Here are the prerequisites which you need to understand before you to get involved with Debian.

[[people]]
=== People around Debian

There are several types of people interacting around Debian with different roles:

* *upstream author*: the person who made the original program.
* *upstream maintainer*: the person who currently maintains the program.
* *maintainer*: the person making the Debian package of the program.
* *sponsor*: a person who helps maintainers to upload packages to the official Debian package archive (after checking their contents).
* *mentor*: a person who helps novice maintainers with packaging etc.
* *Debian Developer* (DD): a member of the Debian project with full upload rights to the official Debian package archive.
* *Debian Maintainer* (DM): a person with limited upload rights to the official Debian package archive.

Please note that you can't become an official *Debian Developer* (DD) overnight, because it takes more than technical skill. Please do not be discouraged by this. If it is useful to others, you can still upload your package either as a *maintainer* through a *sponsor* or as a *Debian Maintainer*.

Please note that you do not need to create any new packages to become an official Debian Developer. Contributing to the existing packages can provide a path to becoming an official Debian Developer too. There are many packages waiting for good maintainers (see <<approaches>>).

[[contribute]]
=== How to contribute

Please refer to the following to learn how to contribute to Debian:

* https://www.debian.org/intro/help[How can you help Debian?] (official)
* https://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-contributing[The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ, Chapter 13 - "Contributing to the Debian Project"] (semi-official)
* https://wiki.debian.org/HelpDebian[Debian Wiki, HelpDebian] (supplemental)
* https://nm.debian.org/[Debian New Member site] (official)
* https://wiki.debian.org/DebianMentorsFaq[Debian Mentors FAQ] (supplemental)

[[social]]
=== Social dynamics of Debian

Please understand Debian's social dynamics to prepare yourself for interactions with Debian:

* We all are volunteers.
** You can't impose on others what to do.
** You should be motivated to do things by yourself.
* Friendly cooperation is the driving force.
** Your contribution should not over-strain others.
** Your contribution is valuable only when others appreciate it.
* Debian is not your school where you get automatic attention of teachers.
** You should be able to learn many things by yourself.
** Attention from other volunteers is a very scarce resource.
* Debian is constantly improving.
** You are expected to make high quality packages.
** You should adapt yourself to change.

Since we focus only on the technical aspects of the packaging in the rest of this guide, please refer to the following to understand the social dynamics of Debian:

* http://upsilon.cc/~zack/talks/2011/20110321-taipei.pdf[Debian: 17 years of Free Software, ``do-ocracy'', and democracy] (Introductory slides by the ex-DPL)

[[reminders]]
=== Technical reminders

Here are some technical reminders to accommodate other maintainers to work on your package easily and effectively to maximize the output of Debian as a whole.

* Make your package easy to debug.
** Keep your package simple.
** Don't over-engineer your package.
* Keep your package well-documented.
** Use readable code style.
** Make comments in code.
** Format code consistently.
** Maintain the git repository footnote:[The overwhelming number of Debian maintainers use *git* over other VCS systems such as *hg*, *bzr*, etc.] of the package.

NOTE: Debugging of software tends to consume more time than writing the initial working software.

[[debian-doc]]
=== Debian documentation

Please make yourself ready to read the pertinent part of the official Debian documentation together with this guide as needed to generate perfect Debian packages:

* ``Debian Policy Manual''
** ``must follow'' rules (https://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#policy)
* ``Debian Developer's Reference''
** ``best practice'' document (https://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#devref)

If this guide contradicts the official Debian documentation, the official Debian documentation is correct. Please file a bug report on the *debmake-doc* package using the *reportbug* command.

Here are alternative tutorial documents, which you may read along with this guide:

* ``Debian New Maintainers' Guide'' (older)
** https://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#maint-guide
** https://packages.qa.debian.org/m/maint-guide.html
* ``Debian Packaging Tutorial''
** https://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#packaging-tutorial
** https://packages.qa.debian.org/p/packaging-tutorial.html
* ``Ubuntu Packaging Guide'' (Ubuntu is Debian based.)
** http://packaging.ubuntu.com/html/

TIP: When reading these tutorials, you should consider using the *debmake* command in place of the *dh_make* command for better template files.

[[help]]
=== Help resources

Before you decide to ask your question in some public place, please do your part of the effort, i.e., read the fine documentation:

* package information available through the *aptitude*, *apt-cache*, and *dpkg* commands.
* files in */usr/share/doc/*'package' for all pertinent packages.
* contents of *man* 'command' for all pertinent commands.
* contents of *info* 'command' for all pertinent commands.
* contents of https://lists.debian.org/debian-mentors/[debian-mentors@lists.debian.org mailing list archive].
* contents of https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/[debian-devel@lists.debian.org mailing list archive].

Your desired information can be found effectively by using a well-formed search string such as ``keyword *site:lists.debian.org*'' to limit the search domain of the web search engine.

Making a small test package is a good way to learn details of the packaging. Inspecting existing well maintained packages is the best way to learn how other people make packages.

If you still have questions about the packaging, you can ask them interactively:

* debian-mentors@lists.debian.org mailing list. (This mailing list is for the novice.)
* debian-devel@lists.debian.org mailing list. (This mailing list is for the expert.)
* https://www.debian.org/support#irc[IRC] such as #debian-mentors.
* Teams focusing on a specific set of packages. (Full list at https://wiki.debian.org/Teams)
* Language-specific mailing lists.
** https://lists.debian.org/devel.html[debian-devel-{french,italian,portuguese,spanish}@lists.debian.org]
** https://lists.debian.org/debian-chinese-gb/[debian-chinese-gb@lists.debian.org] (This mailing list is for general (Simplified) Chinese discussion.)
** http://www.debian.or.jp/community/ml/openml.html#develML[debian-devel@debian.or.jp]

The more experienced Debian developers will gladly help you, if you ask properly after making your required efforts.

