=back
-Now go ahead and Debianise your package. Just make commits on the
-master branch, adding things in the I<debian/> directory, or patching
-the upstream source.
+Now go ahead and Debianise your package. Make commits on the master
+branch, adding things in the I<debian/> directory, or patching the
+upstream source. For technical reasons, B<it is essential that your
+first commit introduces the debian/ directory containing at least one
+file, and does nothing else.> In other words, make a commit
+introducing I<debian/> before patching the upstream source.
Finally, you need an orig tarball:
This tarball is ephemeral and easily regenerated, so we don't commit
it anywhere (e.g. with tools like pristine-tar(1)).
-=head3 Verifying upstream's tarball releases
+=head3 Comparing upstream's tarball releases
=over 4
-It can be a good idea to compare upstream's released tarballs with the
-release tags, at least for the first upload of the package. If they
-are different, you might need to add some additional steps to your
-I<debian/rules>, such as running autotools.
+The above assumes that you know how to build the package from git and
+that doing so is straightforward.
-A convenient way to perform this check is to import the tarball as
-described in the following section, using a different value for
-'upstream-tag', and then use git-diff(1) to compare the imported
-tarball to the release tag. If they are the same, you can use
-upstream's tarball instead of running git-deborig(1).
+If, as a user of the upstream source, you usually build from upstream
+tarball releases, rather than upstream git tags, you will sometimes
+find that the git tree doesn't contain everything that is in the
+tarball.
+
+Additional build steps may be needed. For example, you may need your
+I<debian/rules> to run autotools.
+
+You can compare the upstream tarball release, and upstream git tag,
+within git, by importing the tarball into git as described in the
+next section, using a different value for 'upstream-tag', and then
+using git-diff(1) to compare the imported tarball to the release tag.
=back
=head2 When upstream releases only tarballs
-We need a virtual upstream branch with virtual release tags.
-gbp-import-orig(1) can manage this for us. To begin
+Because we want to work in git, we need a virtual upstream branch with
+virtual release tags. gbp-import-orig(1) can manage this for us. To
+begin
=over 4
=back
You are now ready to proceed as above, making commits to the
-I<debian/> directory and to the upstream source.
+I<debian/> directory and to the upstream source. As above, for
+technical reasons, B<it is essential that your first commit introduces
+the debian/ directory containing at least one file, and does nothing
+else.> In other words, make a commit introducing I<debian/> before
+patching the upstream source.
=head1 CONVERTING AN EXISTING PACKAGE
This section explains how to convert an existing Debian package to
this workflow. It should be skipped when debianising a new package.
-=head2 No existing git history
+If you have an existing git history that you have pushed to an
+ordinary git server like B<salsa.debian.org>, we start with that. If
+you don't already have it locally, you'll need to clone it, and obtain
+the corresponding orig.tar from the archive:
=over 4
- % dgit clone foo
+ % git clone salsa.debian.org:Debian/foo
% cd foo
- % git remote add -f upstream https://some.upstream/foo.git
+ % dgit setup-new-tree
+ % origtargz
=back
-=head2 Existing git history using another workflow
-
-First, if you don't already have the git history locally, clone it,
-and obtain the corresponding orig.tar from the archive:
+If you don't have any existing git history, or you have history only
+on the special B<dgit-repos> server, we start with B<dgit clone>:
=over 4
- % git clone salsa.debian.org:Debian/foo
+ % dgit clone foo
% cd foo
- % origtargz
=back
-If your tree is patches-unapplied, you will need to make a commit
-corresponding to each of the quilt patches. You can use
+Then we make new upstream tags available:
=over 4
- git debrebase convert-from-gbp
+ % git remote add -f upstream https://some.upstream/foo.git
=back
-or manually with gbp-pq(1):
+We now use a B<git debrebase convert-from-*> command to convert your
+existing history to the git-debrebase(5) data model. Which command
+you should use depends on some facts about your repository:
=over 4
- % gbp pq import
- % gbp pq switch
- % git merge --ff-only patch-queue/master
- % gbp pq drop
+=item (A) There is no delta queue.
