Drupal.org Contribution Helper

Quick assistance with drupal.org contribution workflows, git commands, and merge request creation.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when the user:

Asks "how do I contribute to drupal.org?"
Mentions "issue fork" or "drupal merge request"
Needs help with git.drupalcode.org commands
Asks about drupal.org branch naming conventions
Wants to understand the drupal.org contribution workflow

Quick Reference

drupalorg-cli Tool (Optional)

The drupalorg-cli package provides helpful shortcuts for drupal.org contribution:

# Install
curl -LO https://github.com/mglaman/drupalorg-cli/releases/latest/download/drupalorg.phar
chmod +x drupalorg.phar
sudo mv drupalorg.phar /usr/local/bin/drupalorg

# Create branch for issue (inside project directory)
drupalorg issue:branch 3456789

# Apply latest patch from issue
drupalorg issue:apply 3456789

# Generate patch from local changes
drupalorg issue:patch

# List project issues
drupalorg project:issues paragraphs

# Open issue in browser
drupalorg issue:link 3456789

Git Clone Commands

# Clone any drupal.org project
git clone git@git.drupal.org:project/{project_name}.git

# Examples
git clone git@git.drupal.org:project/paragraphs.git
git clone git@git.drupal.org:project/webform.git
git clone git@git.drupal.org:project/easy_lqp.git

Branch Naming Convention

{issue_number}-{description-slug}

Examples:
3456789-fix-validation-error
3456789-add-ckeditor5-support
3456789-update-documentation

Rules:

Start with issue number
Use hyphens (not underscores)
Keep description brief but descriptive
Maximum 255 characters

Issue Fork Remote

Remote naming follows {project}-{issue} convention to allow multiple issue forks per project:

# Add issue fork remote
git remote add {project}-{issue_number} git@git.drupal.org:issue/{project}-{issue_number}.git

# Examples
git remote add paragraphs-3456789 git@git.drupal.org:issue/paragraphs-3456789.git
git remote add easy_lqp-3456790 git@git.drupal.org:issue/easy_lqp-3456790.git

# Fetch from issue fork
git fetch {project}-{issue_number}

# Verify remotes
git remote -v

Commit Message Format

Issue #{issue_number}: {description}

Example:
Issue #3456789: Fix validation error in configuration form

Push to Issue Fork

# Push branch to issue fork
git push {project}-{issue_number} {branch_name}

# Example
git push paragraphs-3456789 3456789-fix-validation-error

Complete Workflow

1. Clone Project

# Clone to isolated location (recommended)
mkdir -p ~/.cache/drupal-contrib
git clone git@git.drupal.org:project/{project}.git ~/.cache/drupal-contrib/{project}
cd ~/.cache/drupal-contrib/{project}

2. Create Issue Fork (Manual Step Required)

Issue forks must be created via the drupal.org web UI. This cannot be automated due to CAPTCHA protection.

Go to: https://www.drupal.org/project/{project}/issues/{issue_number}
Click "Create issue fork" in the right sidebar
Wait for confirmation message (~10 seconds)

Note: This step cannot be done via command line or API.

3. Add Issue Fork Remote

git remote add {project}-{issue_number} git@git.drupal.org:issue/{project}-{issue_number}.git
git fetch {project}-{issue_number}

4. Create Branch

# If branch already exists on fork, checkout tracking it:
git checkout -b '{issue_number}-{description}' --track {project}-{issue_number}/'{issue_number}-{description}'

# If creating new branch:
git checkout -b {issue_number}-{description}

5. Make Changes and Commit

# Make your code changes
# ...

# Stage and commit
git add .
git commit -m "Issue #{issue_number}: {description}"

6. Push to Issue Fork

git push {project}-{issue_number} {branch_name}

7. Create Merge Request

When you push, git outputs the MR creation URL:

remote: To create a merge request for {branch}, visit:
remote:   https://git.drupalcode.org/issue/{project}-{issue}/-/merge_requests/new?...

Open that URL in your browser to complete MR creation.

Alternative: Via Web UI

Go to issue page on drupal.org
Click "Compare" button
Follow MR creation flow

SSH Key Setup

Check for Existing Key

ls -la ~/.ssh/id_*.pub

Generate Key if Needed

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com"

Add Key to git.drupalcode.org

Go to: https://git.drupalcode.org/-/user_settings/ssh_keys
Copy your public key: cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
Paste and save

Test Connection

ssh -T git@git.drupal.org

HTTPS Fallback (If SSH Port Blocked)

If your network blocks SSH port 22, use HTTPS with a personal access token:

# Create token at: https://git.drupalcode.org/-/user_settings/personal_access_tokens
# Required scopes: read_repository, write_repository

# For clone:
git clone https://{username}:{token}@git.drupalcode.org/project/{project}.git

# For issue fork remote:
git remote add {project}-{issue} \
  "https://{username}:{token}@git.drupalcode.org/issue/{project}-{issue}.git"

Troubleshooting

"Permission denied" on push

Verify SSH key is added to git.drupalcode.org:
- Go to: https://git.drupalcode.org/-/user_settings/ssh_keys
- Add your public key
Verify issue fork exists:
- Check drupal.org issue page for "Issue fork" section

Verify remote is correct:

git remote -v
# Should show: {project}-{issue} git@git.drupal.org:issue/{project}-{issue}.git

"Issue fork not found"

You must create the issue fork via drupal.org web UI first:

Go to the issue page
Click "Create issue fork"
Then add the remote

Branch Already Exists

# If local branch exists
git checkout {existing_branch}

# If remote branch exists
git fetch {project}-{issue_number}
git checkout -b {branch} --track {project}-{issue_number}/{branch}

Update Existing MR

# Make additional changes
git add .
git commit -m "Issue #{issue_number}: Additional fixes"

# Push updates (existing MR updates automatically)
git push {project}-{issue_number} {branch_name}

Best Practices

One issue = one branch = one MR
Reference issue number in every commit
Keep commits focused and atomic
Update issue status to "Needs review" after creating MR
Respond promptly to review feedback
Rebase on target branch before final merge

Example Interactions

Example 1: Quick Workflow Question

User: "How do I create a merge request for drupal.org?"

Skill response:
1. Clone the project
2. Create issue fork on drupal.org (click button in web UI - required manual step)
3. Add remote: `git remote add {project}-{issue} git@git.drupal.org:issue/{project}-{issue}.git`
4. Fetch: `git fetch {project}-{issue}`
5. Create branch: `git checkout -b {issue_number}-{description}`
6. Commit with: `Issue #{issue_number}: description`
7. Push: `git push {project}-{issue} {branch}`
8. Open MR creation URL from git output in browser

Example 2: Branch Naming Help

User: "What should I name my branch for issue 3456789?"

Skill response:
Use: `3456789-{brief-description}`

Examples:
- `3456789-fix-validation`
- `3456789-update-docs`
- `3456789-add-feature`

Create it with:
```bash
git checkout -b 3456789-your-description


**Example 3: Remote Setup Help**

User: "I created the issue fork, now what?"

Skill response: Add the issue fork as a remote:

git remote add {project}-{issue_number} git@git.drupal.org:issue/{project}-{issue_number}.git
git fetch {project}-{issue_number}

Replace {project} with your project name and {issue_number} with your issue number.

Then push your branch:

git push {project}-{issue_number} {your-branch-name}


## Resources

- [Drupal.org GitLab Guide](https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/git/using-gitlab-to-contribute-to-drupal)
- [Creating Issue Forks](https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/git/using-gitlab-to-contribute-to-drupal/creating-issue-forks)
- [git.drupalcode.org](https://git.drupalcode.org)

drupalorg-contribution-helper