~~NOTOC~~
====== Making a Release ======

  * **[[#Version Numbering|Version Numbering]]**
  * **[[#Build the tarball|Build the tarball]]**
  * **[[#Tag release|Tag release]]**
  * **[[#Upload the tarball|Upload the tarball]]**
  * **[[#Post release|Post release]]**

Before you start with this, make sure you understand the [[https://docs.xfce.org/contribute/dev/make-a-platform-release#making_a_platform_release|release model]] all developers should follow for core components.

<note important>Note that xfce provides [[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools/-/blob/master/helpers/xfce-do-release.in|xfce-do-release]], an automated release-script which guides you through all steps required to release a xfce component.

That prevents mistakes and helps to get a clean build (by building in a container). It will catch all translation updates and pre-write a NEWS file for you by using the commit messages. Best use it over the manual release process when possible.

Install 'xfce4-dev-tools' to make use of it !</note>

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===== Version Numbering =====

==== Stable releases ====

Stable releases are created from the stable branch of the repository. So before you start make sure you are working in this branch.

<file bash>
# get the stable branch
git checkout --track -b xfce-4.14 remotes/origin/xfce-4.14

# pull the latest changes
git pull --rebase
</file>

Now make sure all the bug fixes are committed and pushed to the remote repository. You can check this at [[http://gitlab.xfce.org|gitlab.xfce.org]] as well.

For the version number the //micro// version is increased by 1. So 4.12.2 becomes 4.12.3.

==== Development releases ====

Unstable releases are created from the master branch, which is in this period in feature-freeze. There we use an odd //minor// number. So the first development release is for example 4.15.0, then 4.15.1 etc.

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===== Build the tarball =====

If you are sure all the fixes are committed in the correct branch, its time to prepare the release.

==== Update NEWS, Release Notes, & Translations  ====

As of Xfce version 4.15.0, [[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools|xfce-dev-tools]] contains several Bash helper scripts to assist in building your release: 

  * **[[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools/-/blob/master/helpers/xfce-do-release|xfce-do-release]] ** - Main helper script. Checks versions, tags, commits and pushes changes, logs into and uploads to release manager.
  * **[[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools/-/blob/master/helpers/xfce-get-release-notes|xfce-get-release-notes]] ** - Complementary to xfce-get-translations and gets all the commits that aren't translation updates.
  * **[[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools/-/blob/master/helpers/xfce-get-translations|xfce-get-translations]] ** - Gets all language updates to a repository since a specified commit or tag.
  * **[[https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-dev-tools/-/blob/master/helpers/xfce-update-news|xfce-update-news]] **

==== Update version number ====

  - Edit the configure script template configure.ac.in.  
  - Set the package version (<package>_version_major, <package>_version_minor and <package>_version_micro) to the version you want to release.  
  - Remove git from <package>_version_tag.  
  - Check the build dependencies. 

==== Compile the code ====

<file bash>
./autogen.sh --enable-gtk-doc
make distcheck
</file>

If everything is ok //distcheck// will tell you the ''abc.x.y.z.tar.bz2'' tarball is ready. If not fix the error(s) and commit the changes before running //distcheck// again.

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===== Tag release =====

If the tarball is build successfully, it is time to tag the release in git.

<file bash>
# make sure there are not pending changes
git status

# if not, commit them
git commit -a -m "Updates for the x.y.z release." && git push

# tag the release (annotated tag is required)
git tag -a abc.x.y.z

# send tag to remote
git push --tags
</file>

For more information read the [[https://git-scm.com/docs/git-tag|git tag manual]].

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===== Upload the tarball =====

  - Open [[https://releases.xfce.org/]] in your browser, log in with your Xfce HTTPS credentials.
  - Click on ''Release New Version'' link next to your project.
  -  Follow the instructions presented to you by the release manager software to upload the abc.x.y.z.tar.bz2 tarball with the SHA1 checksum you can generate with ''sha1sum abc.x.y.z.tar.bz2'' in a terminal.
    * For the announcements, please only pick mailing lists that make sense. Everything should be announced on xfce-announce@xfce.org and xfce@xfce.org.
    *  Please note that you MUST subscribe to the announce mailling list before doing a release. Your first release mail need to be moderated by a list admin. 
  - Make a nice summary of the new features or just paste the contents of the ''NEWS'' file.

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===== Post release =====

  - Add the ''git'' back to ?_version_tag() in the ''configure.am.in'' file, commit and push the change.
  - Possibly switch back to the ''master'' branch.
  - Celebrate  8-).

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