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diff --git a/docs/BUGS.md b/docs/BUGS.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..c091cda75 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/BUGS.md @@ -0,0 +1,266 @@ +# BUGS + +## There are still bugs + + Curl and libcurl keep being developed. Adding features and changing code + means that bugs will sneak in, no matter how hard we try not to. + + Of course there are lots of bugs left. And lots of misfeatures. + + To help us make curl the stable and solid product we want it to be, we need + bug reports and bug fixes. + +## Where to report + + If you can't fix a bug yourself and submit a fix for it, try to report an as + detailed report as possible to a curl mailing list to allow one of us to have + a go at a solution. You can optionally also submit your problem in [curl's + bug tracking system](https://github.com/curl/curl/issues). + + Please read the rest of this document below first before doing that! + + If you feel you need to ask around first, find a suitable [mailing list]( + https://curl.se/mail/) and post your questions there. + +## Security bugs + + If you find a bug or problem in curl or libcurl that you think has a security + impact, for example a bug that can put users in danger or make them + vulnerable if the bug becomes public knowledge, then please report that bug + using our security development process. + + Security related bugs or bugs that are suspected to have a security impact, + should be reported on the [curl security tracker at + HackerOne](https://hackerone.com/curl). + + This ensures that the report reaches the curl security team so that they + first can be deal with the report away from the public to minimize the harm + and impact it will have on existing users out there who might be using the + vulnerable versions. + + The curl project's process for handling security related issues is + [documented separately](https://curl.se/dev/secprocess.html). + +## What to report + + When reporting a bug, you should include all information that will help us + understand what's wrong, what you expected to happen and how to repeat the + bad behavior. You therefore need to tell us: + + - your operating system's name and version number + + - what version of curl you're using (`curl -V` is fine) + + - versions of the used libraries that libcurl is built to use + + - what URL you were working with (if possible), at least which protocol + + and anything and everything else you think matters. Tell us what you expected + to happen, tell use what did happen, tell us how you could make it work + another way. Dig around, try out, test. Then include all the tiny bits and + pieces in your report. You will benefit from this yourself, as it will enable + us to help you quicker and more accurately. + + Since curl deals with networks, it often helps us if you include a protocol + debug dump with your bug report. The output you get by using the `-v` or + `--trace` options. + + If curl crashed, causing a core dump (in unix), there is hardly any use to + send that huge file to anyone of us. Unless we have an exact same system + setup as you, we can't do much with it. Instead we ask you to get a stack + trace and send that (much smaller) output to us instead! + + The address and how to subscribe to the mailing lists are detailed in the + `MANUAL.md` file. + +## libcurl problems + + When you've written your own application with libcurl to perform transfers, + it is even more important to be specific and detailed when reporting bugs. + + Tell us the libcurl version and your operating system. Tell us the name and + version of all relevant sub-components like for example the SSL library + you're using and what name resolving your libcurl uses. If you use SFTP or + SCP, the libssh2 version is relevant etc. + + Showing us a real source code example repeating your problem is the best way + to get our attention and it will greatly increase our chances to understand + your problem and to work on a fix (if we agree it truly is a problem). + + Lots of problems that appear to be libcurl problems are actually just abuses + of the libcurl API or other malfunctions in your applications. It is advised + that you run your problematic program using a memory debug tool like valgrind + or similar before you post memory-related or "crashing" problems to us. + +## Who will fix the problems + + If the problems or bugs you describe are considered to be bugs, we want to + have the problems fixed. + + There are no developers in the curl project that are paid to work on bugs. + All developers that take on reported bugs do this on a voluntary basis. We do + it out of an ambition to keep curl and libcurl excellent products and out of + pride. + + But please do not assume that you can just lump over something to us and it + will then magically be fixed after some given time. Most often we need + feedback and help to understand what you've experienced and how to repeat a + problem. Then we may only be able to assist YOU to debug the problem and to + track down the proper fix. + + We get reports from many people every month and each report can take a + considerable amount of time to really go to the bottom with. + +## How to get a stack trace + + First, you must make sure that you compile all sources with `-g` and that you + don't 'strip' the final executable. Try to avoid optimizing the code as well, + remove `-O`, `-O2` etc from the compiler options. + + Run the program until it cores. + + Run your debugger on the core file, like `<debugger> curl + core`. `<debugger>` should be replaced with the name of your debugger, in + most cases that will be `gdb`, but `dbx` and others also occur. + + When the debugger has finished loading the core file and presents you a + prompt, enter `where` (without quotes) and press return. + + The list that is presented is the stack trace. If everything worked, it is + supposed to contain the chain of functions that were called when curl + crashed. Include the stack trace with your detailed bug report. It'll help a + lot. + +## Bugs in libcurl bindings + + There will of course pop up bugs in libcurl bindings. You should then + primarily