RPM-level auto release and changelog bumping - Fedora 33 System-Wide Change proposal

[Ben Cotton]

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/rpm_level_auto_release_and_changel...

== Summary ==

redhat-rpm-config will be updated so users of the auto framework get
automated release and changelog bumping.

== Owner ==

* Name: [[User:nim| Nicolas Mailhot]]
* Email: <nicolas.mailhot at laposte.net>

== Detailed Description ==

This is a system-wide change because all packages build with
redhat-rpm-config, but it only concerns packages that opted to use
this part of redhat-rpm-config (auto framework).

The change will make those packages auto-bump and auto-changelog at
the rpm level, in an infrastructure-independent way.

== Benefit to Fedora ==

Autobumping removes a huge packager shore and makes timestamping in
changelogs more reliable.

== Scope ==
* Proposal owners: The feature is coded and works at the rpm level.
Unfortunately, mock filters away the srpms containing the bump state,
so it does not work in upper layers.

* Other developers: The feature requires buy-in by mock developers
(and probably koji developers) to lift the restrictions that block it
above the rpm level. Also, it requires a mechanism to pass the user
name and email that will be used in bumped changelogs (defining two
variables in ~/.rpmmacros is sufficient at rpm level)

* Mock issue: https://github.com/rpm-software-management/mock/issues/599

* Release engineering: https://pagure.io/releng/issue/9567
* Policies and guidelines: maybe eventually if things work out on the
technical level
* FPC issue: https://pagure.io/packaging-committee/issue/998
* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==

This is a pure build tooling update, it changes how things are built
not what is built.

== How To Test ==

A redhat-rpm-config packages with the changes and some example
packages are available in
 
https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/nim/refactoring-forge-patches-aut...

Since the mock/copr layer is currently blocking the feature, you need
to install the redhat-rpm-config and forge macro packages available in
this repo locally. Afterwards you can take any of the example packages
in the repo and rebuild them with rpmbuild -ba to your heart content,
and see the releases bump and the changelogs being updated
accordingly.

To get beautiful changelogs, you also need to add

<pre>
%buildsys_name  Your name
%buildsys_email Your email
</pre>

in ~/.rpmmacros

== User Experience ==

N/A Packager experience change only

== Dependencies ==

The change is a spin-off of

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Patches_in_Forge_macros_-_Auto_mac...

Therefore, it depends on the success of that other change and will
probably need rebasing if the code in this other change evolves during
the redhat-rpm-config merge.

It also depends on mock / copr/ koji buy-in and changes, that may add
their own requirements.

== Contingency Plan ==

There is no contingency plan because the change will happen or not at all.

== Documentation ==

There is as much documentation as the average redhat-rpm-config change
(ie comments in the macro files themselves)

== Release Notes ==

N/A Packager productivity change only

-- 
Ben Cotton
He / Him / His
Senior Program Manager, Fedora & CentOS Stream
Red Hat
TZ=America/Indiana/Indianapolis