fdroiddata/CONTRIBUTING.md

Contributing to F-Droid

Issue Tracker

You may use the issue tracker to report issues on app metadata and issues with the packages distributed through our repository.

Please note that app submissions belong in the submission queue.

Before opening an issue about an outdated app, have a look at its metadata file and make sure that updating the app is actually possible. Issues opened about apps that can no longer be built will be closed.

Merge Requests

General recommendations

• Squash your commits

Setting up fdroidserver

• Clone fdroidserver:

  git clone https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroidserver

• Add the cloned dir to your PATH:

  export PATH="$PATH:~/fdroidserver

Setting up fdroiddata for merge requests

• Register on GitLab

• Visit and fork the fdroiddata repository

• Clone your fdroiddata fork:

  git clone git@gitlab.com:username/fdroiddata.git

• Enter it:

  cd fdroiddata

• An empty configuration file should work as a start:

  touch config.py

• Make sure fdroid works and reads the metadata files properly:

  fdroid readmeta

Adding a new app

If you want to add a new app you will have to add a new metadata file to the repository, like metadata/app.id.txt. Here is how to write that file.

• If the app is on GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket, use fdroid import:

  fdroid import --url https://github.com/foo/bar --subdir app

• Alternatively, start the metadata file from scratch:

  cp templates/app-minimal metadata/app.id.txt

Now that the file is created, you need to fill up all the app information and add a working build recipe.

You can use the metadata section in the manual for reference, or the full template at templates/app-full for some suggestions.

As for the build recipe, you can have a look at the build templates at templates/build-* for some quick suggestions. Otherwise, follow the manual and look at how other apps are built.

• Once you're done, see if fdroid readmeta runs without any errors. If it doesn't, there are syntax errors in your metadata file.

• Run fdroid rewritemeta app.id to clean up your file

• Run fdroid checkupdates app.id to fill automated fields like Auto Name and Current Version

• Make sure that fdroid lint app.id doesn't report any warnings. If it does, fix them.

• Test your build recipe with fdroid build -v -l app.id

Congratulations! You can now open a merge request to add your app.

Our buildserver runs builds once a day, so it may take up to 24h for your app to appear in our repository.