Re: Signed-off-by & the law

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Oct 16, 2025, 21:04 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqy0pa1rth.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <CALnO6CDNRw3UcU9UM7rpkAoQsSmfdkxMKVihmoUmUOCv_fpbJw@mail.gmail.com>

"D. Ben Knoble" <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:

Show 5 quoted lines

> Any contributors/users with an interest in law feel like taking a stab
> at answering "Is Git's signed-off-by legally useful" ?
> https://law.stackexchange.com/q/111158/26698
>
> Having a solid reference answer is usually a good thing, if one exists.

The meaning of Sign-off is left to the project that adopts the trailer as its own convention. Our SubmittingPatches document governs our project and nothing else, and defines how we use the trailer (namely, you sign if you certify your patch is being submitted under DCO).

So the confusion by original questioner is understandable. You would be confused if you only see a Sign-off without project context and you are forced to answer what it means, because see above.