Join the package collection maintainers

= Contributing roles =

= How to join the Fedora Package Collection Maintainers? =

So, you have decided to become a package maintainer in the Fedora Project? This guide will lead you through your first package submission.



Read the Guidelines
If you don't know how to create an RPM package, refer to the tutorial at How_to_create_a_GNU_Hello_RPM_package or the more advanced and much more detailed how to create an RPM package.

Read the  Packaging Guidelines and   Package Naming Guidelines.

You need to be thoroughly familiar with these. They govern all package submissions. If you have questions, ask on the Fedora List.

Create a Bugzilla Account
Make sure you have an account in Red Hat Bugzilla.

The email address that you use for your bugzilla account should be the same email address as you use in the Fedora Account System for all things related to Fedora Packaging.

Join the important Mailing Lists
You must join the fedora mailing list. It is a low traffic announcements only list, where important development information is posted.

You can join the fedora mailing list, where discussions about the development of Fedora are held. This is a high traffic mailing list.

You can also consider joining the mailing list -- The commits mailing list gets notifications on all commits in any package in the Fedora repository. This is a very high traffic mailing list. The Fedora package database sends commit mails for packages you (co-)maintain.

Another mailing list you might consider (at least to view the archives) is. This is the mailing list of the Fedora Packaging Committee, who determine the official packaging guidelines for Fedora projects.

Ensure your package is suitable
The package you are submitting can be of any free and open source project that is not already packaged in Fedora. Before creating your package, make sure that the software is not already in the Fedora repository, or waiting for review.


 * Search the Fedora Package Database for packages already in the repository.
 * Search in the Review Tracker for packages under review.
 * Also check the deprecated packages list.
 * Be aware of forbidden items.

Understand your responsibilities
Software components included in Fedora needs to be maintained actively and bugs, especially security issues needs to be fixed in a timely manner. As a Fedora package maintainer, it is your primary  responsibility to ensure this. We encourage you to get co-maintainers and seek the help of the Fedora community via the development mailing list whenever needed.

Read Other Submissions
Read some other package submissions to learn about packaging and gain familiarity with the process and requirements.

One way of doing this is to join the package-review@lists.fedoraproject.org mailing list ; all comments on Fedora package reviews are sent to this (read-only from your point of view) list.

Make a Package

 * If you don't know how to create an RPM package, see the How to create an RPM package.
 * Make sure that your package meets the  Packaging Guidelines  and   PackageNamingGuidelines.
 * Be aware of the Package Review Guidelines  (they will be used during the package review).

Upload Your Package
Upload your SRPM and SPEC files onto the Internet somewhere. This can be anywhere accessible by a URL. If you have already got a Fedora Account then you can use your storage at http://fedorapeople.org for this.

Get a Fedora Account
Create an account in the Fedora Account System (this is not just a bugzilla account)


 * 1) Visit the account system home: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/accounts/
 * 2) Click on 'New account' and fill in the blanks.
 * 3) After you create your account, please be sure to sign the CLA (if you click on the "My Account" link in the top right, you should see CLA: CLA Done).
 * 4) Also you need to upload a public RSA SSH key. You need to use the matching private key to access Fedora machines via SSH

Create Your Review Request
Fill out this form: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/enter_bug.cgi?product=Fedora&format=fedora-review.


 * Before submitting your request, be sure there’s not a previous request for the same package.
 * Make sure that you put the name of the package (excluding version and release numbers) in the ' ' field, along with a very brief summary of what the package is.
 * Upload the spec file and SRPM to a public website. If you need hosting space, please make a note of it in your ticket submission and someone will take care of you. If you are a Fedora package maintainer already, you can make use of http://fedorapeople.org
 * Put a description of your package (usually, this can be the same thing as what you put in the spec %description) in the ' ' field. Include the URLs to your SRPM and SPEC files. Also, explain that this is your first package and you need a sponsor.

The review process is described in detail on the Package Review Process  page.

