Provided by: b4_0.13.0-1_all 
NAME
B4 - Work with code submissions in a public-inbox archive
SYNOPSIS
b4 {mbox,am,shazam,pr,diff,ty,kr,prep,send,trailers} [options]
DESCRIPTION
This is a helper utility to work with patches and pull requests made available via a public-inbox archive
like lore.kernel.org. It is written to make it easier to participate in a patch-based workflows, like
those used in the Linux kernel development.
The name "b4" was chosen for ease of typing and because B-4 was the precursor to Lore and Data in the
Star Trek universe.
Full documentation is available on https://b4.docs.kernel.org/.
SUBCOMMANDS
Maintainer-oriented:
• mbox: Download a thread as an mbox file
• am: Create an mbox file that is ready to git-am
• shazam: Apply patch series to git repositories
• pr: Work with pull requests
• diff: Show range-diff style diffs between patch versions
• ty: Create templated replies for processed patches and pull requests
• kr: (EXPERIMENTAL) Operate on patatt-compatible keyrings
Contributor-oriented:
• prep: (EXPERIMENTAL) prepare your series for submission
• send: (EXPERIMENTAL) send your series for review on distribution lists
• trailers: (EXPERIMENTAL) retrieve and apply code-review trailers
OPTIONS
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-d, --debug
Add more debugging info to the output (default: False)
-q, --quiet
Output critical information only (default: False)
-n, --no-interactive
Do not ask any interactive questions (default: False)
--offline-mode
Do not perform any network queries (default: False)
--no-stdin
Disable TTY detection for stdin (default: False)
SUBCOMMAND OPTIONS
b4 mbox
This command allows retrieving entire threads from a remote public-inbox instance. The resulting mbox
file can then be opened with most MUA clients for actions like replying to conversations or reviewing
patch submissions.
usage: b4 mbox [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-o OUTDIR] [-c] [-n WANTNAME] [-M] [-f] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-p USEPROJECT, --use-project USEPROJECT
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
-m LOCALMBOX, --use-local-mbox LOCALMBOX
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
--stdin-pipe-sep STDIN_PIPE_SEP
When accepting messages on stdin, split using this pipe separator string
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
--single-message
Only retrieve the message matching the msgid and ignore the rest of the thread
-o OUTDIR, --outdir OUTDIR
Output into this directory (or use - to output mailbox contents to stdout)
-c, --check-newer-revisions
Check if newer patch revisions exist
-n WANTNAME, --mbox-name WANTNAME
Filename to name the mbox destination
-M, --save-as-maildir
Save as maildir (avoids mbox format ambiguities)
-f, --filter-dupes
When adding messages to existing maildir, filter out duplicates
-r MBOX, --refetch MBOX
Refetch all messages in specified mbox with their original headers
Example: b4 mbox 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org
b4 am
This command allows retrieving threads from a public-inbox instance and preparing them for applying to a
git repository using the "git am" command. It will automatically perform the following operations:
• pick the latest submitted version of the series (it can check for newer threads using -c as well)
• check DKIM signatures and patatt attestation on all patches and code review messages
• collate all submitted code-review trailers (Reviewed-by, Acked-by, etc) and put them into the commit
message
• add your own Signed-off-by trailer (with -s)
• reroll series from partial updates (e.g. someone submits a v2 of a single patch instead of rerolling
the entire series)
• guess where in the tree history the patches belong, if the exact commit-base is not specified (with -g)
• prepare the tree for a 3-way merge (with -3)
• cherry-pick a subset of patches from a large series (with -P)
usage: b4 am [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-o OUTDIR] [-c] [-n WANTNAME] [-M] [-v WANTVER]
[-t] [-S] [-T] [-s] [-l] [-P CHERRYPICK] [--cc-trailers] [--no-parent]
[--allow-unicode-control-chars] [-Q] [-g] [-b GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...]] [--guess-lookback
GUESSDAYS] [-3] [--no-cover] [--no-partial-reroll] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-p USEPROJECT, --use-project USEPROJECT
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
-m LOCALMBOX, --use-local-mbox LOCALMBOX
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
