So you want to contribute?

That's great! What do you want to do?

What's What

On the package page in PortingDB, look down the sidebar for the headline RPMs. There you will see all the RPM (sub)packages contained in this package. Sometimes there's just the base package, sometimes it has several subpackages. What we want to know is if there is a (sub)package for Python 3. If there is only a Python 2 (sub)package, then we know that this package needs to be ported.

However, sometimes you will find a package that is still mispackaged even though it already has a Python 3 (sub)package. In those cases, something isn't quite right. Usually the Python 3 subpackage depends on both Python 3 and Python 2. That is unfortunate, because it basically renders the porting effort null.

Open a Pull Request

In either case, look a bit further down on the package page in PortingDB and find a link to the associated Bugzilla report (under Links→bug in the sidebar). Go there and join the discussion. Find out what's the status quo and if anyone is working on it. If not, be the one that opens a Pagure pull request with a fix! The link to the package repository in Fedora Pagure is right next to the Fedora logo on top of the package page in PortingDB (if you are not a Fedora packager yet, you may use remote pull requests or attach a patch to the Bugzilla ticket).

If you don't find a link to Bugzilla, you'll need to investigate the issue and file a bug yourself. A hint on the nature of the problem will usually be provided just under the Fedora heading on the package page.

To aid you in your porting effort, use the Python RPM Porting Guide. If you are investigating why a Python 3 subpackage still depends on Python 2, take a look at the section on shebangs.

Make it Happen

When you have a pull request ready, be sure to post a comment about it in the associated Bugzilla report and ask the assigned packager to review and merge it. However, as maintainers can be unresponsive for long periods of time, let us know about your pull request as well so we can merge it if the maintainer is unable.

To let us know, edit the Blocks field of the Bugzilla report and add the string PY3PATCH-AVAILABLE (you can use space as a separator). That way it will appear in our tracking bug for packages with an available patch. If need be, we'll review your pull request and merge it for the maintainer.

Fame and Glory

After you've done the deed, you deserve your reward! Sadly, the hand of the King's daughter and half of all the kingdom has recently become unavailable (may vary upon location, ask your nearest royal family), but fret not, you can get a badge of honour!

Wait a day or two after the patch is pushed so that the package turns green in PortingDB. Then visit the wiki for Python 3 badges and add a row with your FAS username if it doesn't exist yet. Inside put a link to the Bugzilla report you helped resolve as well a link to the package on PortingDB. You can get 3 badges: for your 1st, 5th and also 10th resolved package!

If you think we forgot to award you a badge, please ping Miro Hrončok (IRC is preferred).

Investigate & Annotate

If packaging is just not your thing, don't despair! You can help also by providing information!

But it is Python 3 compatible upstream!

Idle packages

There are 4 idle packages which are currently only available for Python 2 and where we don't know of their Python 3–readiness upstream. Do you know that some of them in fact do support Python 3 upstream? Great news! You can let us know by filing a bug!

Blocked packages

The 0 blocked packages are a bit similar, but not quite. These are Python 2–only packages that cannot yet be ported because some of their dependencies are still not ported to Python 3 in Fedora.

If you do know that some of these packages support Python 3 upstream, open the package here on PortingDB and look for the the Fedora headline in the left sidebar. If there's a ✔ next to it, we already know it's ready upstream. Otherwise, please let us know!

To make PortingDB aware that the package supports Python 3 upstream, please make a pull request on GitHub and provide the information by editing the data/upstream.yaml file. People not acquainted with git can edit the file directly on GitHub by clicking on the little pencil icon on the right side above the contents of the file. Add the following:

package-name:
    status: released
    links:
        bug: http://...
        homepage: http://...
        repo: http://...
    note: |
        This is a custom note. Please do NOT forget the '|'
        on the previous line, it's important.

Make sure to put the note inside the file in alphabetical order according to the package name. Including a link is required, chose either a bug, homepage or a repo link type (or a combination thereof). And the note can be any relevant text you wish or it can be omitted.

You shouldn't be using this…

There are also some packages that just won't be ported, because they were obsoleted by a different package. For example the python package just won't be ported, because the python3 package came along.

If you know of a package which people should stop using and switch to a different one instead, please make a pull request on GitHub and provide the information by editing the data/fedora-update.yaml file. People not acquainted with git can edit the file directly on GitHub by clicking on the little pencil icon on the right side above the contents of the file. Add the following:

package-name:
    status: dropped
    note: |
        Suggested replacement: `other-package-name`
        You are also encouraged to add a text comment like so.

Make sure to put the note inside the file in alphabetical order according to the package name.

Port it

The vast majority of the 4 idle packages are projects that are not yet ported to Python 3 upstream. We in Fedora follow the upstream first rule. If we need to make a change to some software (like port it to Python 3), we need to go upstream and either help the upstream team in the endeavour or offer to make the change for them.

Going Up the Stream

Pick an idle package you would like to work on (for example   gimp-resynthesizer ) and open it in PortingDB. Now you can click on the package name besides the blue Fedora logo towards the top of the page. This will take you to the corresponding entry in the Fedora Package Database and from there follow the link labeled upstream.

Sometimes, however, the upstream link gets broken. In that case go back to the package's page here on PortingDB. Follow the spec file link: what you'll see is a file with the metadata and building instructions for this package. Look for a line beginning with Source0: and try to use its URL (or part of it) to find the upstream project.

Help Wanted

First, let's make sure porting is needed as occasionally the package may be already ported, we just don't know about it yet. Look through the information on the website, the issue / bug tracker, the readme files, perhaps even the commit history. If it really is already ported, file a Fedora bug!

Otherwise, check if someone is working on porting it, or if it is perhaps planned. If there is an issue / bug tracker try finding if someone opened a ticket for porting to Python 3. If not, open one yourself! If you find no issue / bug tracker, you can use plain old email. Offer your help with porting the software and await a response. If you want to be proactive, you can start porting and then offer a pull request, but beware in some cases it might not be accepted.

It may happen that you find the upstream is dead and the project orphaned. You can take the initiative and take over the project. Start a new repository on GitLab/GitHub/Bitbucket/what-have-you, copy the sources there and get to work!