2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
eleventyNavigation:
|
|
|
|
key: IssueTrackingBasics
|
|
|
|
title: The Basics of Issue Tracking
|
|
|
|
parent: GettingStarted
|
|
|
|
order: 40
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issues are an important mean of communication on Codeberg.
|
|
|
|
Besides their original purpose - reporting bugs to a project's maintainer -
|
|
|
|
they can be used to suggest enhancements, ask for new features, discuss a project's
|
|
|
|
direction, ask questions and much more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### The Issue Tracker
|
|
|
|
<picture>
|
|
|
|
<source srcset="/assets/images/getting-started/issue-tracking-basics/issues-list.webp" type="image/webp">
|
|
|
|
<img src="/assets/images/getting-started/issue-tracking-basics/issues-list.png" alt="Issues List">
|
|
|
|
</picture>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can find the issue tracker of a project by clicking its "Issues" tab (1).
|
|
|
|
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
There, you will see browsable and filterable (2) list of all issues.
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
Many projects use labels to categorize issues. A good label to look for, if you want
|
|
|
|
to contribute to a project is the "help wanted" label.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can switch between issues that are still open, and those that are already resolved (3).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some projects define milestones (4), to which issues can be assigned. They are good for
|
|
|
|
visualizing the high-level progress of a project's development.
|
|
|
|
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
You can create an issue by clicking on the green "New Issue" button (5) at the top left
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
of the issues list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issues in the issue tracker are public and everyone is able to read and answer to them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
An Issue can have an assignee, meaning someone responsible for resolving or moderating
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
the issue. Their profile picture, with a link to their profile, can be seen in the issue
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Life of an Issue
|
|
|
|
Once an Issue in the Issue Tracker has been created, it will usually pass through a
|
|
|
|
process of review, discussion and closure, which is sometimes more, sometimes less
|
|
|
|
strictly defined, based on the project you're contributing to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first thing that might happen is that your issue is categorized using labels.
|
|
|
|
Your issue may be reviewed by the project's maintainer(s) and evaluated whether it i.e. might be a duplicate or an invalid bug report.
|
|
|
|
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
Then, depending on what kind of issue it is, there might be additional questions
|
|
|
|
or a discussion and, if applicable, the implementation of a solution (or the rejection of
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
the issue).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally, the issue is closed, thus vanishing from the list of open issues.
|
|
|
|
Issues might have dependencies on other issues or pull requests preventing them from being closed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Occasionally, issues might become stale. That's when there hasn't been any progress for
|
|
|
|
an extended period of time (usually months). You might consider reviving these, if there
|
2020-10-16 15:18:50 +00:00
|
|
|
is a strong interest in getting them resolved (and, preferably, if you can contribute
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
something to them).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
> If you encounter an abandoned project and there is no way to contact the maintainer(s),
|
|
|
|
> consider forking it, if you want to assume responsibility for it (or, rather, your fork).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Things to consider
|
|
|
|
#### Security bugs
|
|
|
|
If the bug you have found has security implications, **do not create
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
an issue right away!** Instead try contacting the project's maintainers privately.
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
Many projects have a dedicated e-mail-address for reporting security bugs. If the
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
project in question doesn't, consider writing an email directly to the project's
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
maintainer or ask for the address in the issue tracker.
|
2020-10-16 14:33:00 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2020-09-02 14:00:11 +00:00
|
|
|
> **⚠** What's important is that you **don't publicly expose security bugs before they are
|
|
|
|
> fixed *and* the fixes are deployed** because **otherwise you might put the users of that
|
|
|
|
> project at severe risk**.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#### Existing issues
|
|
|
|
Before creating a new issue, please make sure that there isn't already an existing
|
|
|
|
issue covering i.e. the bug that you want to report or the feature that you want to
|
|
|
|
request.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If there already is an existing issue, please consider commenting that issue instead,
|
|
|
|
if there is something more that you can contribute to it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You should also make sure that the issue has not already been solved by having a look
|
|
|
|
the closed issues (3) as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#### Try to be precise and helpful
|
|
|
|
Project maintainers love precise information about why i.e. a bug is happening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some projects may even have templates that specifically ask for information like
|
|
|
|
the operating system or database software used.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you can provide that information, it will be easier for the project maintainer(s)
|
|
|
|
to quickly resolve your issue. And if you want it resolved even quicker,
|
|
|
|
consider writing a Pull Request solving the issue (if possible).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#### Be (reasonably) patient
|
|
|
|
Please remember that many project maintainers work on their free software projects
|
|
|
|
in their free time. Some maintainers may answer you within minutes, others within days.
|
|
|
|
Don't be discouraged if there isn't an immediate answer.
|