Apache Thrift
# Apache Thrift โ AI Contribution Guidelines
This file governs AI-assisted work on the Apache Thrift codebase.
It supplements but does **not** replace [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](CONTRIBUTING.md).
---
## 1. ASF Legal Compliance (Third-Party Code)
Apache Thrift is an [Apache Software Foundation (ASF)](https://www.apache.org/) project released under the **Apache License 2.0**.
The AI **must** actively enforce and monitor ASF licensing policy:
- **Proactively flag conflicts**: Before introducing any dependency, snippet, or code derived from an external source, verify its license is compatible with Apache 2.0.
Incompatible licenses include (non-exhaustive): GPL, AGPL, SSPL, BUSL, CC-BY-NC.
Compatible examples: MIT, BSD-2/3, Apache 2.0, ISC, MPL 2.0 (with caveats).
- **Category X / Category A**: Follow the [ASF Third-Party Licensing Policy](https://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html).
Category A licenses may be included; Category X licenses must **never** be introduced.
- **Update `LICENSE` and `NOTICE`**: When adding third-party code or binaries that require attribution, add the appropriate notices to `LICENSE` and/or `NOTICE` following the [ASF guide on licenses and notices](https://www.apache.org/dev/licensing-howto.html).
If in doubt whether an entry is required, **add it and flag it in the PR description** for committer review.
- **Generative AI output**: The [ASF Generative Tooling Guidance](https://www.apache.org/legal/generative-tooling.html) applies. Be aware that AI-generated code may unintentionally reproduce copyrighted material. Flag any non-trivial generated blocks in commit messages or PR descriptions.
---
## 2. Issue Tracking
| Type | Tracker | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Significant changes | [Apache JIRA โ THRIFT project](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/THRIFT) | Required for all non-trivial PRs |
| Minor / quick fixes | GitHub Issues | Typos, trivial compiler warnings, etc. |
**JIRA integration with GitHub**: Including a JIRA ticket identifier at the start of a PR title automatically creates a link from JIRA to the PR.
- PR title format: `THRIFT-9999: Short description of the change`
- Commit message format (required for code changes):
```
THRIFT-9999: Short description of the change
Client: cpp,py,java (comma-separated list of affected languages)
```
Example: [THRIFT-5929](https://issues.apache.org/jira/projects/THRIFT/issues/THRIFT-5929) โ [PR #3350](https://github.com/apache/thrift/pull/3350).
---
## 3. Pull Request Requirements
Follow [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](CONTRIBUTING.md) in full. Key points:
- One commit per issue (squash before submitting).
- All significant changes need a JIRA ticket.
- Provide tests for every submitted change.
- Verify coding standards: `make style`.
- Branch name convention: use the JIRA ticket ID, e.g. `THRIFT-9999`.
- PRs go from your fork branch โ `apache:master`.
---
## 4. AI-Generated Contributions
Per [`CONTRIBUTING.md ยง AI generated content`](CONTRIBUTING.md#ai-generated-content) and the [ASF Generative Tooling Guidance](https://www.apache.org/legal/generative-tooling.html):
- **Always** label AI-assisted commits and PRs. Use one or both of:
```
Co-Authored-By: <AI tool name and version>
Generated-by: <AI tool name and version>
```
Example:
```
THRIFT-9999: Fix connection timeout handling in Go client
Client: go
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <[email protected]>
```
- Apply this label even when AI only generated a portion of the change.
- The human author remains responsible for reviewing, testing, and standing behind all submitted code.
---
## 5. Language-Specific Rules (`/lib`, `/test`, `/tutorial`)
- This file remains valid in all cases and must be used in addition to any additional language-specific rules.
- If a target-language directory under `/lib/<lang>/` contains its own `CLAUDE.md` or `AGENTS.md`, those rules apply to all work in that language directory.
- Those language-specific rules extend **by implication** to the corresponding language code under `/test/` and `/tutorial/`.
- If `/test/` or `/tutorial/` themselves contain a `CLAUDE.md`/`AGENTS.md` for a given language, **combine** the rules: the file **closer to the code** (i.e., in the same directory) takes precedence on any conflict.
---
## 6. Security Work
When assisting with security-sensitive changes (transport size limits, TLS configuration,
authentication, serialization bounds, or anything flagged by the project's security team):
- **Never** describe the change as a security fix in public-facing text โ commit messages,
PR titles, PR descriptions, or inline comments. Use neutral functional language:
*"add a configurable frame-size limit"* rather than *"fix DoS vulnerability"*.
Vulnerability details travel through the private ASF channel (`[email protected]`);
AI tooling must not short-circuit that process.
- Before proposing mitigations or defaults, consult
[`doc/thrift-threat-model.md`](doc/thrift-threat-model.md) for the project's documented
attack surface, trust boundaries, and per-binding security properties.
- External reporters and AI reviewers alike should follow the instructions in
[`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md) for responsible disclosure.
- When asserting a security claim or identifying which component a bug affects,
verify reachability/exploitability empirically against the specific released version before stating it as fact.
---
## 7. Code Changes, Git & PR Workflow
- When fixing a bug or addressing an issue, scope the change to ONLY that issue.
Do not touch CHANGES.md, version files, or unrelated entries unless explicitly asked.
- Ship bug fixes as standalone pull requests by default. Do not commit directly to master
or mix fixes into existing/unrelated work unless told otherwise.
- Follow a strict test-first workflow: write or update tests demonstrating the bug BEFORE applying the fix,
and inspect any generated code before changing it.
---
## 8. Quick Reference Checklist (before opening a PR)
- [ ] License of any new dependency checked against [ASF Category A/X list](https://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html)
- [ ] `LICENSE` and/or `NOTICE` updated if third-party attribution is required
- [ ] JIRA ticket exists (unless truly trivial)
- [ ] PR title starts with `THRIFT-NNNN:` (if ticket exists)
- [ ] Commit message includes affected `Client:` languages
- [ ] Single squashed commit
- [ ] Tests added or updated
- [ ] `make style` passes
- [ ] AI authorship labelled with `Co-Authored-By:` / `Generated-by:` where applicable
- [ ] Security-sensitive changes use neutral commit/PR language (no public vulnerability details)
- [ ] Changes touching transport limits / TLS / auth cross-checked against `doc/thrift-threat-model.md`