Commit b80103a2 authored by Karel Balej's avatar Karel Balej Committed by Jonathan Corbet

docs: handling-regressions.rst: recommend using "Closes:" tags

Update the handling-regressions guide to recommend using "Closes:" tags
rather than "Link:" when referencing fixed reports. The latter was used
originally but now is only recommended when the given patch only fixes
part of the issue, as described in submitting-patches. Briefly mention
that and also note that regzbot currently doesn't make a distinction.

Also fix a typo.
Acked-by: default avatarThorsten Leemhuis <linux@leemhuis.info>
Signed-off-by: default avatarKarel Balej <balejk@matfyz.cz>
Signed-off-by: default avatarJonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20240513084145.2460-1-balejk@matfyz.cz
parent 1a0e2cd9
...@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@ The important bits (aka "The TL;DR") ...@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@ The important bits (aka "The TL;DR")
#regzbot from: Some N. Ice Human <some.human@example.com> #regzbot from: Some N. Ice Human <some.human@example.com>
#regzbot monitor: http://some.bugtracker.example.com/ticket?id=123456789 #regzbot monitor: http://some.bugtracker.example.com/ticket?id=123456789
#. When submitting fixes for regressions, add "Link:" tags to the patch #. When submitting fixes for regressions, add "Closes:" tags to the patch
description pointing to all places where the issue was reported, as description pointing to all places where the issue was reported, as
mandated by Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst and mandated by Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst and
:ref:`Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst <development_posting>`. :ref:`Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst <development_posting>`. If you are
only fixing part of the issue that caused the regression, you may use
"Link:" tags instead. regzbot currently makes no distinction between the
two.
#. Try to fix regressions quickly once the culprit has been identified; fixes #. Try to fix regressions quickly once the culprit has been identified; fixes
for most regressions should be merged within two weeks, but some need to be for most regressions should be merged within two weeks, but some need to be
...@@ -91,10 +94,10 @@ When doing either, consider making the Linux kernel regression tracking bot ...@@ -91,10 +94,10 @@ When doing either, consider making the Linux kernel regression tracking bot
Note the caret (^) before the "introduced": it tells regzbot to treat the Note the caret (^) before the "introduced": it tells regzbot to treat the
parent mail (the one you reply to) as the initial report for the regression parent mail (the one you reply to) as the initial report for the regression
you want to see tracked; that's important, as regzbot will later look out you want to see tracked; that's important, as regzbot will later look out
for patches with "Link:" tags pointing to the report in the archives on for patches with "Closes:" tags pointing to the report in the archives on
lore.kernel.org. lore.kernel.org.
* When forwarding a regressions reported to a bug tracker, include a paragraph * When forwarding a regression reported to a bug tracker, include a paragraph
with these regzbot commands:: with these regzbot commands::
#regzbot introduced: 1f2e3d4c5b6a #regzbot introduced: 1f2e3d4c5b6a
...@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ When doing either, consider making the Linux kernel regression tracking bot ...@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ When doing either, consider making the Linux kernel regression tracking bot
#regzbot monitor: http://some.bugtracker.example.com/ticket?id=123456789 #regzbot monitor: http://some.bugtracker.example.com/ticket?id=123456789
Regzbot will then automatically associate patches with the report that Regzbot will then automatically associate patches with the report that
contain "Link:" tags pointing to your mail or the mentioned ticket. contain "Closes:" tags pointing to your mail or the mentioned ticket.
What's important when fixing regressions What's important when fixing regressions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...@@ -112,10 +115,14 @@ remember to do what Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst, ...@@ -112,10 +115,14 @@ remember to do what Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst,
:ref:`Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst <development_posting>`, and :ref:`Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst <development_posting>`, and
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst already explain in more detail: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst already explain in more detail:
* Point to all places where the issue was reported using "Link:" tags:: * Point to all places where the issue was reported using "Closes:" tags::
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/30th.anniversary.repost@klaava.Helsinki.FI/ Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/r/30th.anniversary.repost@klaava.Helsinki.FI/
Link: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1234567890 Closes: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1234567890
If you are only fixing part of the issue, you may use "Link:" instead as
described in the first document mentioned above. regzbot currently treats
both of these equivalently and considers the linked reports as resolved.
* Add a "Fixes:" tag to specify the commit causing the regression. * Add a "Fixes:" tag to specify the commit causing the regression.
...@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ All this is expected from you and important when it comes to regression, as ...@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ All this is expected from you and important when it comes to regression, as
these tags are of great value for everyone (you included) that might be looking these tags are of great value for everyone (you included) that might be looking
into the issue weeks, months, or years later. These tags are also crucial for into the issue weeks, months, or years later. These tags are also crucial for
tools and scripts used by other kernel developers or Linux distributions; one of tools and scripts used by other kernel developers or Linux distributions; one of
these tools is regzbot, which heavily relies on the "Link:" tags to associate these tools is regzbot, which heavily relies on the "Closes:" tags to associate
reports for regression with changes resolving them. reports for regression with changes resolving them.
Expectations and best practices for fixing regressions Expectations and best practices for fixing regressions
...@@ -326,7 +333,7 @@ How does regression tracking work with regzbot? ...@@ -326,7 +333,7 @@ How does regression tracking work with regzbot?
The bot watches for replies to reports of tracked regressions. Additionally, The bot watches for replies to reports of tracked regressions. Additionally,
it's looking out for posted or committed patches referencing such reports it's looking out for posted or committed patches referencing such reports
with "Link:" tags; replies to such patch postings are tracked as well. with "Closes:" tags; replies to such patch postings are tracked as well.
Combined this data provides good insights into the current state of the fixing Combined this data provides good insights into the current state of the fixing
process. process.
...@@ -338,8 +345,7 @@ take care of that using ``#regzbot ^introduced``. ...@@ -338,8 +345,7 @@ take care of that using ``#regzbot ^introduced``.
For developers there normally is no extra work involved, they just need to make For developers there normally is no extra work involved, they just need to make
sure to do something that was expected long before regzbot came to light: add sure to do something that was expected long before regzbot came to light: add
"Link:" tags to the patch description pointing to all reports about the issue links to the patch description pointing to all reports about the issue fixed.
fixed.
Do I have to use regzbot? Do I have to use regzbot?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
......
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