+
+If there do not exist any Debian patches, use
+
+=over 4
+
+ % git debrebase convert-from-gbp
=back
-Then make new upstream tags available:
+=item (B) There is a delta queue, and patches are unapplied.
+
+This is the standard git-buildpackage(1) workflow: there are Debian
+patches, but the upstream source is committed to git without those
+patches applied. Use
=over 4
- % git remote add -f upstream https://some.upstream/foo.git
+ % git debrebase convert-from-gbp
=back
-=for dgit-test dpkg-source-ignores begin
+=item (C) There is a delta queue, and patches are applied.
+
+Use
+
+=over 4
+
+ % git debrebase convert-from-dgit-view
-Now you simply need to ensure that your git HEAD is dgit-compatible,
-i.e., it is exactly what you would get if you ran
-B<dpkg-buildpackage -i'(?:^|/)\.git(?:/|$)' -I.git -S>
-and then unpacked the resultant source package.
+=back
+
+=back
-=for dgit-test dpkg-source-ignores end
+Finally, you need to ensure that your git HEAD is dgit-compatible,
+i.e., it is exactly what you would get if you deleted .git, invoked
+B<dpkg-buildpackage -S>, and then unpacked the resultant source
+package.
To achieve this, you might need to delete
I<debian/source/local-options>. One way to have dgit check your
progress is to run B<dgit build-source>.
-The first dgit push will require I<--overwrite>.
-
=head1 GIT CONFIGURATION
-This workflow does not support using B<git merge> to merge divergent
-branches of development (see "OTHER MERGES" in git-debrebase(5)). You
-should configure git such that B<git pull> does not try to merge:
+git-debrebase(1) does not yet support using B<git merge> to merge
+divergent branches of development (see "OTHER MERGES" in
+git-debrebase(5)). You should configure git such that B<git pull>
+does not try to merge:
=over 4
Now when you pull work from other Debian contributors, git will rebase
your work on top of theirs.
-If you use this repository for upstream development in addition to
+If you use this clone for upstream development in addition to
Debian packaging work, you may not want to set this global setting.
Instead, see the B<branch.autoSetupRebase> and
B<branch.E<lt>nameE<gt>.rebase> settings in git-config(5).
=over 4
- % git debrebase new-upstream-v0 1.2.3
- % dch -v1.2.3-1 New upstream release.
- % git add debian/changelog && git commit -m changelog
+ % git debrebase new-upstream 1.2.3
=back
-You can now review the merge of the new upstream release:
+This invocation of git-debrebase(1) involves a git rebase. You may
+need to resolve conflicts if the Debian delta queue does not apply
+cleanly to the new upstream source.
+
+If all went well, you can now review the merge of the new upstream
+release:
=over 4
=back
+=head1 EDITING THE DEBIAN PACKAGING
+
+Just make commits on master that change the contents of I<debian/>.
+
=head1 EDITING THE DELTA QUEUE
=head2 Adding new patches
Adding new patches is straightforward: just make commits touching only
files outside of the I<debian/> directory. You can also use tools
-like git-revert(1), git-am(1) and git-cherrypick(1).
+like git-revert(1), git-am(1) and git-cherry-pick(1).
=head2 Editing patches: starting a debrebase
=over 4
- % git debrebase
+ % git debrebase -i
=back
Note that each time you conclude a debrebase you introduce a
pseudomerge into your git history, which may make it harder to read.
Try to do all of the editing of the delta queue that you think will be
-needed for this upload in a single debrebase, so that there is a
-single debrebase stitch.
+needed for this editing session in a single debrebase, so that there
+is a single debrebase stitch.
=head1 BUILDING AND UPLOADING
You can use dpkg-buildpackage(1) for test builds. When you are ready
-to build for an upload, use B<dgit sbuild>.
+to build for an upload, use B<dgit sbuild>, B<dgit pbuilder> or B<dgit
+cowbuilder>.
Upload with B<dgit push> or B<dgit push-source>. Remember to pass
I<--new> if the package is new in the target suite.
