diff --git a/.version b/.version
index f07cdfac44f1..f8c860969712 100644
--- a/.version
+++ b/.version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-22.11
\ No newline at end of file
+23.05
diff --git a/lib/trivial.nix b/lib/trivial.nix
index 142ed32c9e5a..70bc53016456 100644
--- a/lib/trivial.nix
+++ b/lib/trivial.nix
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ rec {
      On each release the first letter is bumped and a new animal is chosen
      starting with that new letter.
   */
-  codeName = "Raccoon";
+  codeName = "Stoat";
 
   /* Returns the current nixpkgs version suffix as string. */
   versionSuffix =
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2305.section.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2305.section.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..51dafd38c1ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2305.section.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xml:id="sec-release-23.05">
+  <title>Release 23.05 (“Stoat”, 2023.05/??)</title>
+  <para>
+    Support is planned until the end of December 2023, handing over to
+    23.11.
+  </para>
+  <section xml:id="sec-release-23.05-highlights">
+    <title>Highlights</title>
+    <para>
+      In addition to numerous new and upgraded packages, this release
+      has the following highlights:
+    </para>
+    <itemizedlist spacing="compact">
+      <listitem>
+        <para>
+          Create the first release note entry in this section!
+        </para>
+      </listitem>
+    </itemizedlist>
+  </section>
+  <section xml:id="sec-release-23.05-new-services">
+    <title>New Services</title>
+    <itemizedlist spacing="compact">
+      <listitem>
+        <para>
+          Create the first release note entry in this section!
+        </para>
+      </listitem>
+    </itemizedlist>
+  </section>
+  <section xml:id="sec-release-23.05-incompatibilities">
+    <title>Backward Incompatibilities</title>
+    <itemizedlist spacing="compact">
+      <listitem>
+        <para>
+          Create the first release note entry in this section!
+        </para>
+      </listitem>
+    </itemizedlist>
+  </section>
+  <section xml:id="sec-release-23.05-notable-changes">
+    <title>Other Notable Changes</title>
+    <itemizedlist spacing="compact">
+      <listitem>
+        <para>
+          Create the first release note entry in this section!
+        </para>
+      </listitem>
+    </itemizedlist>
+  </section>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/release-notes.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/release-notes.xml
index ee5009faf6f4..bb5cc677afb8 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/release-notes.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/release-notes.xml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   This section lists the release notes for each stable version of NixOS and
   current unstable revision.
  </para>
+ <xi:include href="../from_md/release-notes/rl-2305.section.xml" />
  <xi:include href="../from_md/release-notes/rl-2211.section.xml" />
  <xi:include href="../from_md/release-notes/rl-2205.section.xml" />
  <xi:include href="../from_md/release-notes/rl-2111.section.xml" />
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2305.section.md b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2305.section.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5bc6c8614895
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2305.section.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Release 23.05 (“Stoat”, 2023.05/??) {#sec-release-23.05}
+
+Support is planned until the end of December 2023, handing over to 23.11.
+
+## Highlights {#sec-release-23.05-highlights}
+
+In addition to numerous new and upgraded packages, this release has the following highlights:
+
+<!-- To avoid merge conflicts, consider adding your item at an arbitrary place in the list instead. -->
+
+- Create the first release note entry in this section!
+
+## New Services {#sec-release-23.05-new-services}
+
+<!-- To avoid merge conflicts, consider adding your item at an arbitrary place in the list instead. -->
+
+- Create the first release note entry in this section!
+
+## Backward Incompatibilities {#sec-release-23.05-incompatibilities}
+
+<!-- To avoid merge conflicts, consider adding your item at an arbitrary place in the list instead. -->
+
+- Create the first release note entry in this section!
+
+## Other Notable Changes {#sec-release-23.05-notable-changes}
+
+<!-- To avoid merge conflicts, consider adding your item at an arbitrary place in the list instead. -->
+
+- Create the first release note entry in this section!