signedoff

Signedoff is a term used to describe the act or status of approving or certifying a piece of work, such as a document, patch, or release. In everyday use, to be signed off means that an authorized person has reviewed the item and given formal acceptance, indicating that it meets the required standards, specifications, or licensing terms.

In software development, signed-off commonly refers to the “Signed-off-by” line that appears in commit messages. This marker is part of the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO) process, which requires contributors to certify that they either authored the patch or have the right to submit it and that the contribution is licensed to the project under its terms. The sign-off line typically appears at the end of a commit message in the format “Signed-off-by: Name <email>.” The practice provides traceability of provenance and helps maintain license compliance, especially in large or collaborative projects.

Outside of code, sign-off is widely used to denote formal approval of documents, requirements, milestones, or releases. In such contexts, a sign-off signifies that the reviewer has completed their assessment and that the item is ready for the next phase, publication, or deployment. While the specific procedures vary by organization, the underlying principle remains the same: sign-off creates accountability and signals readiness for approval or release.