[graalvm-dev] RFC: Changing Mandrel repository's default branch

[Galder Zamarreno]

Hey Foivos,


On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 1:23 PM Foivos Zakkak <fzakkak at redhat.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> In the mandrel repo `master` is essentially a mirror of graal's
> `master`. The only differences between the two
> (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/oracle/graal/compare/master...graalvm:master__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbGyuMcq5A$ ) are:
>
> 1. An additional readme file (README-Mandrel.md)
> 2. A header in the original Readme.md pointing to README-Mandrel.md
> 3. Altered github issue templates
> 4. Github workflows for syncing `master` with graal's `master` and
> testing it, plus some housekeeping of issues
>
> That said, the `master` branch currently serves the following purposes:
>
> 1. Welcoming people to the project, informing them about it and
> providing issue templates for them (i.e. serving as the landing page).
> 2. Testing graal's master nightly against upstream OpenJDK (using
> Mandrel's build scripts and testing procedure)
> 3. Housekeeping issues, PRs etc. (i.e. github automation)
>
> I personally feel that the current state is not ideal and I would like
> to propose an alternative.
>
>
> Issues I see with the current approach:
>
> 1. When visiting https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$  visitors are greeted
> with the Readme file of Graal with the additional header:
>
> # Mandrel
>
> ## Welcome to the Mandrel project, please see README-Mandrel.md to learn
> more.
>
> It's relatively easy for someone to skip over this and struggle to
> understand what Mandrel is and how it defers from Graal.
> This will also result in following Graal's build instructions instead of
> Mandrel's.
>
> Instead I would prefer the landing page to show the content of
> README-Mandrel.md with a link (in the same repo) to Graal's readme.
> I believe this would make thinks crystal clear.
>
> 2. When cloning with `git clone https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ `
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ > one
> gets the `master` branch which is unstable in Mandrel and not that
> interesting since the Mandrel team is working on the latest release
> branch (currently mandrel/20.1) instead.
>
>
> Proposals:
>
> 1. Make the default branch contain only a README file explaining what
> Mandrel is, how it relates to Graal, and how to get your hands on it.
> This branch will also contain any workflows related to housekeeping,
> syncing branches, nightly testing, etc.
> This branch will not contain any code. So after `git clone
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ ` <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ >
> and reading the README users will be
> asked to checkout another branch if they want to access the source code.
> This approach might not be addressing issue 2 sufficiently.
>
> 2. Make the latest release branch (i.e. the one being actively
> developed, which currently is mandrel/20.1) the default branch.
> This will be similar to the current state with the difference that `git
> clone https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ `
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEL2XGsNA$ > will return something useful.
> This approach does not address issue 1 though. So it might need to be
> combined with swapping README-Mandrel.md and README.md (i.e. make
> README.md contain Mandrel info and point to a README-Graal.md)
>
> I personally prefer the first proposal.
>

+1

Option 1 would also stop the need to add extra commits into the mandrel's
master clone of graal's master. You could just have a master clone that's
identical to graal's master. The README could help address issue 2, by
making it clear which branches are buildable...etc.


> What are your thoughts?
> Are there any objections on any of these? Or alternatives you would like
> to propose?
>
> Thanks,
> Foivos
>
> PS: This is being tracked in https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/graalvm/mandrel/issues/51__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!L09d1Q5z5R2NDZKbtl-6pxPWejbem8wuFuHInxJcaoKG9IPrSUGTu24DqUfJvbEyLP-gnQ$ 
>
>
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