doc/release.org

   1 #+TITLE: Release Process for GNU Guile 2.0
   2 #+AUTHOR: Ludovic Courtès
   3 #+EMAIL: ludo@gnu.org
   4
   5 This document describes the typical release process for Guile 2.0.
   6
   7 * Preparing & uploading the tarball
   8
   9 ** M-x debbugs-gnu
  10
  11 … or http://bugs.gnu.org/guile, for an idea of things to fix.
  12
  13 ** Update Gnulib
  14
  15 The commit log's first line should be "Update Gnulib to X", where X is
  16 the output of `git describe' in the Gnulib repo.
  17
  18 This allows us to keep track of the source code we use, in case a bug or
  19 security vulnerability gets fixed in Gnulib sometime later.
  20
  21 Ideally update Gnulib several days prior to the release, so that
  22 portability or build issues can be uncovered in time.
  23
  24 ** Make sure it works, portably, and with different configurations
  25
  26 *** Check [[http://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/gnu/guile-2-0][Hydra]]
  27
  28 This contains builds and cross-builds on different platforms, with
  29 different `configure' switches, different CPPFLAGS, and different
  30 versions of the compiler.
  31
  32 As of this writing, there are unfixed failures.  For instance Darwin's
  33 compiler randomly crashes, preventing build completion; the FreeBSD 7.x
  34 box experiences Guile crashes while running the test suite, which were
  35 not fixed because not reproduced elsewhere.  Even for these platforms,
  36 make sure "things don't get worse", at least.
  37
  38 *** Check [[http://autobuild.josefsson.org/guile/][Autobuild]]
  39
  40 This contains build reports from other people, typically on lesser used
  41 platforms, so it's worth checking.
  42
  43 *** Use the [[http://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/CompileFarm][GCC Compile Farm]]
  44
  45 Use the GCC Compile Farm to check on lesser used architectures or
  46 operating systems.  In particular, the Farm has ARM, SPARC64, PowerPC,
  47 and MIPS GNU/Linux boxes (remember that this is not superfluous: Debian
  48 builds on 11 architectures).  It also has FreeBSD and NetBSD boxes.
  49
  50 *** Use porter boxes
  51
  52 If you're still in a good mood, you may also want to check on porter
  53 boxes for other OSes.  The GNU/Hurd people have [[http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/public_hurd_boxen.html][porter boxes]], so does
  54 the [[http://www.opencsw.org/standards/build_farm][OpenCSW Solaris Team]].
  55
  56
  57 *** Post a pre-release announcement to `platform-testers@gnu.org'
  58
  59 Send a link to [[http://hydra.nixos.org/job/gnu/guile-2-0/tarball/latest/download-by-type/file/source-dist][the latest tarball]].  This will allow readers to test on
  60 possibly weird platforms and report any bugs.
  61
  62 ** Update `GUILE-VERSION'
  63
  64 For stable releases, make sure to update the SONAME appropriately.  To
  65 that end, review the commit logs for libguile in search of any C ABI
  66 changes (new functions added, existing functions deprecated, etc.)
  67 Change `LIBGUILE_INTERFACE_*' accordingly.  Re-read the Libtool manual
  68 if in doubt.
  69
  70 `libguile/libguile.map' should also be updated as new public symbols are
  71 added.  Ideally, new symbols should get under a new version
  72 symbol---e.g., `GUILE_2.0.3' for symbols introduced in Guile 2.0.3.
  73 However, this has not been done for Guile <= 2.0.2.
  74
  75 ** Tag v2.0.x
  76
  77 Create a signed Git tag, like this:
  78
  79   $ git tag -s -u MY-KEY -m "GNU Guile 2.0.X." v2.0.X
  80
  81 The tag *must* be `v2.0.X'.  For the sake of consistency, always use
  82 "GNU Guile 2.0.X." as the tag comment.
  83
  84 ** Push the tag and changes
  85
  86   $ git push && git push --tags
  87
  88 Normally nobody committed in the meantime.  ;-)
  89
  90 ** Run "make dist"
  91
  92 This should trigger an `autoreconf', as `build-aux/git-version-gen'
  93 notices the new tag.  After "make dist", double-check that `./configure
  94 --version' reports the new version number.
  95
  96 The reason for running "make dist" instead of "make distcheck" is that
  97 it's much faster and any distribution issues should have been caught by
  98 Hydra already.
  99
 100 ** Upload
 101
 102   $ ./build-aux/gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:guile guile-2.0.X.tar.gz
 103
 104 You'll get an email soon after when the upload is complete.
 105
 106 Your GPG public key must be registered for this to work (info
 107 "(maintain) Automated Upload Registration").
 108
 109 Make sure to publish your public key on public OpenPGP servers
 110 (keys.gnupg.net, pgp.mit.edu, etc.), so that people can actually use it
 111 to check the authenticity and integrity of the tarball.
 112
 113 ** Download
 114
 115 Make sure the file was uploaded and is available for download as
 116 expected:
 117
 118   $ mkdir t && cd t && \
 119     wget ftp.gnu.org/gnu/guile/guile-2.0.X.tar.gz && \
 120     wget ftp.gnu.org/gnu/guile/guile-2.0.X.tar.xz
 121   $ diff guile-2.0.X.tar.gz ../guile-2.0.X.tar.gz
 122   $ diff guile-2.0.X.tar.xz ../guile-2.0.X.tar.xz
 123
 124 You're almost done!
 125
 126 * Announcements
 127
 128 First, re-read the GNU Maintainers Guide on this topic (info "(maintain)
 129 Announcements").
 130
 131 ** Update web pages
 132
 133   - Replace any references to the previous version number and replace it
 134     with the new one.
 135   - Update news.html.
 136
 137 ** Update the on-line copy of the manual
 138
 139 Use `build-aux/gendocs', add to the manual/ directory of the web site.
 140
 141   $ cd doc/ref
 142   $ ../../build-aux/gendocs.sh guile "GNU Guile 2.0.X Reference Manual"
 143
 144 ** Prepare the email announcement
 145
 146   $ build-aux/announce-gen --release-type=stable --package-name=guile \
 147       --previous-version=2.0.1 --current-version=2.0.2 \
 148       --gpg-key-id=MY-KEY --url-directory=ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/guile \
 149       --bootstrap-tools=autoconf,automake,libtool,gnulib \
 150       --gnulib-version=$( cd ~/src/gnulib ; git describe )
 151
 152 The subject must be "GNU Guile 2.0.X released".  The text should remain
 153 formal and impersonal (it is sent on behalf of the Guile and GNU
 154 projects.)  It must include a description of what Guile is (not everyone
 155 reading info-gnu may know about it.)  Use the text of previous
 156 announcements as a template.
 157
 158 Below the initial boilerplate that describes Guile should come the
 159 output of `announce-gen', and then the `NEWS' file excerpt in its
 160 entirety (don't call it a change log since that's not what it is.)
 161
 162 ** Send the email announcement
 163
 164 Send to these places, preferably in the morning on a working day (UTC):
 165
 166   - guile-user@gnu.org, guile-devel@gnu.org, guile-sources@gnu.org
 167   - info-gnu@gnu.org (for stable releases only!)
 168   - comp.lang.scheme
 169
 170 ** Post a news item on [[http://sv.gnu.org/p/guile/][Savannah]]
 171
 172 The news will end up on planet.gnu.org.  The text can be shorter and
 173 more informal, with a link to the email announcement for details.
 174
 175
 176 \f
 177 Copyright © 2011, 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 178
 179   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
 180   are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
 181   notice and this notice are preserved.