[PATCH] docs: bug-bisect: Add a note about bisecting -next

From: Mark Brown
Date: Tue Oct 22 2024 - 12:01:05 EST


We don't explicitly mention anywhere in the kernel tree that bisects
between -next versions won't work well and it's better to bisect between
mainline and -next. Let's add a note about that to try to help people avoid
this particular gotcha.

Signed-off-by: Mark Brown <broonie@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/admin-guide/bug-bisect.rst | 12 ++++++++++++
1 file changed, 12 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/bug-bisect.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/bug-bisect.rst
index 585630d14581c7e0bdf9dd3b66d427793d41925b..eef6921a9542ef276c097e5861ca4efe5812ea0d 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/bug-bisect.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/bug-bisect.rst
@@ -109,6 +109,18 @@ With that the process is complete. Now report the regression as described by
Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst.


+Bisecting linux-next
+--------------------
+
+Since linux-next is a series of merges rebuilt every day starting from
+Linus' tree there is no commmon history between multiple versions of
+-next. This means that the history of a given -next release won't
+include prior -next releases which confuses bisect if you try to
+bisect between them. Bisects will run much better if performed between
+-next and the commit in Linus' tree which that version of -next is
+based on instead.
+
+
Additional reading material
---------------------------


---
base-commit: 8e929cb546ee42c9a61d24fae60605e9e3192354
change-id: 20241022-doc-bisect-next-d47c6ace8a95

Best regards,
--
Mark Brown <broonie@xxxxxxxxxx>