hledger/RELEASING.md

Releasing

Tips for hledger release managers and maintainers.

Glossary

Here are terms and concepts related to the hledger release process as of 2022, in sufficient detail to guide release management and release automation.

	General concepts
Release	A snapshot of the software and related artifacts like executable binaries, which is named, tagged, documented, announced, and usually picked up by packaging systems on various platforms.
version control system, VCS	A tool used for storing and sharing and viewing the history and different lines of development of a software project, or other set of files. hledger uses Git.
repository, repo	A set of files being stored and managed by a VCS. Often published on a repository hosting service, such as Github.
working copy, clone	A local copy of a repository's files. Typically each developer has one or more of these, and can share changes easily with the official public repository.
branch	Some VCS's, including Git, can store multiple branching lines of development within one repository. A working copy can be quickly switched to a different branch to show its content.
master, main	The main branch in a repo, usually named master or main. Pull requests are usually relative to this.
pull request, PR	A request to merge a development branch with master, and any related discussion. On Github, these are kept alongside issues in the issue tracker.
continuous integration, CI	Automated actions that run when new code is pushed to a shared repo, such as running tests or producing binaries. On Github this is called Github Actions and action scripts are called workflows.
	hledger concepts
hledger version number	A 2-4 part dotted number naming a hledger release: MA.JOR[.MINOR[.FIXUP]] or MA.JOR.99[.PREVIEW] where 99 means "unreleased (MAJOR+1)". See examples below.
hledger version string	A line of text describing a hledger binary, shown by --version. It contains program name, version number, commit hash and date, machine architecture etc. Eg: hledger 1.24.1-g7799d526b-20211210, mac-x86_64
Full, partial, mixed releases	A release of all the core hledger packages (hledger-lib, hledger, hledger-ui, hledger-web) is called full. A release of only some of the core packages is called partial. A release where some packages have different versions (because of a previous partial release) is called mixed. Major releases are always full, minor releases can be partial and/or mixed.
	hledger release/build types
Major release	Major releases include new features and incompatible API changes, and normally happen at the start of each quarter's third month (3/1, 6/1, 9/1, 12/1). Example version number: 1.25
Minor release	Minor releases include only bug fixes, without API changes. These happen when needed, to fix significant bugs in the previous major release. Example version number: 1.25.2 ("second bugfix release for 1.25")
Fixup release	Fixup releases fix packaging errors, with no changes to the hledger software. These should be rare. Example version number: 1.25.0.1 or 1.25.2.1 ("first fixup release for 1.25 / 1.25.2")
Release preview	A preview of the upcoming major release for testers/early adopters, and a test of the release process, published as a Github release. These are not published on Hackage and should probably not be packaged. They will typically appear in the quarter's first and second month if needed. Example version number: 1.25.99.1 ("preview 1 of 1.26")
CI binaries	Temporary downloadable binaries produced by a run of the linux/mac/windows workflows in the hledger repo. This may happen periodically, eg weekly. Downloading requires a Github login.
Dev build	A local developer build of unreleased code. This is typically in master or a development/PR branch. Example version number: 1.25.99 ("unreleased 1.26-dev")
	hledger repos and branches
hledger repo	The hledger git repository, containing the hledger software, reference manuals, and developer docs. https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger
site repo	The hledger_website git repository, containing most of the hledger website which appears at https://hledger.org. Usually checked out under the hledger repo as site/. https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger_website
master	The branch named master in the hledger repo; the main line of hledger development. Pull requests are usually relative to this.
release branch	Branches named MA.JOR-branch in the hledger repo, eg 1.25-branch. Releases and release previews are always made from a release branch.

Cadence

hledger major releases happen quarterly, at or near the start of the third month of each quarter. Here is the normal release/build schedule (as of 2022):

Time	Events
First month	Preview 1 ("alpha"), if needed, from release branch
Second month	Preview 2 ("beta"), if needed, from release branch
Third month (3/1, 6/1, 9/1, 12/1)	Major release, from release branch; Bump major version in master; Create next release branch
As needed	Minor/fixup releases, from release branch
Weekly	CI downloadable binaries, produced weekly from master for mac & windows currently
On push to a PR or master	Run CI tests in that branch

2021-12 notes

• All the stuff below the horizontal rule has bitrotted already; consider it old and in need of review.
• Don't try to write down, let alone automate, every step of releasing; it's too much and too unstable.
• Practice releasing as often as possible.
• Keep making things a little better each time through. Simpler, more reliable, easier, faster, cheaper, higher quality.
• The different aspects of releasing have complex interdependencies and sequencing constraints. Chunk and separate them as far as possible:
  • Software - selecting changes, packages, release dates; coordinating contributions; ensuring release readiness
  • Branch Management - coordinating main and release branch, local and remote repos, CI branches
  • Version Bumping - choosing and applying new version numbers and related things like tags, github releases, urls, ghc and dep versions, stackage resolvers, everywhere needed
  • Docs - command help, manuals, changelogs, release notes, github release notes, install page, install scripts, announcements, process docs
  • Testing - local testing, CI testing, extra release-specific testing
  • Artifacts - generating binaries, zip files, github releases etc.
  • Publishing - uploading, pushing, making visible, finalising
  • Announcing - various announcement stages and channels
• All releases must now be made from a release branch, for uniformity and to avoid mishaps like uploading 1.24.99 dev code to hackage.

Some next goals

• Update/consolidate release process docs.
• Develop a process for making test releases at any time.
• Establish routine weekly test releases.

---

Review/update/consolidate:

Phases of release cycle:

0. Dev

Normal development, on master and PR branches.

1. Pre-release

Preparations to make just before a release.