--stdin-pipe-sep STDIN_PIPE_SEP
When accepting messages on stdin, split using this pipe separator string
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
--single-message
Only retrieve the message matching the msgid and ignore the rest of the thread
-o OUTDIR, --outdir OUTDIR
Output into this directory (or use - to output mailbox contents to stdout)
-c, --check-newer-revisions
Check if newer patch revisions exist
-n WANTNAME, --mbox-name WANTNAME
Filename to name the mbox destination
-M, --save-as-maildir
Save as maildir (avoids mbox format ambiguities)
--single-message
Only retrieve the message matching the msgid and ignore the rest of the thread
-v WANTVER, --use-version WANTVER
Get a specific version of the patch/series
-S, --sloppy-trailers
Apply trailers without email address match checking
-T, --no-add-trailers
Do not add or sort any trailers
-s, --add-my-sob
Add your own signed-off-by to every patch
-l, --add-link
Add a Link: with message-id lookup URL to every patch
-P CHERRYPICK, --cherry-pick CHERRYPICK
Cherry-pick a subset of patches (e.g. "-P 1-2,4,6-", "-P _" to use just the msgid
specified, or "-P globbing" to match on commit subject)
--cc-trailers
Copy all Cc'd addresses into Cc: trailers
--no-parent
Break thread at the msgid specified and ignore any parent messages
--allow-unicode-control-chars
Allow unicode control characters (very rarely legitimate)
-Q, --quilt-ready
Save patches in a quilt-ready folder
-g, --guess-base
Try to guess the base of the series (if not specified)
-b GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...], --guess-branch GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...]
When guessing base, restrict to this branch (use with -g)
--guess-lookback GUESSDAYS
When guessing base, go back this many days from the patch date (default: 2 weeks)
-3, --prep-3way
Prepare for a 3-way merge (tries to ensure that all index blobs exist by making a fake
commit range)
--no-cover
Do not save the cover letter (on by default when using -o -)
--no-partial-reroll
Do not reroll partial series when detected
Example: b4 am 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org
b4 shazam
This is very similar to b4 am, but will also apply patches directly to the current git tree using git am.
Alternatively, when used with -H, it can fetch the patch series into FETCH_HEAD as if it were a pull
request, so it can be reviewed and merged. In this case, the cover letter is used as a template for the
merge commit.
If you want to automatically invoke git-merge, you can use -M instead of -H.
usage: b4 shazam [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-v WANTVER] [-t] [-S] [-T] [-s] [-l] [-P
CHERRYPICK] [--cc-trailers] [--no-parent] [--allow-unicode-control-chars] [-H | -M]
[--guess-lookback GUESSDAYS] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-p USEPROJECT, --use-project USEPROJECT
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
-m LOCALMBOX, --use-local-mbox LOCALMBOX
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
--stdin-pipe-sep STDIN_PIPE_SEP
When accepting messages on stdin, split using this pipe separator string
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
--single-message
Only retrieve the message matching the msgid and ignore the rest of the thread
-v WANTVER, --use-version WANTVER
Get a specific version of the patch/series
-S, --sloppy-trailers
Apply trailers without email address match checking
-T, --no-add-trailers
Do not add or sort any trailers
-s, --add-my-sob
Add your own signed-off-by to every patch
-l, --add-link
Add a Link: with message-id lookup URL to every patch
-P CHERRYPICK, --cherry-pick CHERRYPICK
Cherry-pick a subset of patches (e.g. "-P 1-2,4,6-", "-P _" to use just the msgid
specified, or "-P globbing" to match on commit subject)
--cc-trailers
Copy all Cc'd addresses into Cc: trailers
--no-parent
Break thread at the msgid specified and ignore any parent messages
--allow-unicode-control-chars
Allow unicode control characters (very rarely legitimate)
-H, --make-fetch-head
Attempt to treat series as a pull request and fetch it into FETCH_HEAD
-M, --merge
Attempt to merge series as if it were a pull request (execs git-merge)
--guess-lookback GUESSDAYS
(use with -H or -M) When guessing base, go back this many days from the patch date
(default: 3 weeks)
--merge-base COMMIT
(use with -H or -M) Force this base when merging
Example: b4 shazam -H 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org
b4 pr
This command is for working with pull requests submitted using git-request-pull.
