Patch spotlight: Current Drupal core initiatives

Help us test patches for core! There are many important core initiatives going on that need to be reviewed and tested. You can help with this important task even if you don't know how to code.

How do I start?

Your first order of business is to get a development environment up and running. Next, you should read the instructions on how to test out patches and how to review them. Also, see the resources section at the bottom of this page.

Where do I jump in?

What do I do if I find a bug while testing a patch?

Try to reproduce the bug on a 'clean' copy of Drupal HEAD. For patches without database changes, you can "reverse" apply a patch to remove it:

For patches that make changes to the database, you'll need a clean checkout elsewhere to compare against.

Check to see if the bug manifests itself without the patch. And note: don't forget to re-apply afterwards:

If not, it's usually safe to assume it's caused by the current patch. Mark the issue "code needs work" and describe in detail what you experienced and how the developer can re-produce the steps.

If so, then there is a deeper problem with core... see if someone has already reported a bug on it by searching the issue queue. If not, feel free to file a bug.

Resources

Here is a list of general resources for applying and testing patches.

• HOW TO: Set up a test environment to help review patches: First thing's first: get a development environment setup to perform your testing. This requires a CVS checkout (not a CVS account!), a web environment with Apache, MySQL, and PHP, and the 'diff' and 'patch' utilities. More specific information can be found at the following pages:
  • CVS Clients
  • Get a copy of Drupal HEAD from CVS
• HOW TO: Apply Patches: This is where the action starts. For visual learners, there is also Video: Applying Patches to Drupal Core
• Tips for reviewing patches: Some best practice guidelines on what makes up a good patch review.
• HOWTO: Benchmark Drupal code: Some changes are extensive and require performance benchmarking in order to make it into core. Learn more about it here.
• There is also a Reviewers group, a group of folks dedicated to doing patch reviews who would be happy to answer your questions!