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SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0
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# Welcome

This guide is aimed at developers looking to build Déjà Dup locally and maybe contribute back a patch.

Thank you so much for helping out! That's so nice.

If you encounter a problems or just want to run an idea by us first before spending much time on it, please get in touch in our [chat room][chat].

The Déjà Dup project follows the [GNOME Code of Conduct](https://conduct.gnome.org/).
Please be respectful and considerate.

[chat]: https://matrix.to/#/#deja-dup:gnome.org

# Building from a Source Release

This is recommended if you are a downstream packager of stable releases.
Though if you *are* a downstream packager, please read
[PACKAGING.md](PACKAGING.md) instead, as it has more relevant tips.

If you have downloaded this source from a tarball release (that is, a file like `.tar.bz2` or `.zip`),
you can use standard meson commands like:
 * `meson --buildtype=release my-build-directory`
 * `meson compile -C my-build-directory`

See the [meson documentation](https://mesonbuild.com/) for more guidance.
And look at [meson.options](meson.options) for all the extra build options you can set.

# Building from a Git Clone

This is recommended if you intend to contribute back a patch.

## Using GNOME Builder

This is the easiest option.
Read the [online instructions](https://welcome.gnome.org/app/DejaDup/#working-on-the-code)
for setting up Builder.

Builder will install dependencies, build, and run Déjà Dup for you.

Note: you should probably also separately
[install the nightly flatpak build for Déjà Dup](https://welcome.gnome.org/app/DejaDup/#installing-a-nightly-build),
since that will provide some better system integration for when
you run the app inside Builder.

## Using Meson

Déjà Dup is also a standard Meson project, so you can use all the usual commands.

You'll need to install a bunch of dependencies (and might need very new versions).
Running in a [toolbox](https://containertoolbx.org/) or similar container might help.

Meson setup will complain about each missing dependency,
and you can install them from your distro as you go.

[PACKAGING.md](PACKAGING.md) will also give some pointers at required versions.

- `meson setup _build`
- `meson compile -C _build`
- `meson devenv -C _build deja-dup`
- `meson test -C _build`

# Folder Layout
 * libdeja: non-GUI library that wraps policy and hides complexity of duplicity
 * app: GNOME UI for libdeja
 * monitor: the deja-dup-monitor user daemon
 * data: shared schemas, icons, etc

# Copyright

If you are making a [substantial patch](https://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain/html_node/Legally-Significant.html) (adding ~15 lines or more), add yourself to the top of the changed file in a new copyright line.

# Use of Generative AI

This project does not allow contributions generated by large languages models
(LLMs) and chatbots.
This ban includes tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, DeepSeek, and Devin AI.
We are taking these steps as precaution due to the potential negative influence
of AI generated content on quality, as well as likely copyright violations.

This ban of AI generated content applies to all parts of the projects,
including, but not limited to, code, documentation, issues, and artworks.
An exception applies for purely translating texts for issues and comments to
English.

AI tools can be used to answer questions and find information.
However, we encourage contributors to avoid them in favor of using
[existing documentation](https://developer.gnome.org/) and
[our chats and forums](https://welcome.gnome.org/).
Since AI generated information is frequently misleading or false,
we cannot supply support on anything referencing AI output.

# Project Assets

If the maintainers get hit by a bus, these are the various pieces of the administrative puzzle:

* [Main project page](https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/deja-dup)
* [Wiki](https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/deja-dup/-/wikis)
* [Discourse tag](https://discourse.gnome.org/tag/deja-dup)
* [Flathub packaging](https://github.com/flathub/org.gnome.DejaDup)
* Google Drive API account (client ID is in `meson.options`)
* Microsoft OneDrive API account (client ID is in `meson.options`)
* dejadup.org domain (redirects to main page above, used for our Google API account which requires a domain, and some general redirects)
* [Liberapay team](https://liberapay.com/DejaDup)
* [Old snap packaging](https://github.com/deja-dup/snap) (plus the store account)
* [Old project page](https://launchpad.net/deja-dup)

