[PATCH v3 1/2] checkpatch: Allow to pass config directory

From: Petr Vorel

Date: Wed Apr 08 2026 - 08:08:01 EST


checkpatch.pl searches for .checkpatch.conf in $HOME, $CWD/.scripts
and $CWD. Allow to pass a single directory via CHECKPATCH_CONFIG_DIR
environment variable. This allows to directly use project configuration
file for projects which vendored checkpatch.pl (e.g. LTP or u-boot).

Although it'd be more convenient for user to add --conf-dir option
(instead of using environment variable), code would get ugly because
options from the configuration file needs to be read before processing
command line options with Getopt::Long.

While at it, document directories and environment variable in help.

Signed-off-by: Petr Vorel <pvorel@xxxxxxx>
---
Changes in v3:
* CHECKPATCH_CONFIG_DIR can point to only single directory (':' would
make it not finding the directory, Simon).
* Avoid join undef string (Simon).
* Don't use $ENV{$env_config_dir} twice (Joe).
* Pass new variables to which_conf() instead of using global.

Link to v2:
https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20260224181623.89904-1-pvorel@xxxxxxx/

Link to v1:
https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20260202144221.76765-2-pvorel@xxxxxxx/

scripts/checkpatch.pl | 16 +++++++++++++---
1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 0492d6afc9a1f..58f3d5a98204c 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ my %ignore_type = ();
my @ignore = ();
my $help = 0;
my $configuration_file = ".checkpatch.conf";
+my $def_configuration_dirs = ".:$ENV{HOME}:.scripts";
+my $env_config_dir = 'CHECKPATCH_CONFIG_DIR';
my $max_line_length = 100;
my $ignore_perl_version = 0;
my $minimum_perl_version = 5.10.0;
@@ -146,6 +148,11 @@ Options:
-h, --help, --version display this help and exit

When FILE is - read standard input.
+
+CONFIGURATION FILE
+Script searches for a configuration file $configuration_file in a directory
+specified by \$$env_config_dir environment variable, or
+(if variable not defined) in path: '$def_configuration_dirs'
EOM

exit($exitcode);
@@ -237,7 +244,7 @@ sub list_types {
exit($exitcode);
}

-my $conf = which_conf($configuration_file);
+my $conf = which_conf($configuration_file, $env_config_dir, $def_configuration_dirs);
if (-f $conf) {
my @conf_args;
open(my $conffile, '<', "$conf")
@@ -1531,9 +1538,12 @@ sub which {
}

sub which_conf {
- my ($conf) = @_;
+ my ($conf, $env_key, $paths) = @_;
+ my $env_dir = $ENV{$env_key};
+
+ return "$env_dir/$conf" if (defined($env_dir));

- foreach my $path (split(/:/, ".:$ENV{HOME}:.scripts")) {
+ foreach my $path (split(/:/, $paths)) {
if (-e "$path/$conf") {
return "$path/$conf";
}
--
2.53.0