CAUTION: Debian development is a moving target.  Some information found on the web may be outdated, incorrect, and non-applicable.  Please use it carefully.

[[situation]]
=== Archive situation

Please realize the situation of the Debian archive.

* Debian already has packages for most kinds of programs.
* The number of packages already in the Debian archive is several tens of times greater than that of active maintainers.
* Unfortunately, some packages lack an appropriate level of attention by the maintainer.

Thus, contributions to packages already in the archive are far more appreciated (and more likely to receive sponsorship for uploading) by other maintainers.

TIP: The *wnpp-alert* command from the *devscripts* package can check for installed packages up for adoption or orphaned.

[[approaches]]
=== Contribution approaches

Here is pseudo-Python code for your contribution approaches to Debian with a *program*:

----
if exist_in_debian(program):
  if is_team_maintained(program):
    join_team(program)
  if is_orphaned(program) # maintainer: Debian QA Group
    adopt_it(program)
  elif is_RFA(program) # Request for Adoption
    adopt_it(program)
  else:
    if need_help(program):
      contact_maintainer(program)
      triaging_bugs(program)
      preparing_QA_or_NMU_uploads(program)
    else:
      leave_it(program)
else: # new packages
  if not is_good_program(program):
    give_up_packaging(program)
  elif not is_distributable(program):
    give_up_packaging(program)
  else: # worth packaging
    if is_ITPed_by_others(program):
      if need_help(program):
        contact_ITPer_for_collaboration(program)
      else:
        leave_it_to_ITPer(program)
    else: # really new
      if is_applicable_team(program):
        join_team(program)
      if is_DFSG(program) and is_DFSG(dependency(program)):
        file_ITP(program, area="main") # This is Debian
      elif is_DFSG(program):
        file_ITP(program, area="contrib") # This is not Debian
      else: # non-DFSG
        file_ITP(program, area="non-free") # This is not Debian
      package_it_and_close_ITP(program)
----

Here:

* For exist_in_debian(), and is_team_maintained(); check:
** the *aptitude* command
** https://www.debian.org/distrib/packages[Debian packages] web page
** https://wiki.debian.org/Teams[Teams]
* For is_orphaned(), is_RFA(), and is_ITPed_by_others(); check:
** The output of the *wnpp-alert* command.
** https://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/[Work-Needing and Prospective Packages]
** https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?pkg=wnpp;dist=unstable[Debian Bug report logs: Bugs in pseudo-package wnpp in unstable]
** https://wnpp.debian.net/[Debian Packages that Need Lovin']
** https://wnpp-by-tags.debian.net/[Browse wnpp bugs based on debtags]
* For is_good_program(), check:
** The program should be useful.
** The program should not introduce security and maintenance concerns to the Debian system.
** The program should be well documented and its code needs to be understandable (i.e. not obfuscated).
** The program's authors agree with the packaging and are amicable to Debian. footnote:[This is not the absolute requirement.  The hostile upstream may become a major resource drain for us all.  The friendly upstream can be consulted to solve any problems with the program.]
* For is_it_DFSG(), and is_its_dependency_DFSG(); check:
** https://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines[Debian Free Software Guidelines] (DFSG).
* For is_it_distributable(), check:
** The software must have a license and it should allow its distribution.

You either need to file an *ITP* or adopt a package to start working on it.  See the ``Debian Developer's Reference'':

* https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/pkgs.html#newpackage[5.1. New packages].
* https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/pkgs.html#archive-manip[5.9. Moving, removing, renaming, orphaning, adopting, and reintroducing packages].

[[novice]]
=== Novice contributor and maintainer

The novice contributor and maintainer may wonder what to learn to start your contribution to Debian.  Here are my suggestions depending on your focus:

* Packaging
** Basics of the *POSIX shell* and *make*.
** Some rudimentary knowledge of *Perl* and *Python*.
* Translation
** Basics of how the PO based translation system works.
* Documentation
** Basics of text markups (XML, ReST, Wiki, ...).

The novice contributor and maintainer may wonder where to start your contribution to Debian.  Here are my suggestions depending on your skills:

* *POSIX shell*, *Perl*, and *Python* skills:
** Send patches to the Debian Installer.
** Send patches to the Debian packaging helper scripts such as *devscripts*, *pbuilder*, etc. mentioned in this document.
* *C* and *C++* skills:
** Send patches to the packages with the *required* and *important* priorities.
* Non-English skills:
** Send patches to the PO file of the Debian Installer.
** Send patches to the PO file of the packages with the *required* and *important* priorities.
* Documentation skills:
** Update contents on https://wiki.debian.org/[Debian Wiki].
** Send patches to the existing https://www.debian.org/doc/[Debian Documentation].

These activities should give you good exposure to the other Debian people to establish your credibility.

The novice maintainer should avoid packaging programs with the high security exposure:

* *setuid* or *setgid* program
* *daemon* program
* program installed in the */sbin/* or */usr/sbin/* directories

When you gain more experience in packaging, you'll be able to package such programs.