Re: [PATCH] docs: submitting-patches: Require base tree information

From: Weijie Yuan

Date: Tue Oct 20 2026 - 23:33:03 EST



Eric Biggers <ebiggers@xxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> Many patches still don't include base tree information and can't be
> applied. Such patches can't be properly reviewed or tested, nor can
> they be accepted. submitting-patches.rst already describes how to
> include base tree information, but it's characterized as optional,
> appears only towards the end of the document, and is missing details.
>
> Make some tweaks to hopefully increase the number of patches that
> include base tree information:
>
> - Characterize base tree information as required, not optional.
>
> - Mention it in the "The canonical patch format" section too.
>
> - Clarify what commits are acceptable to use as base commits. Also use
> origin/master instead of master in the example.
>
> - Mention how to handle prerequisite patches.
>
> - Suggest setting the format.useAutoBase=true git configuration option.
>
> - Mention falling back to free-form text as a last resort.
>
> - Don't say base-commit can go "below the '---' line", since that
> implied it could go before the diff, which is an unnecessary
> alternative that differs from what 'git format-patch' produces.
>
> - Free up some space for the new information by dropping the mention of
> needing at least git v2.9.0 (since that's quite old by now) and the
> example of 'git am' (since that isn't directly relevant to submitting
> patches, which is the topic of submitting-patches.rst).
>
> Signed-off-by: Eric Biggers <ebiggers@xxxxxxxxxx>

LGTM!

Reviewed-by: Weijie Yuan <wy@xxxxxxxxx>

Thanks.