linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] checkpatch: validate commit tag ordering

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Message-ID: <bbe1ea08-23bf-43dc-960d-bb8a214b65fa@hammernet.be>
Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:34:41 +0200
From: Hendrik Hamerlinck <hendrik.hamerlinck@...mernet.be>
To: dwaipayanray1@...il.com, lukas.bulwahn@...il.com, joe@...ches.com,
 corbet@....net, apw@...onical.com
Cc: skhan@...uxfoundation.org, linux-kernel-mentees@...ts.linux.dev,
 workflows@...r.kernel.org, linux-doc@...r.kernel.org,
 linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, jeff.johnson@....qualcomm.com,
 akiyks@...il.com, konstantin@...uxfoundation.org, krzk@...nel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] checkpatch: validate commit tag ordering

On 7/24/25 09:20, Hendrik Hamerlinck wrote:
> Modified the checkpatch script to ensure that commit tags (e.g.,
> Signed-off-by, Reviewed-by, Acked-by, Tested-by, etc.) appear in the
> correct order according to kernel conventions [1].
Hello all,

Thank you for the feedback. I wasn’t aware that the tag ordering
conventions used in the TIP tree are not universally followed across all
kernel subsystems.

My motivation for this change came from a recent mistake I made in a patch
submission, where I incorrectly placed a Fixes: tag after the
Signed-off-by: line. I realized that checkpatch.pl didn’t flag this, and I
thought a warning might be helpful, especially for newer contributors like
myself.

I now realize that my approach is too strict by trying to enforce an order
for all tags. However, I still believe that a targeted warning could be
useful. Another mentee I work with recently made the same mistake, so it
may be a common pitfall.

Is there a general consensus on placing the first Fixes: tag at the start
of the tag sequence? If so, a warning might be helpful for newer
contributors?

I was still using checkpatch as that was how I initially learned it. I'll
definitely look into using b4 as well.

Kind regards,
Hendrik