[webkit-dev] PSA: Simplification of adding new features for the Autotools build system

[Žan Doberšek]

Hi all,

this is just a quick note about the recent changes to the Autotools
build system (used by the GTK port) regarding the addition of new
features.

When adding feature defines to various build system-specific files,
the Autotools build system now lists the feature defines in
Source/WebCore/GNUmakefile.features.am.in[1]. The value for the
feature define should default to 0 (i.e. the feature, most likely
unstable or missing a port-specific implementation, will be disabled
in release versions of WebKitGTK+).

You're welcome to enable the feature for the GTK port in
Tools/Scripts/webkitperl/FeatureList.pm[2] if the feature does not
rely on any port-specific implementation and you'd like to get layout
test coverage of the feature by the GTK port. Values used for the GTK
port in this file override the values in the
GNUmakefile.features.am.in when using build-webkit (so-called
development builds, also performed on the BuildBot builders).

Adding a new configuration flag to configure.ac *is not required*
anymore. The only exception to this is a new feature implementation
that relies on a (new) dependency.

These guidelines are also located on the Trac wiki[3] in a slightly
more detailed nature.

Regards,
-Ž

[1] https://trac.webkit.org/browser/trunk/Source/WebCore/GNUmakefile.features.am.in
[2] https://trac.webkit.org/browser/trunk/Tools/Scripts/webkitperl/FeatureList.pm
[3] http://trac.webkit.org/wiki/AddingFeatures#ActivatingafeatureforAutotoolsbasedports