---
title: Rocky Linux Patching Guide
---

!!! note
    This page is kept here as a historical reference and may be out of date.

This explains how to debrand/patch a package for the Rocky Linux distribution.

## General Instructions

- First, identify the files in the package that need to be changed.  They could be text files, image files, or others.  You can identify the file(s) by digging into git.centos.org/rpms/PACKAGE/
- Develop replacements for these files, but with Rocky branding placed instead.  Diff/patch files may be needed as well for certain types of text, depends on the content being replaced.
- Replacement files go under https://git.rockylinux.org/patch/PACKAGE/ROCKY/_supporting/
- Config file (specifying how to apply the patches) goes in https://git.rockylinux.org/patch/PACKAGE/ROCKY/CFG/*.cfg
  - Note: Use spaces, not tabs.
- When srpmproc goes to import the package to Rocky, it will see the work done in https://git.rockylinux.org/patch/PACKAGE , and apply the stored patches by reading the config file(s) under ROCKY/CFG/*.cfg

## The Patch Config Language
Patching uses simple proto3 config files.  The general format is:
```
Action {
    file: "OriginalFile"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/RockyReplaceFile"
}
```


A simple example to replace a file:
```
replace {
    file: "redhatlogo.png"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/rockylogo.png"
}

```

The file "redhatlogo.png" would be located in under SOURCES/ in the project's Git repository (and SRPM).

## Patch configuration options

* `add`: Adds a file to the sources using the `file` or `lookaside` directive
* `delete`: Deletes a file from the sources using the `file` directive
* `replace`: Replaces a file from the sources using the `file` and `with_file` directives
* `patch`: Performs a patch based on the diff provided in the `file` directive (generated using `git diff`)
* `spec_change`: Allows for spec files to be modified
  * `search_and_replace`: Performs a search and replace on a given text for the spec file using the `any/starts_with/ends_with` (true|false), `find` (string to find), `replace` (replacement string), and `n` (integar, `-1` for any) directives.
  * `file`: A file can be added to the spec file using the `name` directive to define the file name, the `type` directive (such as `patch`) and then an `add` option that is `true` or `false`
    * When `patch` is used, the following options are available:
      * `add_to_prep` (true|false)
      * `n_path: N` can be specified to add `%patchX -pN` lines into `%prep` assuming the rpm does not use `%autosetup`
  * `append`: Appends to a given `field`, such as `Release` with a `value` directive
  * `changelog`: Modifies the change log using `author_name`, `author_email`, and `message` directives

Patch configuration structure:

```
.
└── ROCKY
    ├── CFG
    └── _supporting
```

## Case Study: Nginx

**(note: all example data here is currently in the staging/ area of Rocky Linux Git.  We will update it when the projects are moved to the production area)**

Let's go over an example debrand, featuring the Nginx web server package.

The source repository is located here: **https://git.centos.org/rpms/nginx**

If we browse one of the c8-* branches, we see under SOURCES/ that there is definitely some content that needs to be debranded:

```
404.html
50x.html
index.html
poweredby.png  (binary file in dist-git, referred to in .nginx.metadata)
```

These files all refer to Red Hat inc., and must be replaced before they make it to Rocky Linux.

**1: Come up with the patches:**  Each of these files has a Rocky Linux counterpart, and they must be created.  **Some of this should be done by the Design Team, especially logo work (#Design on chat)**

**2: Commit patches to the matching patch/PROJECT Git repository** : For example, Nginx patches are located here: **https://git.rockylinux.org/staging/patch/nginx** (staging/ prefix is currently used until our production repos are set up)

**3: Develop a matching config file:** Our example Nginx has this here:  **https://git.rockylinux.org/staging/patch/nginx/-/blob/main/ROCKY/CFG/pages.cfg**

It looks like this:
```
replace {
    file: "index.html"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/index.html"
}

replace {
    file: "404.html"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/404.html"
}

replace {
    file: "50x.html"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/50x.html"
}

replace {
    file: "poweredby.png"
    with_file: "ROCKY/_supporting/poweredby.png"
}

```

**4: Test the import:** Now, when the upstream is imported, we can check the main Rocky **nginx**  repository and ensure our updates were successful:  **https://git.rockylinux.org/staging/rpms/nginx/** (again, staging/ group is used only for now)

**5: You're Done!**  Great!  Now do the next one...  ;-)

## More Debrand Config Language

The Nginx example showed just the **replace** directive, but there are several more available.  They are **add**, **patch**, and **delete.**

Here they are, with examples:

```
# Add a file to the project (file is added to SOURCES/ folder )
add {
    file: "ROCKY/_supporting/add_me.txt"
}

# Apply a .patch file (generated using the Linux "patch" utility)
patch {
    file: "ROCKY/_supporting/002-test-html.patch"
}

# Delete a file from the source project
delete {
    file: "SOURCES/dontneed.txt"
}
```

And the .patch file example looks like this:
```
diff --git a/SOURCES/test.html b/SOURCES/test.html
index 8d91ffd..3f76c3b 100644
--- a/SOURCES/test.html
+++ b/SOURCES/test.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html>
     <body>
-        <h1>Replace me</h1>
+        <h1>Replace I did!</h1>
     </body>
 </html>
```

It also supports spec file changes, as it may be necessary. For example, from the anaconda debrand patch repo.

```
add {
    file: "ROCKY/_supporting/0002-Rocky-disable-cdn-radiobutton.patch"
}

spec_change {
    # Adds a Patch line with the file name as listed above
    file {
        name: "0002-Rocky-disable-cdn-radiobutton.patch"
        type: Patch
        add: true
    }

    # Appends to the end of a field's line, in this case the Release field gets .rocky
    append {
        field: "Release"
        value: ".rocky"
    }

    # Adds to the change log properly
    changelog {
        author_name: "Mustafa Gezen"
        author_email: "mustafa@rockylinux.org"
        message: "Disable CDN and add .rocky to Release"
    }
}
```

At the end, the spec file should be changed.

```
Summary:              Graphical system installer
Name:                 anaconda
Version:              33.16.3.26
                      # Our .rocky appears here
Release:              2%{?dist}.rocky

-- snip --

Patch1:               0001-network-do-not-crash-on-infiniband-devices-activated.patch
                      # Look, our patch was added!
                      # Luckily this RPM uses %autosetup, so no %patch lines
Patch2:               0002-Rocky-disable-cdn-radiobutton.patch

-- snip --

# And below the added changelog
%changelog
* Thu Feb 25 2021 Mustafa Gezen <mustafa@rockylinux.org> - 33.16.3.26-2
- Disable CDN and add .rocky to Release

* Thu Oct 22 2020 Radek Vykydal <rvykydal@redhat.com> - 33.16.3.26-2
- network: do not crash on infiniband devices activated in initramfs
  (rvykydal)
  Resolves: rhbz#1890261
```