doc: add default that all fixes should be backported

Set the starting point that all commits on master branch
with Fixes tag should be backported to relevant stable/LTS
branches, and explain that the submitter may indicate it is
not suitable for backport.

Of course there will be exceptions that will crop up from time
to time that need discussion, so also add a sentence for that.

This is to ensure that there is consistency between what is
backported to stable/LTS branches, remove some subjectivity
as to what constitutes "a fix" and avoid possible conflicts
for future backports.

Signed-off-by: Kevin Traynor <ktraynor@redhat.com>
Acked-by: Luca Boccassi <bluca@debian.org>
Acked-by: Aaron Conole <aconole@redhat.com>
Acked-by: Thomas Monjalon <thomas@monjalon.net>

diff --git a/doc/guides/contributing/stable.rst b/doc/guides/contributing/stable.rst
index 0f2f1f3..f66e562 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/guides/contributing/stable.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/contributing/stable.rst
@@ -57,7 +57,25 @@ that a tagged release has been tested.
 What changes should be backported
 ---------------------------------
 
-Backporting should be limited to bug fixes.
+Backporting should be limited to bug fixes. All patches accepted on the master
+branch with a Fixes: tag should be backported to the relevant stable/LTS
+branches, unless the submitter indicates otherwise. If there are exceptions,
+they will be discussed on the mailing lists.
+
+Fixes suitable for backport should have a ``Cc: stable@dpdk.org`` tag in the
+commit message body as follows::
+
+     doc: fix some parameter description
+
+     Update the docs, fixing description of some parameter.
+
+     Fixes: abcdefgh1234 ("doc: add some parameter")
+     Cc: stable@dpdk.org
+
+     Signed-off-by: Alex Smith <alex.smith@example.com>
+
+
+Fixes not suitable for backport should not include the ``Cc: stable@dpdk.org`` tag.
 
 Features should not be backported to stable releases. It may be acceptable, in
 limited cases, to back port features for the LTS release where: