# Contributing Guidelines

## Translations

Use [Weblate](https://hosted.weblate.org/engage/openwrt/?utm_source=widget) instead of direct editing of the `*.po` files.

## Patches and pull requests

If you want to contribute a change to LuCI, please either send a patch using git send-email or open a pull request (PR) against the openwrt/luci repository.

Regardless of whether you send a patch or open a pull request, please try to follow these rules:

* Have a useful commit subject prefixed with the component name, with your commit subject having a reasonable number of characters. Your title after the component name must start with a lowercase letter.
    (E.g.: "luci-mod-admin-full: wifi channel selection on STA networks")
* In your commit message, shortly explain the changes made and - if applicable - the reasoning behind them, with your message having a reasonable number of characters per line. You cannot have an empty commit message.
* Commit message of each commit **must** include a Signed-off-by line. Your first and last name should be used. Using a GitHub noreply email address will not be accepted.
    (See <https://openwrt.org/submitting-patches#sign_your_work>)

In case you like to send patches by mail, please use the [OpenWrt Development List](https://lists.openwrt.org/mailman/listinfo/openwrt-devel), although patches to luci are preferred in [the luci repo on GitHub](https://github.com/openwrt/luci/pulls).

If you are sending via the OpenWrt list, include a `[luci]` tag in your subject line. For general information on patch submission, follow the [OpenWrt patch submission guideline](https://openwrt.org/submitting-patches).

## Advice on pull requests

Pull requests are the easiest way to contribute changes to git repos at GitHub. They are the preferred contribution method, as they offer a nice way for commenting and amending the proposed changes.

* You need a local "fork" of the Github repo.
* Create and use a "feature branch" that isn't named "master" or "main" for your changes. That separates the changes in the pull request from your other changes and makes it easy to edit/amend commits in the pull request. Workflow using `feature_x` as the example:
  - Update your local git fork to the tip (of the master, usually)
  - Create the feature branch with `git checkout -b feature_x`
  - Edit changes and commit them locally
  - Push them to your GitHub fork by `git push -u origin feature_x`. That creates the `feature_x` branch at your GitHub fork and sets it as the remote of this branch
  - When you now visit GitHub, you should see a proposal to create a pull request.

* If you later need to add new commits to the pull request, you can simply commit the changes to the local branch and then use `git push` to automatically update the pull request.

* If you need to change something in the existing pull request (e.g. to add a missing signed-off-by line to the commit message), you can use `git push -f` to overwrite the original commits. That is easy and safe when using a feature branch. Example workflow:
  - Checkout the feature branch by `git checkout feature_x`
  - Edit changes and commit them locally. If you are just updating the commit message in the last commit, you can use `git commit --amend` to do that
  - If you added several new commits or made other changes that require cleaning up, you can use `git rebase -i HEAD~X` (X = number of commits to edit) to possibly squash some commits
  - Push the changed commits to GitHub with `git push -f` to overwrite the original commits in the "feature_x" branch with the new ones. The pull request will be automatically updated.

## If you have commit access

* Do **not** use `git push --force`.
* Use pull requests if you are unsure and to suggest changes to other developers.

## Gaining commit access

* Commit access will be granted to responsible contributors who have made useful pull requests and/or feedback or patches to this repository or OpenWrt in general. Please include your request for commit access in your next pull request or ticket.

## Release branches

* Branches named `openwrt-xx.yy` (e.g. `openwrt-25.12`) are release branches.
* These branches are built with the respective OpenWrt release and are created during the release stabilisation phase.
* Please **only** cherry-pick or commit security and bug-fixes to these branches.
* Do **not** add new packages and do **not** do major upgrades of packages here.
* If you are unsure if your change is suitable, please use a pull request.