recommended tool for > preparing and sending patches. b4 is widely adopted in the Linux kernel > community and U-Boot ships with configuration to simplify its use with > the project mailing list. > > The updated guidelines describe how to prepare series with b4, handle > cover letters and recipient lists, run style checks, and send patches > safely. Instructions also highlight how to collect and apply review tags > before resending. > > This change documents the preferred workflow for contributors and > ensures consistency with common practices across related upstream > communities. > > Signed-off-by: Javier Tia <[email protected]> Thank you for doing this! This is great. Reviewed-by: Mattijs Korpershoek <[email protected]> > --- > This small series updates U-Boot's contributor guidelines to sync with > current best practices around Linux kernel patch submission. It should > make contributing smoother for new developers. > > The first patch updates doc/develop/codingstyle.rst to recommend the b4 > tool instead of patman as the standard workflow for preparing and > sending patches. The revised documentation explains how to create and > manage series, run style checks, handle cover letters, discover mailing > list recipients, and collect review tags. This reflects widespread > adoption of b4 in the Linux kernel community and ensures U-Boot > contributors follow consistent, upstream-friendly practices. > --- > Changes in v2: > > * Drop commit changing .b4-config > * Link to v1: > https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected] > --- > doc/develop/codingstyle.rst | 54 > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----- > 1 file changed, 48 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) > > diff --git a/doc/develop/codingstyle.rst b/doc/develop/codingstyle.rst > index > bc18b2ebb7b0fc875a299b9e2e5c64c3d6a8e2b3..8ed6babe4556423fe30effc504615e07a841f21a > 100644 > --- a/doc/develop/codingstyle.rst > +++ b/doc/develop/codingstyle.rst > @@ -23,13 +23,55 @@ The following rules apply: > <https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/>`_. Use `pylint > <https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint>`_ for checking the code. > > -* Use patman to send your patches (``tools/patman/patman -H`` for full > - instructions). With a few tags in your commits this will check your patches > - and take care of emailing them. > +* Use the `b4 <https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/b4/b4.git/>`_ tool to > prepare and > + send your patches. b4 has become the preferred tool to sending patches for > many > + Linux kernel contributors, and U-Boot ships with a ready-to-use > ``.b4-config`` that > + targets ``[email protected]`` and integrates with > ``scripts/get_maintainer.pl`` for > + recipient discovery. > > -* If you don't use patman, make sure to run ``scripts/checkpatch.pl``. For > - more information, read :doc:`checkpatch`. Note that this should be done > - *before* posting on the mailing list! > + Start a topical series with ``b4 prep`` and keep the commits organised with > + ``git rebase -i``. ``b4 prep --edit-cover`` opens an editor for the cover > + letter, while ``b4 prep --auto-to-cc`` collects reviewers and maintainers > from > + both the configuration file and ``scripts/get_maintainer.pl``. > + > + .. code-block:: bash > + > + b4 prep -n mmc-fixes > + git rebase -i origin/master > + b4 prep --edit-cover > + b4 prep --auto-to-cc > + > + Run the style checks before sending. ``b4 prep --check`` wraps the existing > + tooling so you see the output from ``scripts/checkpatch.pl`` alongside b4's > + own validation. You can always invoke ``scripts/checkpatch.pl`` directly > for > + additional runs. > + > + .. code-block:: bash > + > + b4 prep --check > + > + When the series is ready, use ``b4 send``. Begin with ``--dry-run`` to > review > + the generated emails and ``--reflect`` to copy yourself for records before > + dispatching to ``[email protected]``. > + > + .. code-block:: bash > + > + b4 send --dry-run > + b4 send --reflect > + b4 send > + > + After reviews arrive, collect Acked-by/Tested-by tags with ``b4 trailers > -u`` > + and fold them into your commits before resending the updated series. > + > + .. code-block:: bash > + > + b4 trailers -u > + git rebase -i origin/master > + b4 send > + > +* Run ``scripts/checkpatch.pl`` directly or via ``b4 prep --check`` so that > all > + issues are resolved *before* posting on the mailing list. For more > information, > + read :doc:`checkpatch`. > > * Source files originating from different projects (for example the MTD > subsystem or the hush shell code from the BusyBox project) may, after > > --- > base-commit: 26efc940c865a04d345ac9d39f71746fc2821da6 > change-id: 20250929-b4-docs-60da5560f06a > > Best regards, > -- > Javier Tia <[email protected]>