=over 4
- % git debrebase launder
+ % git debrebase
% dgit push-source
=back
=head1 HANDLING DFSG-NON-FREE MATERIAL
-This covers only DFSG-non-free material. Material which is legally
-dangerous (for example, files which are actually illegal) cannot be
-handled this way.
+=head2 Illegal material
+
+Here we explain how to handle material that is merely DFSG-non-free.
+Material which is legally dangerous (for example, files which are
+actually illegal) cannot be handled this way.
If you encounter possibly-legally-dangerous material in the upstream
source code you should seek advice. It is often best not to make a
email your archive administrators. For Debian that is
To: dgit-owner@debian.org, ftpmaster@ftp-master.debian.org
-=head2 When upstream tags releases in git
+=head2 DFSG-non-free: When upstream tags releases in git
-We create a DFSG-clean tag to import to master:
+Our approach is to maintain a DFSG-clean upstream branch, and create
+tags on this branch for each release that we want to import. We then
+import those tags per "Importing the release", above.
+
+For the first upstream release that requires DFSG filtering:
=over 4
- % git checkout -b pre-dfsg 1.2.3
+ % git checkout -b upstream-dfsg 1.2.3
% git rm evil.bin
% git commit -m "upstream version 1.2.3 DFSG-cleaned"
% git tag -s 1.2.3+dfsg
% git checkout master
- % git branch -D pre-dfsg
+ % # proceed with "Importing the release" on 1.2.3+dfsg tag
=back
-=head2 When upstream releases only tarballs
+And for subsequent releases (whether or not they require filtering):
+
+=over 4
+
+ % git checkout upstream-dfsg
+ % git merge 1.2.4
+ % git rm further-evil.bin # if needed
+ % git commit -m "upstream version 1.2.4 DFSG-cleaned" # if needed
+ % git tag -s 1.2.4+dfsg
+ % git checkout master
+ % # proceed with "Importing the release" on 1.2.4+dfsg tag
+
+=back
+
+Our upstream-dfsg branch cannot be pushed to B<dgit-repos>, but since
+we will need it whenever we import a new upstream version, we must
+push it somewhere. Assuming that you have already set up an origin
+remote per the above,
+
+=over 4
+
+ % git push --follow-tags -u origin master upstream-dfsg
+
+=back
+
+=head2 DFSG-non-free: When upstream releases only tarballs
The easiest way to handle this is to add a B<Files-Excluded> field to
I<debian/copyright>, and a B<uversionmangle> setting in
divergent branches of development, you have a number of options. Here
we describe the two simplest.
+Note that you should not try to resolve the divergent branches by
+editing files in I<debian/patches>. Changes there would either cause
+trouble, or be overwritten by git-debrebase(1).
+
=head2 Rebasing your work onto the NMU
=over 4
probably want to debrebase before your next upload to tidy those up.
For example, the NMUer might have used git-revert(1) to unapply one of
-your patches. A debrebase will strip both the patch and the reversion
-from the delta queue.
+your patches. A debrebase can be used to strip both the patch and the
+reversion from the delta queue.
=head2 Manually applying the debdiff
Above we noted that each time you conclude a debrebase, you introduce
a pseudomerge into your git history, which may make it harder to read.
-A convention you can use to minimise the number of pseudomerges is to
-debrebase only right before you upload.
+A simple convention you can use to minimise the number of pseudomerges
+is to B<git debrebase conclude> only right before you upload or push
+to B<salsa.debian.org>.
-Before that point, instead of editing the existing delta queue, you
-append fixup commits (and reversions of commits) that alter the
-upstream source to the required state. You can freely push and pull
-from B<salsa.debian.org> during this. Just before uploading, you
-debrebase, once, to tidy everything up.
+It is possible, though much less convenient, to reduce the number of
+pseudomerges yet further. We debrebase only (i) when importing a new
+release, and (ii) right before uploading. Instead of editing the
+existing delta queue, you append fixup commits (and reversions of
+commits) that alter the upstream source to the required state. You
+can push and pull to and from B<salsa.debian.org> during this. Just
+before uploading, you debrebase, once, to tidy everything up.
