Publish Debian maintainer post
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content/posts/debian-maintainer-from-zero-to-hero.md
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content/posts/debian-maintainer-from-zero-to-hero.md
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title = "Debian maintainer from zero to hero"
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date = "2020-10-03"
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author = "Aloïs Micard"
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authorTwitter = "" #do not include @
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cover = ""
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tags = ["Debian"]
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keywords = ["", ""]
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description = "What it feels like to become a Debian maintainer in 2020"
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I have been using [Debian](https://www.debian.org/) intensively for more than 4years,
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mainly on the servers I administrate. It's a really powerful & stable (one of the most) OS, with a *TONS* of package available
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trough [APT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_(software)).
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Debian has helped me in a lot of ways, and I wanted to bring something in return, even the little help I could offer.
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So, one year ago I have emailed a friend who is also a [DD](https://wiki.debian.org/DebianDeveloper), to ask him if he's
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willing to become my mentor to help me contribute to Debian. One year ago,
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I've started, with his help, the [new maintainer process](https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/maint-guide/).
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Please note that this isn't a technical guide at ALL, it's more my opinions & impressions on the Debian maintainer
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experience.
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# 1. What kind of contributions?
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You can contribute to Debian in a lot of ways: from translating, submitting bug reports / patches (bugfixes),
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help newcomers on forums, help package & maintain software, etc ([full list of wanted contributions](https://www.debian.org/intro/help)). It only depends on
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your skills, your free time & what you like to do.
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I personally wanted to get involved into packaging (TL;DR: help get software into the Debian archive,
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so that end-users can install them with apt).
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# 2. Packaging
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## 2.1. Learn how to make a package from scratch
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The first step is to learn how to make a package from scratch, so that you can understand exactly how it works,
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and therefore be able to investigate future errors. I have used the [following documentation](https://wiki.debian.org/Packaging/Intro?action=show&redirect=IntroDebianPackaging).
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I personally have spent 2 weeks reading the documentation, setting up a VM, and trial by errors. I have learned a lot of
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things that would help me a lot in the future.
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For me, learning to make a package from scratch is a *really* important step, since it will be the core of your work
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as a maintainer. Nowadays, a lot of the package process is automated, especially with the *dh-make* tools. Therefore,
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a lot of stuff is going on under the hood, and not knowing how packaging work will make you struggle when encountering
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errors / fixing packaging related bugs.
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## 2.2. Learn what to package
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Once you know how to package stuff, you have to choose what you're gonna do with this new skill.
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Once again, several options are available:
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### 2.2.1. Create a new package
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This option may be the most interesting, especially if you already have a
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software in mind, but you're gonna ask you a some questions first:
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- does this package will fit in the archive? (copyright, usefulness, etc...)
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- Do I have enough skills to package this software?
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- Do I have enough free time?
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- Doesn't this package already exist?
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In case of doubt, always ask somewhere for help. You can use [IRC](https://wiki.debian.org/IRC), [mailing list](https://www.debian.org/MailingLists/), etc.
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### 2.2.2. Help maintain existing package
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There's a lot of package in [RFH](https://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/rfh) (request for help). These packages already have
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a maintainer, but seeking for help, meaning that he may be willing to help you update / fix bugs on the package, as
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well as upload it on the archive for you.
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RFH packages are really great since you'll help an existing maintainer, learn from him, be able to ask questions,
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and the maintainer may be willing to advocate you to become a Debian maintainer in the future (see below for more details).
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### 2.2.3. Take over abandoned package
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Sometimes, maintainer may not have enough time for their packages, and will mark a package [RFA](https://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/rfa) (request for adoption).
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These package are basically abandoned, looking for adoption. The maintainer may help you in taking over the maintenance.
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# 3. Becoming a Sponsored maintainer
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When your package is finished (successfully built + tested) you can't just upload it on the Debian archive. Only DD & [DM](https://wiki.debian.org/DebianMaintainer)
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can do that.
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You'll have to ask someone with upload rights to review it & upload it for you (this is called sponsoring).
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To ease package reviewing you can use [mentors](https://mentors.debian.net/) and/or email the [debian-mentors](https://lists.debian.org/debian-mentors/) mailing list.
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Once your first package is on [unstable](https://wiki.debian.org/DebianUnstable), you will be a [Sponsored maintainer](https://wiki.debian.org/SponsoredMaintainer)!
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# 4. Becoming a Debian maintainer
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Once you start mastering the art of packaging, you may candidate to become a Debian Maintainer (DM).
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DM are people with a restricted upload rights on the archive. DD can grant them upload rights for specific packages,
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so that they will be able to upload without sponsoring.
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To become a DM you must go through the [new-member process](https://nm.debian.org/), there's several steps required such
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as getting your PGP uid signed by a DD (to enable trust), being advocated by a DD, agreeing to the [SC](https://www.debian.org/social_contract)/[DFSG](https://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines)/[DMUP](https://www.debian.org/devel/dmup).
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After completing all steps, your application will stay pending for 4days+ (to allow any objections to be made)
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and finally the keyring maintainers will add your key to the Debian keyring, making you a Debian maintainer.
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# 5. Conclusion
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Contributing to such a big & distributed open source project taught me a lot of things, from technical skills such as packaging,
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reviewing / submitting patches, arguing about them, reporting bugs, ...
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To social skills such as asynchronous communication (only email & IRC based) all
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around the world, working with a lot of different mindset, culture, **being patient**, humble, etc...
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This experience helped me to be a better software developer & human being.
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I'd like to thank the whole Debian community who is always really helpful & especially Alexandre Viau, my mentor,
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who has greatly helped me & pushed me to become a Debian maintainer.
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Happy hacking!
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