Contributing to Zigux

Zigux moves forward through small, reviewable, roadmap-backed slices. Treat each change as one bounded product step, not a broad rewrite.

Start Here

Read these files before you open or update a change:

1. Documentation/zigux/README.md
2. Documentation/zigux/review-checklist.md
3. Documentation/zigux/freeze-map.md
4. Documentation/zigux/contributor-entrypoints.md
5. Documentation/zigux/contributor-workflow.md
6. scripts/zigux/README.md
7. zigux/tests/README.md

Use Documentation/zigux/contributor-entrypoints.md to pick the right bounded guide for docs, checklist, or workflow work, and use Documentation/zigux/contributor-workflow.md for the routine edit loop once the lane is chosen.

For docs-only reminder, checklist, or contributor workflow guidance changes, use Documentation/zigux/developer-enablement-contributor-workflow.md and rerun zig run check_developer_enablement_workflow.zig.

Keep the top-level contributor onboarding packet aligned through:

1. CONTRIBUTING.md
2. Documentation/zigux/contributor-entrypoints.md
3. Documentation/zigux/contributor-workflow.md

Top-level onboarding guard: zig run check_contributor_onboarding_packet.zig

If your change touches the shared contributor packet for Phase 13, also reread:

1. Documentation/zigux/phase13-contributor-workflow-guide.md
2. Documentation/zigux/phase13-shared-helper-lane-sequencing.md
3. Documentation/zigux/phase13-release-coordination-matrix.md

Scope Rules

• Name the roadmap phase and the owning Linux anchor path.
• Keep the status bucket explicit: active port work, dual implementation, study only, or freeze in C initially.
• Prefer one coherent improvement per change.
• Keep product code co-located with the owning Linux subsystem when appropriate.
• Do not treat repetitive wrapper growth or reminder churn as real progress by itself.

Freeze And Boundary Rules

• kernel/sched/core.c, mm/page_alloc.c, kernel/rcu/tree.c, and net/core/skbuff.c stay frozen in C unless the documented Architecture Council path says otherwise.
• kernel/workqueue.c and kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c are study-only boundaries, not active delivery targets.
• Do not widen a contributor or docs change into a status-change claim for a frozen or study-only anchor.

Validation Expectations

Every change should keep these explicit:

• bounded scope
• validation gate or replay path
• rollback owner and fallback path
• any repo-reality gaps that are still gaps on current master

If you update the top-level contributor onboarding packet, rerun zig run check_contributor_onboarding_packet.zig so the start-here entrypoint, onboarding guide, and routine workflow note stay aligned.

If you update a shared reminder surface, reread the neighboring docs, scripts, and tests notes together so they keep describing the same shipped packet.

Phase 13 Shared-Helper Reminder Work

If your change is shared Phase 13 contributor wording rather than helper-local proof, use this bounded loop:

1. reread Documentation/zigux/phase13-contributor-workflow-guide.md, scripts/zigux/README.md, and zigux/tests/README.md together first
2. keep Documentation/zigux/phase13-release-coordination-matrix.md and Documentation/zigux/phase13-shared-helper-lane-sequencing.md aligned as supporting coordination companions rather than the stable contributor-facing handle itself
3. rerun zig run check_phase13_shared_summary_surfaces.zig, zig run check_phase13_tests_readme_alignment.zig, and zig run validate_phase13_release.zig
4. keep zigux/Makefile distinct from the still-missing make -C zigux phase13-validate and make -C zigux phase13 routes

Phase 13 Contributor Packet

The current shared contributor-facing handle runs through:

1. Documentation/zigux/phase13-contributor-workflow-guide.md
2. scripts/zigux/README.md
3. zigux/tests/README.md

Keep helper ownership split by packet instead of flattening Phase 13 into one generic summary:

• libfs
• devres
• landlock/ruleset
• landlock/syscalls

Adjacent notifier evidence supports release-surface truthfulness, but it is not a fifth helper family.

zigux/Makefile is readable on current master, but it is not by itself proof that missing Phase 13 make -C zigux phase13-validate or make -C zigux phase13 routes have returned.

Review Before Landing

Before landing a change, confirm that:

1. the roadmap phase, owner, validation gate, and rollback owner are explicit
2. the relevant docs, scripts, and tests surfaces still describe the same bounded packet
3. the change does not imply missing repo paths or routes are already shipped
4. the change stays inside the requested lane or helper family
5. any top-level onboarding wording still agrees across CONTRIBUTING.md, Documentation/zigux/contributor-entrypoints.md, and Documentation/zigux/contributor-workflow.md