Documenting with GitLab Web IDE

Overview

This guide outlines the process for contributing to Read the Docs documentation projects, such as this one, via the GitLab Web IDE. To learn more about GitLab Web IDE visit the GitLab documentation pages.

Prerequisites

Before diving into this How-To, you should be acquainted with the following key areas and tools:

1. Overview of Version control

2. Git version control system basics

3. Introduction to reStructuredText

4. Libre Space Foundation contribution guide

5. GitLab Merge Requests

Steps

Locate the page

• Navigate to the page you intend to contribute improvements or changes to.

• In the top right corner, locate and select the link. This action redirects you to the page’s source code.

Edit the page

• Press the button, then choose Open in Web IDE to proceed with modifications.

• Update the page content as needed. The Web IDE allows the editing of additional pages simultaneously.

Commit changes

• To finalize edits, press Ctrl+Shift+G, or alternatively, click the Source Control icon. This opens the Source Control panel, highlighting all modified files with an M indicator.

• Compose a concise commit message that encapsulates your updates. Adhere to the LSF contribution guidelines: include a sign-off line post an empty line following your message’s subject or body. Example: Signed-off-by: Name Surname <user@email.com>.

• Confirm your changes by clicking the dropdown on the button, opting for Commit to new branch from the available choices.

• Assign a distinctive name to the new branch and confirm with Enter.

Create a merge request

• A popup message soon appears on the bottom left corner of the IDE prompting you with an option to initiate a merge request; select this to proceed.

• The merge request form pre-populates with relevant details. Simply click to move forward.

Evaluation and reviewing

• An automatic CI pipeline commences, evaluating the quality and integrity of your submitted changes.

• Monitor the pipeline’s progress. Address any detected issues by either updating your current branch or initiating a new merge request (MR).

• Await a review of your contributions or proceed to self-merge, in alignment with the LSF merge request management protocols.