+
+=head2 The debian/patches directory
+
+In this workflow, I<debian/patches> is purely an output of
+git-debrebase(1). You should not make changes there. They will
+either cause trouble, or be ignored and overwritten by
+git-debrebase(1).
+
+I<debian/patches> will often be out-of-date because git-debrebase(1)
+will only regenerate it when it needs to. So you should not rely on
+the information in that directory. When preparing patches to forward
+upstream, you should use git-format-patch(1) on git commits, rather
+than sending files from I<debian/patches>.
=head2 Upstream branches
-Except in the case where upstream releases only tarballs, we do not
-maintain a separate 'upstream' branch (unless you also happen to be
-involved in upstream development). We work with upstream tags rather
-than any branches, except temporary branches used to prepare patches
-for forwarding upstream, for example.
+In this workflow, we specify upstream tags rather than any branches.
+
+Except when (i) upstream releases only tarballs, (ii) we require DFSG
+filtering, or (iii) you also happen to be involved in upstream
+development, we do not maintain any local branch corresponding to
+upstream, except temporary branches used to prepare patches for
+forwarding, and the like.
+
+The idea here is that from Debian's point of view, upstream releases
+are immutable points in history. We want to make sure that we are
+basing our Debian package on a properly identified upstream version,
+rather than some arbitrary commit on some branch. Tags are more
+useful for this.
-The thought behind this is that branches are things to which one
-expects to commit, while tags are immutable points in history. From
-the Debian point of the view, the upstream source is immutable. It's
-our packaging to which we expect to commit.
+Upstream's branches remain available as the git remote tracking
+branches for your upstream remote, e.g. I<remotes/upstream/master>.
=head2 The first ever dgit push
origin commit would represent the most recent non-dgit upload of the
package, but this should already be represented in your git history.)
+=head2 Inspecting the history
+
+The git history made by git-debrebase can seem complicated.
+Here are some suggestions for helpful invocations of gitk and git.
+They can be adapted for other tools like tig(1), git-log(1), magit, etc.
+
+History of package in Debian, disregarding history from upstream:
+
+=over
+
+ % gitk --first-parent
+
+In a laundered branch, the delta queue is at the top.
+
+=back
+
+History of the packaging, excluding the delta queue:
+
+ % gitk :/debian :!/debian/patches
+
+Just the delta queue (i.e. Debian's changes to upstream):
+
+ % gitk --first-parent -- :/ :!/debian
+
+Full history including old versions of the delta queue:
+
+=over
+
+ % gitk --date-order
+
+The "Declare fast forward" commits you see have an older history
+(usually, an older delta queue) as one parent,
+and a newer history as the other.
+--date-order makes gitk show the delta queues in the right order.
+
+=back
+
+Complete diff since the last upload:
+
+=over
+
+ % git diff dgit/dgit/sid..HEAD -- :/ :!/debian/patches
+
+This includes changes to upstream files.
+
+=back
+
+Interdiff of delta queue since last upload, if you really want it:
+
+ % git debrebase make-patches
+ % git diff dgit/dgit/sid..HEAD -- debian/patches
+
+And of course there is:
+
+ % git debrebase status
+
=head2 Alternative ways to start a debrebase
Above we started an interactive debrebase by invoking git-debrebase(1)
-without any arguments, i.e.
+like this:
=over 4
- % git debrebase
+ % git debrebase -i
=back
=over 4
- % git debrebase launder
+ % git debrebase
% git rebase -i HEAD~5 # there are 4 Debian patches
=back
If you take this approach, you should be very careful not to start the
-rebase earlier than the beginning of the delta queue.
+rebase too early,
+including before the most recent pseudomerge.
+git-rebase without a base argument will often
+start the rebase too early,
+and should be avoided.
+Run git-debrebase instead.
+See also "ILLEGAL OPERATIONS" in git-debrebase(5).
=head1 SEE ALSO
-dgit(1), dgit(7)
+dgit(1), dgit(7), git-debrebase(1), git-debrebase(5)
=head1 AUTHOR
~ianmdlvl / dgit.git / blobdiff