Release Checklist

Testing

Most of the CI pipeline can be tested by creating a tag starting in v*, e.g., v-testing should exercise the pipeline, and can be deleted after.

General process

• Update release version in doc/conf.py (we could put this information somewhere else, too).
• Make sure NEWS.rst is up-to-date: remove in progress from release being made if needed
• if needed: cut release branch (naming scheme release/X.Y) and change to it
• tag a release with update-changes -R vX.Y.Z. _The commit message must not contain skip CI (from default template) as that would skip the release pipeline
  • If this is a major release create a X.Y+1-dev commit on main and push it later.
  • depending on the used version of update-changes one might need to create the release tag manually
• push tags (release, vX.Y.Z) and branch (release/X.Y)
• wait for release to be created. This might take some time as the release job waits for other jobs to pass first
• confirm that release artifacts contain all artifacts; if a platform is missing download its release artifact from the Cirrus CI task artifacts and upload manually (rename if needed); you can use e.g., scripts/store_release_artifacts --commit vX.Y.Z to download all artifacts for a certain tag.
• check that source tarball spicy-X.Y.Z.tar.gz has correct name; else rename via edit of release
• if release branched from main:
  • add a new version skeleton to NEWS.rst, set version in VERSION to vX.Y+1.Z-dev, commit
  • create annotated tag for next version on that commit, e.g.,

    git tag -a vX.Y+1.Z-dev -m 'Start of X.Y+1.Z development'
    

  • push updated main and dev tag
• if update to latest release:
  • update README to point the overview table near the top to point to the latest release
  • bump version in Spicy Homebrew formula
• check if Spicy should be bumped in https://github.com/zeek/zeek.
• activate the newly released version in RTD