README-hacking

Requirements
============
If you use the GIT version of strace there will be some files missing
that you need to build strace.  These files are generated by tools from
the GNU Autoconf and Automake packages.

Note: rather than run `autoreconf' directly, use the `./bootstrap' script.


No more ChangeLog file
======================
Do not create or modify the ChangeLog files.  Starting at 2009-07-09, the
policy changed.  Before, we would insert the exact same text (or worse,
sometimes slightly differing) into both the ChangeLog file and the commit
log.  Now we put that information only in the commit log, and generate
the top-level ChangeLog file from logs at "make dist" time.  As such,
there are strict requirements on the form of the commit log messages.


Commit log requirements
=======================
Each commit log should always start with a one-line summary, the second
line should be blank, and the remaining lines are usually ChangeLog-style
entries for all affected files, except the leading TABs which should
be omitted.


Documentation
=============
All noteworthy changes should be mentioned in NEWS.  All changes in strace
command interface should be reflected in the man page.  New options should
be documented both in -h output and in the man page.