Inform Upstream
Fedora as a project prefers to stay close to upstream. Inform the developers that you are packaging the software. You can do that by sending them an email introducing yourself and pointing out the review request. This sets up the stage for future conversations. They will usually advertise the fact that their software is now part of Fedora or might want to inform you of important bugs in the existing release, future roadmaps etc.

Introduce yourself
When a new package maintainer joins the Fedora Project, we request that he/she introduces themselves on the Fedora Devel mailing list. To sign up for the list, visit the list's signup page. The primary purpose of this is to begin the process of building trust by learning about the package maintainer and increase the chances of your review request being processed sooner.

The purpose of all this is to break anonymity and foster real-world community within the project. You are under no obligation to reveal personal secrets. The objective is to establish a level of trust with yourself and the other members of the project.

Subject: Self Introduction

Body: Add any information you believe is applicable including past experience, a link to the review request you have filed and a brief description of yourself. You can also post your GPG key information if you want to.

Watch for Feedback
Watch the Bugzilla report for your first package. You should get notifications of changes by email. Fix any blockers that the reviewer(s) point out.

Install the Client Tools (Koji)
To build Packages for the Fedora Collection or EPEL, you need Koji. You'll also need to generate a client side certificate at the Fedora Account System and save the file in, where   will look for it by default.

The  package provides tools to help you setup and work with fedora, therefore install it:

After installation run it as your user to setup your koji configuration:

You can now use "koji" to try to build your RPM packages on platforms (e.g., PPC) or distributions you don't have. Note that you can test out builds ("scratch" builds) even when your package hasn't been approved and you don't have a sponsor. A simple way to do a scratch build using koji is to do this at the command line: koji build --arch-override=PLATFORM --scratch TARGET path_to_source_RPM Where:
 * PLATFORM is a platform keyword such as i386 (32-bit), x86_64, ppc, or ppc64. You can omit --arch-override=PLATFORM, in which case koji will do test builds on all the architectures the spec file says the package supports.
 * TARGET is a distribution keyword such as dist-f9 (for Fedora 9). You can run "koji list-targets" to see all targets.  To build for the next release (rawhide), don't use "dist-rawhide" - use "dist-fX" where X is one more than the latest stable release.
 * Note that you need to supply the path to the source RPM (which ends in .src.rpm), and not a URL. (If you only have the spec file, use   to create the new source RPM).

Your koji builds can only depend on packages that are actually in the TARGET distribution repository. Thus, you can't use koji to build for released distributions if your package depends on other new packages that Bodhi hasn't released yet. You can use koji to build for rawhide (the next unreleased version), even if it depends on other new packages, as long as the other packages were built for the "rawhide" as described below. If you need to build against a package that is not yet a stable released update, you can file a ticket with rel-eng at: https://fedorahosted.org/rel-eng/newticket and request that that package be added as a buildroot override. For packages in EPEL, you have to use the component epel to get the request to the right persons.

You can learn more about koji via: koji --help           # General help koji --help-commands  # list of koji commands koji COMMAND --help   # help on command COMMAND

Using_the_Koji_build_system has more information about using Koji.

Get Sponsored
When the package is APPROVED by the reviewer, you must separately obtain member sponsorship in order to check in and build your package. Sponsorship is not automatic and may require that you further participate in other ways in order to demonstrate your understanding of the packaging guidelines. Key to becoming sponsored is to convince an existing sponsor-level member that you understand and follow the project's guidelines and processes.

See how to get sponsored into the packager group for more information on the process of becoming sponsored.

Your sponsor can add you to the packager group. You should receive email confirmation of your sponsorship.

Add Package to Source Code Management (SCM) system and Set Owner
If you are becoming a maintainer for a new package, instead of being a co-maintainer, follow Package SCM admin requests to get a module for your new package and branches for recent releases.

This will be used to set up the proper records in the owners database, which is used for access to build the package, bugzilla population, and other features. This step creates a module in the repository your new package, with branches for each requested distribution.

Check out the module
You could check out your module now, but before doing that, consider doing "mkdir ~/fedora-scm ; cd ~/fedora-scm" - that way, all your files are inside that. Also, run ssh-add, so that you won't have to keep typing in your key password.

