org-mode/CONTRIBUTE

-*- mode: org; fill-column:70 -*-

The text below explains the rules for participating in Org mode
development.

* Main contribution rules

1. The master git repository is hosted publicly on [[https://savannah.gnu.org][savannah.gnu.org]].

   : git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs/org-mode.git

   This is sufficient to start hacking and to produce patches that can
   easily and consistently be applied to the main repository.

2. People who want to participate to the Org mode development can send
   patches to this address:

   : emacs-orgmode@gnu.org

3. If you are a regular contributor, you can request push access to
   the repository by creating an account on [[https://savannah.gnu.org/account/register.php][savannah.gnu.org]] and by
   [[https://savannah.gnu.org/git/?group=emacs][joining the Emacs group]].
   
   After you have been added as a user with push privileges, you can
   clone the repository like this:

   : git clone git://git.savannah.gnu.org/emacs/org-mode.git

   By requesting push access, you acknowledge that you have read and
   agreed with the following rules:

   - Org mode is part of GNU Emacs.  Therefore, we need to be very
     conscious about changes moving into the Org mode core.  These can
     originate only from people who have signed the appropriate papers
     with the Free Software Foundation.  The files to which this
     applies are:

     - all *.el files in the lisp directory of the repository
     - org.texi, orgcard.tex in the doc/ directory

   - Before making any significant changes, please explain and discuss
     them on the mailing list [[mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org][emacs-orgmode@gnu.org]].

     This does obviously not apply to people who are maintaining their
     own contributions to Org mode.  Please just use the new mechanism
     to make sure all changes end up in the right place.

     We value a nice tone in our discussions: please check and respect
     the [[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.en.html][GNU Kind Communications Guidelines]].

   - Org mode no longer uses ChangeLog entries to document changes.
     Instead, special commit messages are used, as described in the
     `CONTRIBUTE' file in the main Emacs repository.

   - Among other things, Org mode is widely appreciated because of its
     simplicity, cleanness and consistency.  We should try to preserve
     them and ask everyone to keep this in mind when posting changes.

* The contrib/ directory

The git repository contains a =contrib/= directory.  This directory is
the playing field for any developer, also people who have not (yet)
signed the papers with the FSF.  You are free to add files to this
directory, implementing extensions, new link types etc.

Also non-Lisp extensions like scripts to process Org files in different
ways are welcome in this directory.  You should provide documentation
with your extensions, at least in the form of commentary in the file,
better on worg.  Please discuss your extensions on
[[mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org][emacs-orgmode@gnu.org]].

After files have been tested in =contrib/= and found to be generally
useful, we may decide to clarify copyright questions and then move the
file into the Org mode core.  This means they will be moved up to the
root directory and will also eventually be added to GNU Emacs git
repository.  The final decision about this rests with the maintainer.

* Org maintenance

Org maintenance is explained on Worg: see [[https://orgmode.org/worg/org-maintenance.html][org-maintenance]].