OSS + ELC EU 2026

Network interfaces are a common thing on embedded devices, so it's no surprise that getting a device supported upstream involves interacting with the netdev community on mailing lists.

The netdev list is a very busy place, and like other subsystems, has its own sets of written and non-written rules. Recently, it's been busier than ever, partly due to new tooling making it more accessible to make first contributions, or finding bugs. This means the netdev community has had to adapt and put new tools, processes and rules in place to deal with this heavy influx of contributions.

This talk will discuss what the upstream process for network-related patches currently looks like. We'll discuss the common pitfalls when upstreaming patches, either due to common technical mistakes or traps when following the netdev process. This may also be a chance for other subsystems to take a peek at how netdev deals with the recent surge of new contributors.

We'll see how reviews are being promoted, what the recently created Netdev Foundation has been setting-up to ease the testing and CI effort, and how as a developer you can help this community and get your patches accepted in a smoother manner.