The registry's requirements, matched up against what you actually do. Worth reading before you open the app.

What you are submitting

A Chinese software copyright registration needs two identification exhibits alongside the application form and proof of identity: the source code and the documentation. The source code exhibit is what this page is about, and it amounts to printing your code in a prescribed format.

Pages: where 60 comes from

The rule asks for the first and last 30 consecutive pages. Under 60 pages of code, submit all of it; over that, submit the first 30 and the last 30, and the gap in between is expected. Sixty is a ceiling, so a small project submitting a dozen pages is perfectly normal.

What counts toward 50 lines per page

Each page needs at least 50 lines of effective code. Blank lines, comment-only lines and filler may not count. Squeezing 50 lines onto a page by shrinking the leading is not the same as having 50 lines of code. Zhushou chunks at 50 lines in memory and writes explicit page breaks, so the page boundary is decided by content rather than by typesetting.

Headers and page numbers

Every page header carries the full software name and version, matching the application form exactly, with continuous page numbers. A mismatched name is a common reason for correction requests, which is why the app asks for it in step one and checks that a version number is present.

Comments, blank lines and padding

The exhibit should read as continuous effective code. Large runs of blank lines, blocks of comments and repeated boilerplate all weaken it. One detail trips people up: a // inside a string literal is not a comment, and stripping comments with a regular expression will corrupt URLs. Zhushou uses a character-level state machine that tracks string boundaries.

Attribution has to agree

If @author or Copyright lines in the code point at a different person or company than the applicant, ownership can be questioned during review. Zhushou extracts those lines before cleaning removes them, lists the ones that disagree with the copyright holder, and can drop the affected files from the filing.

When the code contains trade secrets

Restricted deposit lets you cover the sensitive portions before submitting. Watch the ratio: the covered portion may not exceed half of the deposited source. Zhushou checks that ratio before export.

Completion date and prior development

Source files modified before the copyright holder was incorporated can prompt a request to explain prior development. Zhushou flags those files; whether a statement is required is up to the registry.

Finally

The above is compiled from the published Regulations on Computer Software Copyright Registration and publicly stated review practice, and is not legal advice. Practice varies between agents and offices, so confirm once more before filing.

How to prepare the source code exhibit