Submitting Your First Patch to Trac

Submitting Your First Patch to Trac

1. Understanding the Workflow

• Ticket System: Trac uses tickets to track bugs, enhancements, and tasks.
• Version Control: Typically Subversion (SVN) or Git, integrated with Trac.
• Review Process: Patches are attached to tickets for peer review before commit.
• Commit Policy: Follow the project’s coding standards, commit message format, and branching model.

2. Setting Up Your Environment

1. Check Out the Repository:
   • SVN: svn checkout https://url/to/project/trunk project
   • Git: git clone https://url/to/project.git
2. Install Dependencies:
   • Language runtime (Python, Java, etc.)
   • Build tools and testing frameworks
3. Configure Your IDE/Text Editor: Ensure formatting and linting plugins match project guidelines.
4. Verify a Clean Build: Run the full test suite to confirm no regressions exist.

3. Finding or Creating a Ticket

Before writing code, identify an existing ticket or open a new one:

1. Search the Ticket Queue: Use filters for keyword, status, type, or component.
2. Create a New Ticket:
   • Provide a concise summary.
   • Detail steps to reproduce (for bugs) or use cases (for enhancements).
   • Assign appropriate priority, severity, and component.
3. Ticket Number: Note it (e.g., #1234) you will reference it in your patch.

4. Implementing Your Change

Keep changes minimal and focused. Each patch should address only one logical issue.

4.1 Coding Standards

• Indentation, naming conventions, and line length as per project’s style guide.
• Include comments where non-obvious logic exists.
• Avoid trailing whitespace and ensure consistent EOL handling.

4.2 Testing Your Change

• Write or update unit tests to cover your patch.
• Run integration tests, especially for API or UI changes.
• Verify backwards compatibility where necessary.

5. Generating the Patch

6. Attaching the Patch to a Ticket

1. Open the ticket in Trac’s web UI.
2. Select Attach a file and upload your fix-1234.diff or fix-1234.patch.
3. In the comment box, include:
   • Reference: #1234
   • Brief description of what changed and why.
   • Instructions to run any new tests, if applicable.
4. Set Type to patch and submit.

7. Peer Review and Iteration

After submission, reviewers may comment:

• Address Comments Promptly: Clarify design decisions or revise code.
• Upload Revised Patches: Overwrite previous attachment or increment version.
• Keep Discussion on Ticket: Benefit future contributors by preserving context.

8. Final Commit and Cleanup

1. Once approved, a committer will merge your patch:
   • Ensure commit message references the ticket (#1234).
   • Follow the project’s branching/release procedures.
2. Close the Ticket: Review that the status is set to closed or resolved.
3. Pull Latest Changes: Update your local branch to stay in sync.

9. Common Pitfalls and Solutions

10. Additional Resources

• Trac Documentation:
  TracUserGuide,
  TracDevGuide
• Version Control Best Practices:
  Git Branching Model
• Effective Code Reviews:
  Google’s Code Review Guide