Now you are ready to checkout your module from the SCM: fedpkg clone

Where  should be replaced with the name of your package.

Test Your Package
Refer to Using_Mock_to_test_package_builds and Using_the_Koji_build_system for more information on testing your package. Mock uses your local system while Koji command line tool uses the Fedora build system server.

Import, Commit,and Build Your Package
Now that you've checked out your (empty) package module with fedpkg, cd into the module's master branch: cd Run fedpkg to import the contents of the SRPM into the SCM: fedpkg import PATH_TO_SRPM

git commit -m "Initial import (#XXXXXX)." git push fedpkg build
 * 1) Review Changes, press 'q' to stop; Revert with: git reset --hard HEAD

Obviously, replace  with the full path (not URL) to your approved SRPM, and   with the package review bug number.

This imports into, commits, and builds only the master (rawhide) branch.

If the commit fails with this kind of message: W access for why DENIED to YOUR_ACCOUNT fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly Could not push: Command '['git', 'push']' returned non-zero exit status 128 Then you don't have the necessary rights to modify that package branch; view https://admin.fedoraproject.org/pkgdb/acls/name/PACKAGE_NAME to request those rights.

Update Your Branches (if desired)
Branches are # (formerly  # and before that  #), , etc. So f16 is the branch for Fedora 16.

To switch to a branch first: fedpkg switch-branch BRANCH (e.g. f16)

Merge the initial commit from master, creating an identical commit in the branch: git merge master

Push the changes to the server: git push

Build the package: fedpkg build

If there is another branch to work with repeat "To switch to a branch" and import and commit to each branch

If everything goes well, it should queue up your branch for building, the package will cleanly build, and you're done!

If it fails to build, the build system will send you an email to report the failure and show you to the logs. Commit any needed changes to git, bump the SPEC release number, and request a new build.

Submit Package as Update in Bodhi
The Fedora update system called Bodhi is used for pushing updates, classifying packages etc. Do not submit "master" (aka rawhide) packages via bodhi.

You can push an update using Bodhi via the command line using this in each branch: fedpkg update

You can also use "bodhi" command directly as described in the Bodhi Instruction.

You can also use the Web interface for Bodhi to request enhancement updates for each released Fedora you are bringing a new package to.

The first field asks for the name of the "Package". This field will auto-complete the package name found in the Koji build system, e.g. - - .fc16. If completion doesn't work, just enter the package build name yourself.

For new packages, choose "newpackage" as the "type" of update.

Put the "Request" as "testing" if you want to put the package through testing first, see  Fedora Quality Assurance. Put "stable" if you want to push the package directly to stable.

Put the bug number of the package's Review Request in the "Bugs" field blank. Bodhi will automatically close it as NEXTRELEASE when it gets pushed to the requested update status.

For new packages, add a copy of the package's description in the "Notes" section, so end users will know what the package is.

Here is the Bodhi Instruction and more information about Bodhi.

After you have submitted an upgrade through bodhi, your package is placed in a queue. Periodically, an administrator will check the queue and push all of the packages into the appropriate repositories.

Make the package available in "comps" files
If appropriate for the package, make it available in "comps" files so that it can be selected during installation and included in yum's package group operations. See PackageMaintainers/CompsXml for more info.

Watch for updates
Fedora has infrastructure available for monitoring new upstream releases of the software you are packaging. Refer to Upstream Release Monitoring for more details. Learn to handle updates by reading the Package update HOWTO

Getting Help
We know that this process can be as clear as mud sometimes, and we're always trying to make it better. If you run into any problems, or have any questions, please ask on the devel@lists.fedoraproject.org mailing list or in  on freenode.net.

The Fedora Mentors Project has people willing to help new contributors in their packaging efforts. See the Mentors page for more information.

See also using git FAQ for package maintainers.

Getting a new package into Fedora Package Collection for existing maintainers
If you already maintain a package in Fedora and want to maintain another, follow the new package process for existing contributors.