usage: b4 pr [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-b BRANCH] [-c] [-e] [-o OUTMBOX] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
optional arguments:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-g GITDIR, --gitdir GITDIR
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
-b BRANCH, --branch BRANCH
Check out FETCH_HEAD into this branch after fetching
-c, --check
Check if pull request has already been applied
-e, --explode
Convert a pull request into an mbox full of patches
-o OUTMBOX, --output-mbox OUTMBOX
Save exploded messages into this mailbox (default: msgid.mbx)
-f MAILFROM, --from-addr MAILFROM
Use this From: in exploded messages (use with -e)
Example: b4 pr 202003292120.2BDCB41@keescook
b4 ty
usage: b4 ty [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-o OUTDIR] [-l] [-t THANK_FOR [THANK_FOR ...]] [-d DISCARD [DISCARD ...]]
[-a] [-b BRANCH] [--since SINCE] [-S] [--dry-run]
optional arguments:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-g GITDIR, --gitdir GITDIR
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
-o OUTDIR, --outdir OUTDIR
Write thanks files into this dir (default=.)
-l, --list
List pull requests and patch series you have retrieved
-t THANK_FOR, --thank-for THANK_FOR
Generate thankyous for specific entries from -l (e.g.: 1,3-5,7-; or "all")
-d DISCARD, --discard DISCARD
Discard specific messages from -l (e.g.: 1,3-5,7-; or "all")
-a, --auto
Use the Auto-Thankanator gun to figure out what got applied/merged
-b BRANCH, --branch BRANCH
The branch to check against, instead of current
--since SINCE
The --since option to use when auto-matching patches (default=1.week)
-S, --send-email
Send email instead of writing out .thanks files
--dry-run
Print out emails instead of sending them
--pw-set-state PW_STATE
Set this patchwork state instead of default (use with -a, -t or -d)
NOTE:
To send mails directly using -S, you should have a configured [sendemail] section somewhere in your
applicable git configuration files (global or in-tree).
Example: b4 ty -aS --dry-run
b4 diff
usage: b4 diff [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-p USEPROJECT] [-C] [-v WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...]] [-n] [-o OUTDIFF] [-c]
[-m AMBOX AMBOX] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, pipe a raw message, or use -m
optional arguments:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-g GITDIR, --gitdir GITDIR
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
-p USEPROJECT, --use-project USEPROJECT
Use a specific project instead of guessing (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
-v WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...], --compare-versions WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...]
Compare specific versions instead of latest and one before that, e.g. -v 3 5
-n, --no-diff
Do not generate a diff, just show the command to do it
-o OUTDIFF, --output-diff OUTDIFF
Save diff into this file instead of outputting to stdout
-c, --color
Force color output even when writing to file
-m AMBOX AMBOX, --compare-am-mboxes AMBOX AMBOX
Compare two mbx files prepared with "b4 am"
Example: b4 diff 20200526205322.23465-1-mic@digikod.net
b4 kr
usage: b4 kr [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [--show-keys] [msgid]
positional arguments:
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
optional arguments:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-p USEPROJECT, --use-project USEPROJECT
Use a specific project instead of guessing (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
-m LOCALMBOX, --use-local-mbox LOCALMBOX
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
--stdin-pipe-sep STDIN_PIPE_SEP
When accepting messages on stdin, split using this pipe separator string
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
--show-keys
Show all developer keys from the thread
Example: b4 kr --show-keys 20210521184811.617875-1-konstantin@linuxfoundation.org
b4 prep
usage: b4 prep [-h] [-c | -p OUTPUT_DIR | --edit-cover | --show-revision | --force-revision N |
--compare-to vN | --manual-reroll COVER_MSGID | --set-prefixes PREFIX [PREFIX ...] | --show-info
[PARAM] ] | [ --cleanup [BRANCHNAME] ] [-n NEW_SERIES_NAME] [-f FORK_POINT] [-F MSGID] [-e
ENROLL_BASE]
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-c, --auto-to-cc
Automatically populate cover letter trailers with To and Cc addresses
-p OUTPUT_DIR, --format-patch OUTPUT_DIR
Output prep-tracked commits as patches
--edit-cover
Edit the cover letter in your defined $EDITOR (or core.editor)
--show-revision
Show current series revision number
--force-revision N
Force revision to be this number instead
--compare-to vN
Display a range-diff to previously sent revision N
--manual-reroll COVER_MSGID
Mark current revision as sent and reroll (requires cover letter msgid)
--set-prefixes PREFIX [PREFIX ...]
