Contributing a buildbot improves the quality of Tahoe-LAFS and also is integral to defining out supported platforms, as described in [wiki:BuildbotPolicy Buildbot Policy].  You can see the results of our buildbot network in the [//buildbot-tahoe-lafs the Buildbot output page].

== Prerequisites ==

1. Install [http://git-scm.com/ git] (ideally using your OS package manager)
1. Install [https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7.8/ Python 2.7] (ideally using your OS package manager)
1. Install [https://virtualenv.pypa.io/en/stable/ virtualenv] (ideally using your OS package manager)
1. Create a virtualenv for the Buildbot slave: `virtualenv /path/to/environment`
1. Install the Buildbot slave software and dependencies in the virtualenv: `/path/to/environment/bin/pip install buildbot-slave==0.8.14`
1. Use `buildslave` and `buildbot` commands from `/path/to/environment/bin/` in the steps detailed below to configure and start your buildslave (activate the virtualenv to put them on your `$PATH`: `. /path/to/environment/bin/activate`).

A buildslave makes TCP connections to the buildmaster, which `tahoe-lafs.org` operates.  You do not need a publicly routable IP address.

== Configuration ==

Anyone who can get their code into the development repos can take control the of the user account running the buildslave process.
Therefore, create a dedicated user account to run this process.   

== Name The Buildslave == 
Choose a name for your buildslave which will fit into the list of buildslave names: [//buildbot-tahoe-lafs/buildslaves].
It should follow the pattern "!YourName !OperatingSystemAndVersion py2.x" -- see [https://tahoe-lafs.org/buildbot-tahoe-lafs/builders existing buildslave names] for examples.

== Get a Password ==
Email Tahoe-Dev (tahoe-dev_at_tahoe_-_lafs_dot_org) with your slave name and ask for a password.

== Create a Buildslave ==
Execute the following commands:
* tahoe-lafs:  {{{buildslave create-slave $BASEDIR_TAHOE tahoe-lafs.org:9987 $SLAVENAME $PASSWORD}}}
* zfec:  {{{buildbot create-slave $BASEDIR_ZFEC tahoe-lafs.org:12987 $SLAVENAME $PASSWORD}}}
* pycryptopp:  {{{buildbot create-slave $BASEDIR_PYCRYPTOPP tahoe-lafs.org:10998 $SLAVENAME $PASSWORD}}}

Those three use the same $SLAVENAME, $PASSWORD and hostname, but a different $BASEDIR and a different port number.

For the $BASEDIR your can use whatever directory you want.

Then {{{buildbot start $BASEDIR}}}.

== Monitor Output ==
Okay, once you've gotten all this working then we'll see your machine on the [//buildbot-tahoe-lafs/waterfall?show_events=true buildbot pages] and we'll see how well Tahoe-LAFS passes unit tests on your platform.

==== Optional Configurations ====
You can use other mechanisms to limit the privileges available to the buildslave process/account, such as jail, chroot, or Solaris Zones. You can optionally use a different user account or other privilege-limiting mechanisms to keep the tahoe-lafs, pycryptopp, and zfec buildslaves separated from each other.