How, When and Why to Patch a Module

Ever find a module that does 98% of what you need it to do, and there's no way to make it do that last 2%? Ever need to fix a bug in a module you've run into, but you're the only one who's ever had this problem? You need a patch.

Phase 2 Senior Developer Joshua Turton will cover the hows and whys of patching a module. You will learn:

• When is a patch appropriate?
• How to edit the module's code and what branch to edit against
• How to generate a patch with git, both on the command line and in a GUI
• How to report an issue in the module issue queue
• How to name your patch file according to drupal's standards
• How to use drush make to apply your patch automatically.
• What to do if your patch is 
  • rejected (Oh NOes!)
  • accepted (WoOt!)
• And most importantly: Why you SHOULD contribute your patch, and not be shy!

This presentation is aimed right at the beginner level developer, who is interested in getting involved in Drupal's open-source community, but is intimidated by the complexities and scale of the issue queue and module building. Middle to advanced level developers should also find the session interesting, particularly if they have not gotten involved in the issue queues themselves.

This session may include a live demo on a sandbox module, or demos will be available at the Phase2 booth. This session applies to all versions of Drupal.  The presentation of this content will be in English; Q&A will be in English or Spanish.

Joshua Turton brings a wide variety of skills to his role as a developer. A programmer comfortable working on both front-end and server-side technologies, he also brings a strong visual sensibility to his work. More than ten years of experience both in agencies and as an in-house developer give him a great flexibility. 

Joshua has worked on a wide variety of projects, with an emphasis in the last few years on Drupal work. Highlights include the web site for the Federal Department of Energy and Pac-12 Networks.  He is the author of the module Workbench Moderation Profile, used in Open Atrium and other sites, and is a co-maintainer of Workbench Moderation, and Open Atrium Workbench.

A native Californian now living in Costa Rica, Joshua earned an MFA in Computer Arts/New Media from the Academy of Art University. He has also been an instructor there, teaching web technologies. In his spare time, he enjoys coaching Little League, board games, and chocolate.