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diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md index d3b081b71..bd0eafbfe 100644 --- a/CONTRIBUTING.md +++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md @@ -308,6 +308,38 @@ gerrit (e.g., reviewers, labels). The gerrit documentation has more information. https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/Documentation/user-upload.html +Branches +======== + +By default, contributions to gem5 should be made on the master branch. Branches +are generally discouraged due to their tendency to bloat git repositories with +abandoned code. However, the creation of branches is permitted for development +of a specific feature or improvement if one or more of the following criteria +are met: + +1. The feature/improvement is likely to be of a large size, consisting of many +commits, with little logic in these commits being contributed separately. +2. The feature/improvement will be developed over a long period of time. +3. There is sufficient reason that a feature/improvement should not be merged +into the master branch yet (e.g., the feature/improvement is not intended for +the next release but a future release). + +If a branch is required it can only be created by a project maintainer. +Therefore, if a gem5 contributor desires a separate branch for their work, they +should request one from the maintainer of the component the work relates to +(see MAINTAINERS for the list of maintainers and the components they are +responsible for). **The maintainer shall use their discretion to determine +whether the creation of a branch is necessary**. If approved, the maintainer +shall create the branch which the contributor may then use. + +Development on a branch within Gerrit functions in exactly the same way as +contributing to the master branch. When contributors to a branch are satisfied, +they should create a merge commit into the master branch. The maintainer should +then be notified that the branch they created can now be deleted. + +**Abandonment of changes within branches may result in these branches being +removed from the repository. All branches within a repo should be under active +development.** Reviewing patches ================= |