Re: [PATCH 2/2] Documentation/MyFirstContribution: recommend the use of b4
- From
- Weijie Yuan <wy@wyuan.org>
- Date
- Jun 2, 2026, 16:09 UTC
- Message-ID
- <ah8ALHMDVA2Gzz10@wyuan.org>
- In-Reply-To
- <20260602-pks-b4-v1-2-a7ae5a49e9cf@pks.im>
Hi Patrick and Junio,
Just so happens that I just submitted my first patch. At this point, I may or should be the target audience for this document.
I personally watched Patrick's videos with Scott Chacon[1] first, and I reviewed them many times until I could do those "manual" git operations.
> +Contributors are encouraged to use `b4`, which automates much of the > +bookkeeping that is otherwise done by hand.
So for statement like this and with my personal experience, I would say b4 is a more suitable option for senior contributors, as they already know, for example, what Message-ID and range-diffs are. But apparently, whose who use forges may not know.
Back to the patch, I think regarding b4 as a more advanced contribution way for those who had contributed via mailing lists for more than one time is a better expression or formulation. Here I mean "b4 prep", other usage like "b4 mbox" and "b4 am" are of course more basic, and be mentioned as tips when interacting with Git mailing list.
A bit too wordy, in conclusion: Suggest that new contributors master classic git operations first. When they are familiar with those process, b4 might be a good option.
Thanks! -- [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjYac9SwIK0&t=1s (Part 1)