[git-buildpackage] The optimal Debian package creation process in 2025

[Otto Kekäläinen]

Hi all,

In 2024 I refactored all my packaging repositories to utilize
git-buildpackage to its fullest, including using pristine-tar, enforce
upstream signature checking, having complete gbp.conf files for
"optionless" easy gbp usage, following DEP-14 and having upstream
remotes easily accessible as 'upstreamvcs'. I am now very happy doing
new upstream imports by issuing the command `gbp import-orig --uscan`
and all of my packages that have good upstreams will automatically
merge from the upstream release tag onto upstream/latest, and then
import the tarball on top of that, and finally merge on debian/latest.

Next thing I am trying to optimize is the actual creation of *new*
packages and new package repositories. I have occasionally used
dh_make or debmake to generate the debian/ contents, but neither of
them as any automation to setup gbp.conf or the git repository
branches in any way. Both of them assume the starting point is always
a tarball. Reading

i am using btop as an example and wrote down the steps in on how I
would go about:
https://pad.debian.net/p/Optimal_new_package_creation_process

What are your views on what is the most optimal way to start a new
Debian package (of an existing upstream)?


- Otto

PS. Yes, I have read all the gbp man pages multiple times and of
course also https://honk.sigxcpu.org/projects/git-buildpackage/manual-html/gbp.import.upstream-git.html,
but I don't feel they are really telling what is the best way to do
something, they more focus on listing what capabilities gbp has.