Bug#1063605: debian-policy: mandate use of `dpkg-buildflags` for all software compilation on Debian

Bill Allombert <[email protected]> writes:
> On Mon, Feb 09, 2026 at 10:40:20AM -0800, Russ Allbery wrote:

>> For example, if we add new flags for reproducible builds, the packages
>> that don't use dpkg-buildflags really should pick those up, because
>> reproducible builds is a general distribution goal. "Should," not
>> "must," but it feels to me like should is appropriate here.

> But then tracking Debian policy is sufficient (and mandatory already),
> so tracking dpkg-buildflags is not needed.

Hm, am I missing something? I don't see any mention of, e.g.,
-ffile-prefix-map in Debian Policy. So far as I know, that is tracked
primarily in dpkg-buildflags.

> To get back to my previous message, a change to dpkg-buildflags cannot
> by itself change Debian policy, thus it is not necessary to track it to
> follow policy.

Right, that's the current state that this change would change. That's the
point of this bug.