(debian-policy.info)Source package handling debian/README source

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4.14 Source package handling: ‘debian/README.source’
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If running ‘dpkg-source -x’ on a source package doesn’t produce the
source of the package, ready for editing, and allow one to make changes
and run ‘dpkg-buildpackage’ to produce a modified package without taking
any additional steps, creating a ‘debian/README.source’ documentation
file is recommended.  This file should explain how to do all of the
following:

  1. Generate the fully patched source, in a form ready for editing,
     that would be built to create Debian packages.  Doing this with a
     ‘patch’ target in ‘debian/rules’ is recommended; see Note: Main
     building script; debian/rules.

  2. Modify the source and save those modifications so that they will be
     applied when building the package.

  3. Remove source modifications that are currently being applied when
     building the package.

  4. Optionally, document what steps are necessary to upgrade the Debian
     source package to a new upstream version, if applicable.

This explanation should include specific commands and mention any
additional required Debian packages.  It should not assume familiarity
with any specific Debian packaging system or patch management tools.

This explanation may refer to a documentation file installed by one of
the package’s build dependencies provided that the referenced
documentation clearly explains these tasks and is not a general
reference manual.

‘debian/README.source’ may also include any other information that would
be helpful to someone modifying the source package.  Even if the package
doesn’t fit the above description, maintainers are encouraged to
document in a ‘debian/README.source’ file any source package with a
particularly complex or unintuitive source layout or build system (for
example, a package that builds the same source multiple times to
generate different binary packages).