# Contributing to GNU Coreutils

GNU Coreutils welcomes contributions.

Please *do not* send pull-requests or open new issues on Github.
See "hacking resources" below for recommended alternatives.

* Send general questions or suggestions to: address@hidden .
* Send bugs reports to: <address@hidden>

Before sending the bug, please consult the FAQ and Mailing list
archives (see below).  Often these perceived bugs are simply due to
wrong program usage.

Please remember that development of Coreutils is a volunteer effort,
and you can also contribute to its development. For information about
contributing to the GNU Project, please read
[How to help GNU](https://www.gnu.org/help/].


## Getting Help

* Coreutils FAQ: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/faq/coreutils-faq.html

* Coreutils Gotchas: https://www.pixelbeat.org/docs/coreutils-gotchas.html
  contains a list of some quirks and unexpected behaviour (which are often
  mistaken for bugs).

* Online Manual: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual/html_node/index.html

* Search the archives for previous questions and answers:

   * Coreutils Mailing list (General usage and advice):
     https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/coreutils/

   * Bug reports Mailing List:
     https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-coreutils/

* Open Bugs: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/pkgreport.cgi?which=pkg&data=coreitils

* Translation related issues: https://translationproject.org/domain/coreutils.html


## Mailing List Etiquette

When sending messages to address@hidden or address@hidden :

* Send messages as plain text.
* Do not send messages encoded as HTML nor encoded as base64 MIME nor
  included as multiple formats.
* Include a descriptive subject line.
* Avoid sending large messages, such as log files, system call trace
  output, and other content resulting in messages over about 40 kB.
* Avoid sending screenshots (e.g. PNG files). When reporting errors
  you encounter on the terminal, copy and paste the text to your message.


## Hacking resources

files contain information about hacking and contributing to GNU coreutils:
  https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/coreutils.git/tree/HACKING
  https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/coreutils.git/tree/README-hacking
Please read them first.

Before suggesting a new feature, read the list of rejected features requests:
 https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/rejected_requests.html

*Do not* send pull-requests on github.
Send a patch as an email attachment to address@hidden (for new features)
or address@hidden (for bug fixes).
Patches can be generated with `git format-patch` (the HACKING links above provide
examples of generating a patch).


## Copyright Assignment

If your change is significant (i.e., if it adds more than ~10 lines),
then you'll have to have a copyright assignment on file with the FSF.
To learn more see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html .

The HACKING file (above) contains more details about how to initial
the copyright assignment process.  Coreutils maintainers can also help
in this matter.




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