All PHP development is done through a distributed revision control system called Git. This helps us track changes and it makes it possible for people located in all corners of the world to collaborate on a project without having to worry about stepping on each others' toes.
Please note that you do not need a Git account to access the Git tree, to use PHP, or to write PHP scripts. You only need a Git account if you will be a regular contributor to the development of PHP itself.
And once again, since people just don't seem to understand this point:
| Does Not Require Git Account | Requires Git Account |
|---|---|
| Learning PHP | Developing the PHP runtime |
| Coding in PHP | Maintaining an official, bundled PHP extension |
| Reading the PHP source | Maintaining the documentation |
| Using PHP extensions | Translating the documentation |
| Creating experimental PHP extensions | Maintaining php.net |
| Submitting a patch to PHP | |
| Adding notes to the documentation | |
| Writing web pages with PHP |
If you are contributing a patch, a small fix, or another minor change you do
not need to ask for a Git account before submitting it. Fork our
GitHub repository and create a
pull request, attach
a patch to a
bug report or feature request,
or send your patch to
the Internals mailing list. If
you send the patch to Internals, you should
subscribe to that list
to participate in any discussion your patch generates! Your patch may
not get noticed the first time. Make sure that when you send your patch, you
explain what it does. Make sure you use a clear subject when sending your
patch (you might even want to prefix it with "[PATCH]"). If nobody
seems to take notice after a few days, you might want to try resubmitting it.
Your original message might have gotten missed because of another heated
discussion.
Submitting patches and participating in the discussion on the Internals list before requesting full Git access is strongly suggested, so the PHP development team can get to know you and what you'll be contributing. It is suggested that all PHP developers (people developing PHP itself, not people developing in PHP) subscribe to this list. Similarly, if you plan on contributing documentation, you should subscribe to the documentation mailing list, and read the PHP Documentation contribution guide.
If you wish to contribute to the documentation please contact the translation team for the language you wish to help with. If you have trouble finding the team, ask on the phpdoc mailing list. Once you have made contact you may apply for a Git/SVN account here by including the name of one or more people from the existing translation team that referred you and of course the language you wish to translate to.
If you have a new PEAR package you wish to contribute, propose it through the PEPR system on the PEAR website. If you have a new PECL extension you wish to contribute, bring it up on the appropriate PECL mailing list first.
Once your PEAR package has been approved, or you get the sense that people generally agree that your PECL contribution is worthwhile, you may apply for a Git account here. Specify the name of your PEAR package or PECL contribution (single word Git module name) and also reference an existing account holder who can vouch for your contribution, or provide a link to your PEAR proposal.
Okay, if you are still reading, then you may actually need a Git account. This is not an automatic process. Fill in the form below to request an account. In the box next to "Purpose", describe what it is that you intend to do with Git access. If it isn't clear from what you've described already, tell us what parts of the Git repository you need access to (for example, "phpdoc" is the documentation tree, "php-src/ext/readline" is the PHP readline extension). If someone told you to fill out the form here, make sure to mention them here!
The Git account, once granted and activated (which could take a while, so be patient!), gives you access to a number of things. First, and most importantly, it gives you access to modify those parts of the PHP Git tree for which you have requested and been granted access. It also allows you to comment on and close bugs in our bug database, and allows you to modify the documentation notes in the annotated manual. Your Git account also translates into a foo@php.net forwarding email address where foo is your Git user id. Feel free to use it!
If you get no response to an account request after a while, remember this is a manual process, then please contact the relevant mailing list that belongs to the part of PHP you requested access to.
Please note that you do NOT need a Git account to study PHP. You do NOT need a Git account to learn PHP, to use PHP or to in any way do anything at all with PHP. If you are sitting there wondering if you need a Git account, then you don't! If an existing Git account holder suggested you request an account, please mention their Git id in the request.
Also note that information provided here will be sent to a public mailing list.
Please do NOT submit account requests if you have not previously contributed any work such as patches to PHP.
If someone told you to fill in an account request because you are a developer of a certain extension, for example a PECL extension, then please state who told you to submit this request in the purpose text field below.