This patch adds lightweight guidance for AI-assisted patch

attribution via an Assisted-by tag.

The proposal is inspired by similar Linux kernel documentation,

while keeping the Xen guidance intentionally minimal and aligned

with the existing sending-patches documentation.

Feedback welcome.


docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.

The guidance is inspired by similar work in the Linux kernel
documentation.

Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>
---
 docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 22 insertions(+)
 mode change 100644 => 100755 docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc

diff --git a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 798ecceb..b61584f9
--- a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
+++ b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
@@ -195,6 +195,25 @@ E.g.:
 
     Requested-by: Jane Doe <jane.doe@example.org>
 
+### Assisted-by:
+
+This optional tag can be used when AI-assisted tooling contributed to the
+preparation of a patch. It is in the format:
+
+    Assisted-by: <tool-name>[:<model-version>] [tool...]
+
+E.g.:
+
+    Assisted-by: Claude:claude-3-opus coccinelle sparse
+    Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
+
+Basic development tools, such as git, compilers, make, and editors, should
+not be listed.
+
+The person submitting the patch remains responsible for reviewing any
+AI-generated content and ensuring the contribution is correct, appropriate,
+and compliant with Xen's contribution and licensing requirements.
+
 ### Signed-off-by:
 
 This mandatory tag specifies the author(s) of a patch (for each author a
@@ -209,6 +228,9 @@ E.g.:
 The author must be a natural person (not a team or just a company) and the
 `Signed-off-by:` tag must include the real name of the author (no pseudonym).
 
+AI tools must not add `Signed-off-by:` tags, as only natural
+persons can certify the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`.
+
 By signing the patch with her/his name the author explicitly confirms to have
 made the contribution conforming to the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`:
 
-- 
2.45.0

On 19.05.2026 15:44, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> This patch adds lightweight guidance for AI-assisted patch
> 
> attribution via an Assisted-by tag.
> 
> The proposal is inspired by similar Linux kernel documentation,
> 
> while keeping the Xen guidance intentionally minimal and aligned
> 
> with the existing sending-patches documentation.
> 
> Feedback welcome.

Up to here it's kind of a cover letter in disguise?

> docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags
> 
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
> 
> The guidance is inspired by similar work in the Linux kernel
> documentation.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>
> ---
>  docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 22 insertions(+)
>  mode change 100644 => 100755 docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc

This and hence ...

> diff --git a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> old mode 100644
> new mode 100755

... this looks unwanted.

Looks okay beyond that.

Jan

> index 798ecceb..b61584f9
> --- a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> +++ b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> @@ -195,6 +195,25 @@ E.g.:
>  
>      Requested-by: Jane Doe <jane.doe@example.org>
>  
> +### Assisted-by:
> +
> +This optional tag can be used when AI-assisted tooling contributed to the
> +preparation of a patch. It is in the format:
> +
> +    Assisted-by: <tool-name>[:<model-version>] [tool...]
> +
> +E.g.:
> +
> +    Assisted-by: Claude:claude-3-opus coccinelle sparse
> +    Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> +
> +Basic development tools, such as git, compilers, make, and editors, should
> +not be listed.
> +
> +The person submitting the patch remains responsible for reviewing any
> +AI-generated content and ensuring the contribution is correct, appropriate,
> +and compliant with Xen's contribution and licensing requirements.
> +
>  ### Signed-off-by:
>  
>  This mandatory tag specifies the author(s) of a patch (for each author a
> @@ -209,6 +228,9 @@ E.g.:
>  The author must be a natural person (not a team or just a company) and the
>  `Signed-off-by:` tag must include the real name of the author (no pseudonym).
>  
> +AI tools must not add `Signed-off-by:` tags, as only natural
> +persons can certify the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`.
> +
>  By signing the patch with her/his name the author explicitly confirms to have
>  made the contribution conforming to the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`:
>