diff mbox series

recipe-style-guide: Clarify when License-Update tag is needed

Message ID 20260604-license-update-v1-1-16dad5e9b0a2@pbarker.dev
State New
Headers show
Series recipe-style-guide: Clarify when License-Update tag is needed | expand

Commit Message

Paul Barker June 4, 2026, 10:09 a.m. UTC
As discussed in a patch review call, we don't need License-Update tags
in commits where the upstream license has not changed, and we are
instead changing the LICENSE variable to fix incorrect data.

Signed-off-by: Paul Barker <paul@pbarker.dev>
---
 documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst | 7 +++++--
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)


---
base-commit: d7376cca64a0784e59d4fd60b9baefb4da2ce289
change-id: 20260604-license-update-1ef504f8f2a5

Best regards,
--  
Paul Barker

Comments

Antonin Godard June 4, 2026, 10:14 a.m. UTC | #1
On Thu Jun 4, 2026 at 12:09 PM CEST, Paul Barker wrote:
> As discussed in a patch review call, we don't need License-Update tags
> in commits where the upstream license has not changed, and we are
> instead changing the LICENSE variable to fix incorrect data.
>
> Signed-off-by: Paul Barker <paul@pbarker.dev>
> ---
>  documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst | 7 +++++--
>  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> index 79bf7c79b67b..d05a535784d9 100644
> --- a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> +++ b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> @@ -268,14 +268,17 @@ License Updates
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>  
>  When you change the :term:`LICENSE` or :term:`LIC_FILES_CHKSUM` in the recipe
> -you need to briefly explain the reason for the change via a ``License-Update:``
> -tag.  Often it's quite trivial, such as::
> +due to an upstream license change, you need to briefly explain the reason for
> +the change via a ``License-Update:`` tag. Often it's quite trivial, such as::
>  
>      License-Update: copyright years refreshed
>  
>  Less often, the actual licensing terms themselves will have changed.  If so, do
>  try to link to upstream making/justifying that decision.
>  
> +The ``License-Update:`` tag is not needed for commits which fix incorrect
> +license data in our metadata.

By reading this alone I fail to see a use-case, could you provide an example?
Perhaps a link to such a commit? (you can use :oecore_rev:`<commit sha>` to
create the link).

Thanks,
Antonin
Paul Barker June 4, 2026, 10:18 a.m. UTC | #2
On Thu, 2026-06-04 at 12:14 +0200, Antonin Godard via
lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
> On Thu Jun 4, 2026 at 12:09 PM CEST, Paul Barker wrote:
> > As discussed in a patch review call, we don't need License-Update tags
> > in commits where the upstream license has not changed, and we are
> > instead changing the LICENSE variable to fix incorrect data.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Paul Barker <paul@pbarker.dev>
> > ---
> >  documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst | 7 +++++--
> >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> > index 79bf7c79b67b..d05a535784d9 100644
> > --- a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> > +++ b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
> > @@ -268,14 +268,17 @@ License Updates
> >  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >  
> >  When you change the :term:`LICENSE` or :term:`LIC_FILES_CHKSUM` in the recipe
> > -you need to briefly explain the reason for the change via a ``License-Update:``
> > -tag.  Often it's quite trivial, such as::
> > +due to an upstream license change, you need to briefly explain the reason for
> > +the change via a ``License-Update:`` tag. Often it's quite trivial, such as::
> >  
> >      License-Update: copyright years refreshed
> >  
> >  Less often, the actual licensing terms themselves will have changed.  If so, do
> >  try to link to upstream making/justifying that decision.
> >  
> > +The ``License-Update:`` tag is not needed for commits which fix incorrect
> > +license data in our metadata.
> 
> By reading this alone I fail to see a use-case, could you provide an example?
> Perhaps a link to such a commit? (you can use :oecore_rev:`<commit sha>` to
> create the link).

Hi Antonin,

This was while discussing a series from Joshua [1] and follow-up patches
from Richard. I can send a v2 shortly once the commits are merged to
master and mirrors have updated, etc.

[1]: https://lore.kernel.org/openembedded-core/20260601181251.123019-1-JPEWhacker@gmail.com/

Best regards,
diff mbox series

Patch

diff --git a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
index 79bf7c79b67b..d05a535784d9 100644
--- a/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
+++ b/documentation/contributor-guide/recipe-style-guide.rst
@@ -268,14 +268,17 @@  License Updates
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 When you change the :term:`LICENSE` or :term:`LIC_FILES_CHKSUM` in the recipe
-you need to briefly explain the reason for the change via a ``License-Update:``
-tag.  Often it's quite trivial, such as::
+due to an upstream license change, you need to briefly explain the reason for
+the change via a ``License-Update:`` tag. Often it's quite trivial, such as::
 
     License-Update: copyright years refreshed
 
 Less often, the actual licensing terms themselves will have changed.  If so, do
 try to link to upstream making/justifying that decision.
 
+The ``License-Update:`` tag is not needed for commits which fix incorrect
+license data in our metadata.
+
 Tips and Guidelines for Writing Recipes
 ---------------------------------------