approach the team that works on that particular binding and see + what you can do to help them fix the problem. + + If you suspect that the problem exists in the underlying libcurl, then please + convert your program over to plain C and follow the steps outlined above. + +## Bugs in old versions + + The curl project typically releases new versions every other month, and we + fix several hundred bugs per year. For a huge table of releases, number of + bug fixes and more, see: https://curl.se/docs/releases.html + + The developers in the curl project do not have bandwidth or energy enough to + maintain several branches or to spend much time on hunting down problems in + old versions when chances are we already fixed them or at least that they've + changed nature and appearance in later versions. + + When you experience a problem and want to report it, you really SHOULD + include the version number of the curl you're using when you experience the + issue. If that version number shows us that you're using an out-of-date curl, + you should also try out a modern curl version to see if the problem persists + or how/if it has changed in appearance. + + Even if you cannot immediately upgrade your application/system to run the + latest curl version, you can most often at least run a test version or + experimental build or similar, to get this confirmed or not. + + At times people insist that they cannot upgrade to a modern curl version, but + instead they "just want the bug fixed". That's fine, just don't count on us + spending many cycles on trying to identify which single commit, if that's + even possible, that at some point in the past fixed the problem you're now + experiencing. + + Security wise, it is almost always a bad idea to lag behind the current curl + versions by a lot. We keeping discovering and reporting security problems + over time see you can see in [this + table](https://curl.se/docs/vulnerabilities.html) + +# Bug fixing procedure + +## What happens on first filing + + When a new issue is posted in the issue tracker or on the mailing list, the + team of developers first need to see the report. Maybe they took the day off, + maybe they're off in the woods hunting. Have patience. Allow at least a few + days before expecting someone to have responded. + + In the issue tracker you can expect that some labels will be set on the issue + to help categorize it. + +## First response + + If your issue/bug report wasn't perfect at once (and few are), chances are + that someone will ask follow-up questions. Which version did you use? Which + options did you use? How often does the problem occur? How can we reproduce + this problem? Which protocols does it involve? Or perhaps much more specific + and deep diving questions. It all depends on your specific issue. + + You should then respond to these follow-up questions and provide more info + about the problem, so that we can help you figure it out. Or maybe you can + help us figure it out. An active back-and-forth communication is important + and the key for finding a cure and landing a fix. + +## Not reproducible + + For problems that we can't reproduce and can't understand even after having + gotten all the info we need and having studied the source code over again, + are really hard to solve so then we may require further work from you who + actually see or experience the problem. + +## Unresponsive + + If the problem haven't been understood or reproduced, and there's nobody + responding to follow-up questions or questions asking for clarifications or + for discussing possible ways to move forward with the task, we take that as a + strong suggestion that the bug is not important. + + Unimportant issues will be closed as inactive sooner or later as they can't + be fixed. The inactivity period (waiting for responses) should not be shorter + than two weeks but may extend months. + +## Lack of time/interest + + Bugs that are filed and are understood can unfortunately end up in the + "nobody cares enough about it to work on it" category. Such bugs are + perfectly valid problems that *should* get fixed but apparently aren't. We + try to mark such bugs as `KNOWN_BUGS material` after a time of inactivity and + if no activity is noticed after yet some time those bugs are added to + `KNOWN_BUGS` and are closed in the issue tracker. + +## `KNOWN_BUGS` + + This is a list of known bugs. Bugs we know exist and that have been pointed + out but that haven't yet been fixed. The reasons for why they haven't been + fixed can involve anything really, but the primary reason is that nobody has + considered these problems to be important enough to spend the necessary time + and effort to have them fixed. + + The `KNOWN_BUGS` are always up for grabs and we will always love the ones who + bring one of them back to live and offers solutions to them. + + The `KNOWN_BUGS` document has a sibling document known as `TODO`. + +## `TODO` + + Issues that are filed or reported that aren't really bugs but more missing + features or ideas for future improvements and so on are marked as + 'enhancement' or 'feature-request' and will be added to the `TODO` document + instead and the issue is closed. We don't keep TODO items in the issue + tracker. + + The `TODO` document is full of ideas and suggestions of what we can add or + fix one day. You're always encouraged and free to grab one of those items and + take up a discussion with the curl development team on how that could be + implemented or provided in the project so that you can work on ticking it odd + that document. + + If the issue is rather a bug and not a missing feature or functionality, it + is listed in `KNOWN_BUGS` instead. + +## Closing off stalled bugs + + The [issue and pull request trackers](https://github.com/curl/curl) only + holds "active" entries open (using a non-precise definition of what active + actually is, but they're at least not completely dead). Those that are + abandoned or in other ways dormant will be closed and sometimes added to + `TODO` and `KNOWN_BUGS` instead. + + This way, we only have "active" issues open on github. Irrelevant issues and + pull requests will not distract developers or casual visitors. |