1. You'll need a GitHub account; sign up for free, and set up git and ssh to work with GitHub.
2. You need a fork of the main bitcoin source tree. Login to your GitHub account, browse to the bitcoin project, then poke the little 'Fork' button near the top of the screen.
3. Connect that fork at GitHub with source code on your development machine. The easiest way to do that is to clone your github fork, using the SSH Read+Write URL github shows you on your fork's page. For example:
Code:
git clone git@github.com:your_github_name/bitcoin-git.git
cd bitcoin-git
git checkout -b niftynewfeature # Create a feature branch
... edit, test, re-edit, re-test...
git commit -a
git push git@github.com:your_github_name/bitcoin.git niftynewfeature:niftynewfeature
You might already have a clone of the bitcoin git tree that you've modified; you should push those changes into your new GitHub fork. Assuming you made your changes in the 'master' branch on your machine (next time you should create a specific feature branch), the command would be:cd bitcoin-git
git checkout -b niftynewfeature # Create a feature branch
... edit, test, re-edit, re-test...
git commit -a
git push git@github.com:your_github_name/bitcoin.git niftynewfeature:niftynewfeature
Code:
git commit -a
git rebase -i remotes/origin/HEAD # optional: lets you tidy up commits to create a clean patch
git push git@github.com:your_github_name/bitcoin.git master:niftynewfeature
git rebase -i remotes/origin/HEAD # optional: lets you tidy up commits to create a clean patch
git push git@github.com:your_github_name/bitcoin.git master:niftynewfeature
4. Submit a PULL request by going to your fork's GitHub page, selecting the branch containing the changes you want pulled ("niftynewfeature" in the above example), and then poking the "Pull Request" button. Enter a good description of what your changes do and why they're a good idea and how everybody and their brother is already using them to make the world a better place .
Eventually, if all goes well, after discussion and argument and nit-picking and revision, your changes will get pulled into the bitcoin repository. If all doesn't go well, you (or the core developers) can close your pull request and resubmit it when the feature is perfect.