#+TITLE: Contribute | Org mode
#+setupfile: setup.org
#+description: Org: an Emacs Mode for Notes, Planning and Authoring
#+include: "./resources/preamble.html" export html
#+include: "./resources/normal-outline-3.html" export html

* Contribute
  :PROPERTIES:
  :CUSTOM_ID: contribute
  :END:

Org mode is [[file:manual/History-and-Acknowledgments.html][built on the efforts of enthusiastic volunteers]].  The two
best ways to contribute to Org are with time or money.  Donations
support Org's primary maintainer Bastien Guerry.

#+begin_export html
<div class="banner"><p style="margin:0 0.5em">
<a href="https://liberapay.com/bzg" title="Donations always help" style="color: #c7a416; display: inline-block">
<img class="inline" src="/resources/img/external/librepay.svg"/> Liberapay</a>
<a href="https://github.com/sponsors/bzg" title="Donations always help" style="color: #222; display: inline-block">
<img class="inline" src="/resources/img/external/github.svg"/> GitHub</a>
<a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bzg/10" title="Donations always help" style="color: #253b80; display: inline-block">
<img class="inline" src="/resources/img/external/paypal.svg"/> PayPal</a>
</p></div>
#+end_export

You can also support Org with your time, no matter your level of
experience.

#+begin_export html
<div class="banner"><p style="margin:0 0.5em">
<a href="https://code.orgmode.org/bzg/org-mode" style="color: #661a13; display: inline-block">
<img class="inline" src="/resources/img/external/gogs.png"/> The Org Codebase</a>
</p></div>
#+end_export

The fastest way to get involved is by joining the [[file:community.org][community]] and [[https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode][subscribing to
the mailing list]].  You can also always get in touch via [[mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org][emacs-orgmode@gnu.org]] to
help move the project forward.

# FIXME this section needs links, e.g. to instructions for running tests

- Very little experience :: Give [[file:manual/Feedback.html][feedback]] about your experience with org.
- A dash of experience :: Help improve the documentation.
- Some experience :: Help test patches, track down bugs.
- Moderate experience :: Submit bug-fixes, improve features.

Whatever your contribution, it is appreciated 😀.

* Copyright assignment
  :PROPERTIES:
  :CUSTOM_ID: copyright
  :END:

Org mode has a substantial code base composed of many files, most of
which are distributed as part of GNU Emacs.

These files make up the /Org core/ and are copyrighted by the [[https://www.fsf.org/][Free
Software Foundation]] (FSF).

If you want to contribute more than 15 lines of code to Org mode you
will [[https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html][need]] to assign the copyright for your contributions to the FSF so
that they can be included in GNU Emacs.  To start the copyright
assignment process fill out [[https://orgmode.org/request-assign-future.txt][this form]] and email it to [[mailto:assign@gnu.org][assign@gnu.org]].

* Submitting patches
  :PROPERTIES:
  :CUSTOM_ID: patches
  :END:

** Suggested workflow
#+BEGIN_SRC shell
~$ git pull
~$ git checkout -b my-changes
# make some changes
~$ git commit -a -m "Definitely following the commit conventions"
# repeat a few times, as appropriate
~$ git format-patch master
# optional, see: https://git-send-email.io/
~$ git send-email --to="emacs-orgmode@gnu.org" HEAD^
#+END_SRC

** Coding conventions
Org is part of Emacs, so any contribution should follow the
[[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Coding-Conventions.html][GNU Emacs Lisp coding conventions]]
described in Emacs manual.
** Commit messages

Commit messages also need to be structured according to Emacs
conventions.

#+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
main file/feature: overall change summary

,* file-changed.el (function-changed, another-function): Description of
the change implemented, reference any relevant `other-functions' or
`variables' here.
(another-changed-function): Change something.  Use active voice,
and avoid passive forms.  Please write in full sentences.
#+END_EXAMPLE

More formally,

1. The first line should include the file/feature affected followed by
   a colon and an short description of the overall change
2. The second line should be left blank
3. Start on the third line there should be a ChangeLog entry for each
   file changed, as seen in the example above
   - Quote variables and function names like ~`this'~
   - Separate sentences with *two* spaces
   - Use active voice instead of passive voice
4. The line after the final ChangeLog entry should be left blank
5. Optionally this may be followed by any supplementary information
   explaining the patch
6. If the patch is from a contributor /without/ FSF assignment, it can
   be accepted as long as it contains no more than 15 lines.  In this
   case add the =TINYCHANGE= cookie (anywhere in the message)

** Sending patches

Use ~git diff~ or ~git format-patch~ to generate the patch files and then
include them in an email to [[mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org][emacs-orgmode@gnu.org]] describing what
you've done.  If you have configured git to use [[https://git-send-email.io/][send-email]], then you
can use that.

If your mail has not appeared on [[https://orgmode.org/list/][the list]] after waiting at least 15
minutes, it may have been flagged as spam by the robot email
overlords.  If this happens, you should be able to get the email to go
through by [[https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode][subscribing]] to the mailing list.