Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] MAINTAINERS: Add an entry for qemu-options* files in main directory

[Thomas Huth]

On 11.06.2018 17:53, Markus Armbruster wrote:
> Thomas Huth <address@hidden> writes:
> 
>> The file "qemu-options.h", "qemu-options.hx" and "qemu-options-wrapper.h"
>> in the main directory are currently without maintainer according to our
>> get_maintainers.pl script. Considering that the command line options are
>> a public interface and thus quite important, this is quite a bad state.
>> So I'd like to suggest to add these files to the "Command line option
>> argument parsing" section now.
>>
>> And since I'm interested in the command line interface of QEMU, add
>> myself as reviewer here.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Thomas Huth <address@hidden>
>> ---
>>  MAINTAINERS | 2 ++
>>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
>>
>> diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
>> index e187b1f..6aa19dc 100644
>> --- a/MAINTAINERS
>> +++ b/MAINTAINERS
>> @@ -1413,7 +1413,9 @@ F: chardev/baum.c
>>  
>>  Command line option argument parsing
>>  M: Markus Armbruster <address@hidden>
>> +R: Thomas Huth <address@hidden>
>>  S: Supported
>> +F: qemu-options*
>>  F: include/qemu/option.h
>>  F: tests/test-keyval.c
>>  F: tests/test-qemu-opts.c
> 
> CLI is like QMP in that there's infrastructure, interface and
> implementation.
> 
> QMP infrastructure is MAINTAINERS sections QMP and QAPI.  These are
> proper subsystems, with clear boundaries.  Its maintainers get copied on
> relatively few patches.
> 
> QMP infrastructure doesn't own the actual commands[1], subsystems do.
> For instance, the block subsystem owns commands dealing with block
> devices.
> 
> The QMP interface is specified in the QAPI schema.  Again, QMP
> infrastructure doesn't own it, subsystems do.  However, to maintain some
> measure of cohesion, we co-maintain the interface: MAINTAINERS section
> QAPI schema covers the complete schema, and subsystems cover individual
> modules of the schema[2].
> 
> I think a similar arrangement make sense for CLI.  We'll get it for free
> with CLI QAPIfication, but that'll take time.
> 
> Your patch does what is possible with a monolithic interface definition:
> it dumps it all on one maintainer: me.  I'm struggling to keep up with
> the QAPI schema, I'm not sure I can take more.
> 
> Note that "Command line option argument parsing" is phrased carefully:
> it's not "CLI", not even "CLI parsing".  qemu-options* does not fit
> there.  Two solutions: widen the section so it fits better, create a new
> section.  The latter would be closer to how we do QMP.
> 
> What do you think?

Both ideas sound fine to me. What about adding a new section called
"Generic command line options"? I hope that the word "generic" then
makes it clear that this entry is primarily thought for generic options
- subsystem specific options can and should still go through the
subsystem trees instead.

Do you think you could still be available as (co-)maintainer of that new
section? If not, who are going to be the maintainers of that new
section? Paolo? Eric? Daniel? ...?

 Thomas