docs/BACKPORTS: update

We now keep stable branches in the main repo. Update the description
to match current practice.

Closes https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/35846.

diff --git a/docs/BACKPORTS.md b/docs/BACKPORTS.md
index b2aba23a992e11616d65b33d79a00f2877bdf74d..53f4b3d6a680235e2f0d1eed71cca1452bf72934 100644 (file)
--- a/docs/BACKPORTS.md
+++ b/docs/BACKPORTS.md
@@ -7,20 +7,30 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 
 # Backports
 
-The upstream systemd git repo at [https://github.com/systemd/systemd](https://github.com/systemd/systemd) only contains the main systemd branch that progresses at a quick pace, continuously bringing both bugfixes and new features.
+The upstream systemd git repo at https://github.com/systemd/systemd
+contains the `main` branch that progresses at a quick pace,
+continuously bringing both bugfixes and new features.
+New releases are tagged as `vNNN` on this branch.
 
-Distributions usually prefer basing their releases on stabilized versions branched off from this, that receive the bugfixes but not the features.
+In addition to the `main` branch,
+the repo contains a number of branches for stable point updates for a given release,
+called `vNNN-stable`.
+Stable releases are tagged as `vNNN.X` on those branches.
+See [list of branches](https://github.com/systemd/systemd/branches/all?query=-stable)
+and [pull requests for stable branches](https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aopen+label%3Astable-branch).
 
-## Stable Branch Repository
+Distributions usually prefer basing their releases on those stable branches.
+Stable branches are typically managed by distribution maintainers on an as-needed basis.
 
-Stable branches are available from [https://github.com/systemd/systemd-stable](https://github.com/systemd/systemd-stable).
+## Stable Branch Repository for older releases
 
-Stable branches are started for certain releases of systemd and named after them, e.g. v208-stable.
-Stable branches are typically managed by distribution maintainers on an as needed basis.
+Stable branches for releases up to 255 are available from
+[https://github.com/systemd/systemd-stable](https://github.com/systemd/systemd-stable).
 
-For example v208 has been chosen for stable as several distributions are shipping this version and the official/upstream cycle of v208-v209 was a long one due to kdbus work.
+## Policy for backports into stable branches
 
-If you are using a particular version and find yourself backporting several patches, you may consider pushing a stable branch here for that version so others can benefit.
+If you are using a particular version and find yourself backporting several patches,
+consider pushing a stable branch here for that version so others can benefit.
 
 Please contact us if you are interested.
 
@@ -31,5 +41,16 @@ The following types of commits are cherry-picked onto those branches:
 * hardware database additions, especially the keymap updates
 * small non-conflicting features deemed safe to add in a stable release
 
-Please try to ensure that anything backported to the stable repository is done with the `git cherry-pick -x` option such that text stating the original SHA1 is added into the commit message.
-This makes it easier to check where the code came from (as sometimes it is necessary to add small fixes as new code due to the upstream refactors) that are deemed too invasive to backport as a stable patch.
+Please try to ensure that anything backported to the stable repository is done
+with the `git cherry-pick -x` option such that text stating the original SHA1 is added into the commit message.
+This makes it easier to check where the code came from
+(as sometimes it is necessary to add small fixes as new code due to the upstream refactors)
+that are deemed too invasive to backport as a stable patch.
+
+Pull requests for the stable branches should be tagged with `stable-branch`.
+
+Pull requests that shall be backported to stable releases,
+should be tagged with `needs-stable-backport`.
+See [pull requests marked for backporting](https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pulls?q=is%3Apr+label%3Aneeds-stable-backport).
+If only some commits should be backported, this should be mentioned in the pull request.
+If the backport is not obvious, additional justification can also be provided in the pull request.