Extra prefixes to add to [PATCH] (e.g.: RFC mydrv)
--show-info [PARAM]
Show series info in a format that can be passed to other tools
--cleanup [BRANCHNAME]
Archive and delete obsolete prep-managed branches
Create new branch:
Create a new branch for working on patch series
-n NEW_SERIES_NAME, --new NEW_SERIES_NAME
Create a new branch for working on a patch series
-f FORK_POINT, --fork-point FORK_POINT
When creating a new branch, use this fork point instead of HEAD
-F MSGID, --from-thread MSGID
When creating a new branch, use this thread
Enroll existing branch:
Enroll existing branch for prep work
-e ENROLL_BASE, --enroll ENROLL_BASE
Enroll current branch, using the passed tag, branch, or commit as fork base
b4 send
usage: b4 send [-h] [-d | -o OUTPUT_DIR | --preview-to ADDR [ADDR ...] | --reflect] [--no-trailer-to-cc]
[--to ADDR [ADDR ...]] [--cc ADDR [ADDR ...]] [--not-me-too] [--resend [vN]] [--no-sign]
[--web-auth-new] [--web-auth-verify VERIFY_TOKEN]
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-d, --dry-run
Do not send, just dump out raw smtp messages to the stdout
--preview-to ADDR [ADDR ...]
Send everything for a pre-review to specified addresses instead of actual recipients
-o OUTPUT_DIR, --output-dir OUTPUT_DIR
Do not send, write raw messages to this directory (forces --dry-run)
--reflect
Send everything to yourself instead of the actual recipients
--no-trailer-to-cc
Do not add any addresses found in the cover or patch trailers to To: or Cc:
--to ADDR [ADDR ...]
Addresses to add to the To: list
--cc ADDR [ADDR ...]
Addresses to add to the Cc: list
--not-me-too
Remove yourself from the To: or Cc: list
--resend [vN]
Resend a previously sent version of the series
--no-sign
Do not add the cryptographic attestation signature header
Web submission:
Authenticate with the web submission endpoint
--web-auth-new
Initiate a new web authentication request
--web-auth-verify VERIFY_TOKEN
Submit the token received via verification email
b4 trailers
usage: b4 trailers [-h] [-u] [-S] [-F MSGID] [--since SINCE]
options:
-h, --help
show this help message and exit
-u, --update
Update branch commits with latest received trailers
-S, --sloppy-trailers
Apply trailers without email address match checking
-F MSGID, --trailers-from MSGID
Look for trailers in the thread with this msgid instead of using the series change-id
--since SINCE
The --since option to use with -F when auto-matching patches (default=1.month)
-m LOCALMBOX, --use-local-mbox LOCALMBOX
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
--stdin-pipe-sep STDIN_PIPE_SEP
When accepting messages on stdin, split using this pipe separator string
-C, --no-cache
Do not use local cache
CONFIGURATION
B4 configuration is handled via git-config(1), so you can store it in either the toplevel
$HOME/.gitconfig file, or in a per-repository .git/config file if your workflow changes per project.
To see configuration options available, see online documentation at
https://b4.docs.kernel.org/en/latest/config.html
PROXYING REQUESTS
Commands making remote HTTP requests may be configured to use a proxy by setting the HTTPS_PROXY
environment variable, as described in https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/user/advanced/#proxies.
SUPPORT
Please email tools@kernel.org with support requests, or browse the list archive at
https://lore.kernel.org/tools.
AUTHOR
mricon@kernel.org
License: GPLv2+
COPYRIGHT
The Linux Foundation and contributors
0.13.0 2024-02-15 B4(5)