TIL anyone can be a nixpkgs reviewer

1

What the title says basically. TIL = “today I learned”. Not new news to many, I’m sure, but

all news
is new news
to new users

https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/98647b0ac2c1927e1ba414729b81e4f0ad7d79fe/CONTRIBUTING.md#how-to-review-pull-requests outlines how to review effectively.

I went back and forth on whether to post this, but given that a common refrain is that nixpkgs lacks sufficient man(people)power, I though it was worth publicizing ways in which people can contribute that might not seem obvious to new NixOS users.

I recently read something that really resonated with me that can be paraphrased as, “your words need only surpass the value of silence to be worthwhile”. It’s both a reminder that the bar for trying to contribute is not as high as we fear, and a counterpoint that sometimes silence may be more valuable to allow focus on signal-vs.noise or space to digest instead of react. I think it’s also a kinder lens through which to view ourselves.

If you don’t feel confident to comment on code quality, a review that just tests the PR and documents what specifically was found to work/not work (and maybe relevant details like the system architecture) may be helpful. Be part of the change, be respectful, have fun, etc. :heart:

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2

This is true and worth noting!

Please also note that it is a low, but non-zero, bar to clear. There was a recent-ish incident in which a community member went on a spree of adding reviews that essentially parroted comments that were added or referenced in the PR. That’s an example of words that don’t surpass the value of silence.

Some people reading this post are going to be experiencing imposter syndrome and would benefit from nudging themselves in one direction. Other people reading this may be experiencing something else and could benefit from a nudge in the opposite direction. Self-awareness is asking a lot of people, I know — but try to figure out which one you think you are!

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3

Do also note that +1s aren’t really code reviews - if you like the PR’s intention, thumb up the PR, and if you like the PR’s execution, then approve the PR. Though the frustration at the pace of a slow PR is understandable, additional commentary (especially of the passive-aggressive variety) won’t move PRs forward, whereas some committers do sort by PR reaction/approval count.

Reserve comments for things that will improve the maintainability or correctness of a PR.

5 Likes