Resolve issues

Review, select, resolve PRs and issues.

Polish changelogs

Complete and polish changelogs.

Plan release

Plan the release number and any extra release-time activities.

2. Release

The sequence of steps to follow when making a release.

Freeze

• Set version.
• Finalise changelogs.
• Generate release notes.
• Prepare announcement.
• Tag.
• Generate CI release binaries.
• Draft github release.
• 24 hour release countdown with no changes.
• If any problems found, return to Pre-release.

Publish

• Website changes.
  • release notes
  • install page
  • manuals
  • webserver redirects
• Publish hackage packages.
• Push tags.
• Publish github release.
• Publish website changes.
• Announce

3. Post-release

Monitor, support, respond.

Release preparation detail

Any time before release

1. create release branch when needed:
   git branch MAJORVER-branch BRANCHPOINT
   Sometimes when convenient we make major releases on master (adapt the steps below as needed). And make the release branch later, when a minor release becomes necessary, eg:
   git branch 1.22-branch 1.22

2. update changelogs in master

3. review changes so far, estimate which packages will be released

4. cherry pick changes to release

   • cherry pick release-worthy commits

     • from: magit, l o MAJORVER-branch..master, M-x magit-toggle-buffer-lock, M-x toggle-window-dedicated (C-c D)
     • to: magit, l o master..MAJORVER-branch, M-x magit-toggle-buffer-lock, M-x toggle-window-dedicated
     • ignore commits already seen in previous cherry picking sessions
     • ignore changelog commits / other boring commits ("dev: doc: update changelogs")

   • update changelogs in master (move corresponding change items under pending release heading)

On release day

In master:

• ./Shake.hs to ensure Shake is current, review commands

• finalise changelogs, copy each new section (emacs C-x r s a ... b ... c ... d)

In release branch:

• paste new sections into changelogs

• ./Shake setversion NEWVER [-c] (first without -c to review, then with -c to commit).

• ./Shake cmdhelp [-c]

• ./Shake mandates

• ./Shake manuals -B [-c] (using up to date doctool versions)

• make tag (signed annotated tags for each package and the overall release)

• stack clean && stack install && hledger --version && hledger-ui --version && hledger-web --version to build locally and check version strings

• push to CI branches to test and to build release binaries

  • git push -f origin master:ci-windows (or magit P -f e origin/ci-windows)
  • git push -f origin master:ci-mac
  • git push -f origin master:ci-linux-x64
  • git push -f origin master:ci-linux-arm32v7 (slow, unreliable)
  • Tips:
    • build these release binaries at the very last possible moment
    • last commit should be a notable one - not docs only, not beginning with ;

In site repo:

• update release-notes.md

  • copy template, uncomment
  • replace date
  • replace XX with NEW
  • add new changelog sections, excluding hledger-lib
  • remove any empty sections
  • add contributors, git shortlog -sn OLD..NEW
  • add summary (major release) or remove it (minor release)
  • check preview in vs code
  • commit: relnotes: NEW

• update install.md

  • query-replace OLD -> NEW in
    • "current hledger release"
    • CI binaries badges/links, including linux-static-arm32v7 if built
    • "building from source"
    • stack install command
    • cabal install command
  • query-replace OLD-brightgreen -> OLD-red
  • only after release binaries are built (preferably after release is published): update --version outputs (search: hledger --version)
  • final output line from hledger test (run in terminal for normal speed)
  • Total count from make functest
  • commit: download: NEW

In release branch:

• update doc/ANNOUNCE (major release)
  • summary, contributors from release notes
  • any other edits
  • commit: ;doc: ANNOUNCE

In master:

• cherry pick useful release branch changes

  • ;doc: ANNOUNCE

• update hledger-install/hledger-install.sh

  • HLEDGER_INSTALL_VERSION
  • RESOLVER
  • HLEDGER_*_VERSION
  • EXTRA_DEPS

• wait for CI binaries, https://ci.hledger.org

• pre-release pause: take a break away from keyboard

Release detail

In release branch:

• review status, reflect

• make hackageupload

• push tags: magit P t origin

• create github release

  • https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/releases, copy last release's body
  • create new release from NEW tag if CI workflow has failed
  • tag NEW, title NEW, body similar to previous release
  • at https://ci.hledger.org download CI binary artifacts, check sizes look similar to previous
  • select downloaded artifacts in Finder, drag into github release
  • publish release

• announce

  • push site download/relnotes updates
  • push master hledger-install update
  • share release notes link, then markdown content, in #hledger chat
  • send ANNOUNCE to hledger@googlegroups.com, haskell-cafe@googlegroups.com (major release) or brief announcement to hledger@googlegroups.com (minor release)
    • ANN: hledger NEW
    • release notes link, summary
    • release notes html (copied from browser)
  • tweet at https://twitter.com/simonkwmichael ?
  • toot at https://fosstodon.org/web/accounts/106304084994827771 ?

Post release detail

• merge/check/update download page changes

  • docker - expect/merge PR
  • homebrew - expect badge to update soon
  • nix - expect make nix-hledger-version to update after a few days, find and update to that commit hash
  • linux distros - once in a while, follow the links & search for newer versions, update

• support

• handle issues

• update procedures, tools, docs

Add major release to website

In site:

• js/site.js: add NEW, update currentrelease
• Makefile: add NEW, two places
• make snapshot-NEW
• (cd src; rm current; ln -s NEW current)

In hledger.org caddy config:

• add path and redirs for NEW
• systemctl reload caddy

On hledger.org:

• make clean all

Tips

• During pre/post release phases, update RELEASING.md in a copy, RELEASING2.md, to reduce commit noise and git interference.