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.
Becoming a Fedora Package Collection Maintainer
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 Packaging 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.
Create a Fedora Account
Create an account in the Fedora Account System (this is not the same as the bugzilla account)
- Visit the account system home: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/accounts/
- Click on 'New account' and fill in the blanks. Note that the email you give should be the same as the one you gave bugzilla. This allows the system to link privileges between the two accounts.
- 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).
- You will also need to upload a public RSA SSH key. You need to use the matching private key to access Fedora machines via SSH. You can read more about this here.
Join the important Mailing Lists
You must join the fedora devel-announce mailing list. It is a low traffic announcements only list, where important development information is posted.
You can join the fedora devel mailing list, where discussions about the development of Fedora are held. This is a high traffic mailing list.
You can also consider joining the package-announce 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 packaging. This is the mailing list of the Fedora Packaging Committee, who determine the official packaging guidelines for Fedora projects.
Ensure the software you wish to 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 packages 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 need to be maintained actively, and bugs - especially security issues - need 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 mailing list;All comments on Fedora package reviews are sent to this (read-only from your point of view) list.
Configure Your Git
First thing to do when you set up Fedora packaging is to configure your user name and email address for Git. These are linked in each commit you do to Fedora packages.
git config --global user.name "John Doe" git config --global user.email johndoe@example.com
Install the client tools (Koji) and set up your certificate
To build Packages for the Fedora Collection or EPEL in the Fedora build system you need Koji.
The
package provides tools to help you setup and work with fedora; it will bring in everything necessary for general packaging work. Run the following as root:
fedora-packager
dnf install fedora-packager
After installation run the following as your user (not root) to setup your certificates and koji client configuration:
fedora-packager-setup
You can now use "koji" to try to build your RPM packages in the Fedora build system, even on platforms or Fedora versions you don't have. Note that you can (and definitely should) test out builds ("scratch" builds) even before your package has been approved and you have been sponsored. A simple way to do a scratch build using koji is to do this at the command line:
koji build --scratch TARGET path_to_source_RPM
Where:
- TARGET is a distribution keyword such as f17 (for Fedora 17). You can run "koji list-targets" to see all targets. To build for the next release (rawhide), don't use "dist-rawhide" - use "fX" where X is one more than the latest stable or branched 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
rpmbuild --nodeps -bs SPECFILE
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.
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).
- Make sure your package builds. This is surprisingly important, because a significant number of submissions don't.
Upload Your Package
Upload your SRPM and SPEC files onto the Internet somewhere so that others can retrieve them. This can be anywhere accessible by a URL, but it is important that the files be directly accessible, not hidden behind some service that makes people wait to download things or redirects through advertising pages.
If you want to make ad-hoc builds available for users while you are getting the package into the official repositories, consider using copr. It is a light weight automated build system that can create repositories using the SRPM you upload. You can use this copr space to point reviewers to your src.rpm and spec.
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. There is a convenient search box on the package review status page.
- Make sure that you put the name of the package (excluding version and release numbers) in the '
Review Summary
' field, along with a very brief summary of what the package is. - Put a description of your package (usually, this can be the same thing as what you put in the spec %description) in the '
Review Description
' field. Include the URLs to your SRPM and SPEC files. - Explain in the ticket that this is your first package and you need a sponsor. Also include any information that may help prospective sponsors. If you've been active in other review work, include links. If you're the upstream maintainer, be sure to say so.
- For bonus points, include a link to a successful koji build so that everyone knows you did all of your homework.
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 devel list's signup page. The primary purpose of this is to begin the process of building trust by allowing the Fedora community members to get to know you a bit more and increase the chances of your review request being processed sooner.
We want 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. But you should at least use your real name when communicating with us. Also a brief description of who you are, your motivations and perhaps a description of the software you have submitted for review is advisable.
Subject: Self Introduction: <Your name> Body: Add any information you believe is applicable including past experience in free and open source projects, 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.
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, login to pkgdb [ https://admin.fedoraproject.org/pkgdb/ ] click on 'request new package' and fill in the desired information (for the "Ticket number or URL" field, paste in the URL to your Bugzilla request, then press the "Sync" button to have the next two fields auto-filled). The request will be reviewed and processed by an admin, usually within 24 hours.
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 a single directory. 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 <packagename>
Where <packagename>
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#Scratch_Builds 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 <packagename>
Run fedpkg to import the contents of the SRPM into the SCM:
fedpkg import PATH_TO_SRPM
# Review Changes, press 'q' to stop; Revert with: git reset --hard HEAD git commit -m "Initial import (#XXXXXX)." git push fedpkg build
Obviously, replace PATH_TO_SRPM
with the full path (not URL) to your approved SRPM, and XXXXXX
with the package review bug number.
This imports into, commits, and builds only the master (Rawhide) branch.
If the push 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/package/PACKAGE_NAME to request those rights.
For more information on using the Fedora package maintenance system, see the Package maintenance guide.
Update Your Branches (if desired)
Branches are f
# (formerly F-
# and before that FC-
#), master
, etc. So f40 is the branch for Fedora 40.
To switch to a branch first:
fedpkg switch-branch BRANCH (e.g. f40)
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 Rawhide (master branch) builds via Bodhi.
You can push an update using Bodhi via the command line using this in each branch:
fedpkg update
See the update submission guide for more details.
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 dnf's|yum's package group operations. See How to use and edit comps.xml for package groups 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.
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 mailing list or in #fedora-devel[?] on freenode.net.
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 .