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Release Checklist

This is a checklist to go over when making releases, to ensure everything has been updated.

#blender-release on blender.chat is used for release related communication.

Bcon1

  • Check with module teams and developers about large features planned for the new release and add these to the project page.

Bcon2

  • Decide on a splash screen and deliver it to the release manager before Bcon3.

Bcon3

Transitioning to the stabilizing branch.

Blender

  • Create blender-v4.XX-release branches for the following repositories:

    • blender.git
    • scripts/addons (blender-addons.git)
    • scripts/addons_contrib (blender-addons-contrib.git)
    • tests/data (blender-test-data.git)
    • release/datafiles/assets (blender-assets.git)
    • lib/linux_x64 (lib-linux_x64.git)
    • lib/windows_x64 (lib-windows_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_x64 (lib-macos_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_arm64 (lib-macos_arm64.git)
    • blender-manual.git
    git checkout -b blender-v4.XX-release
git push origin blender-v4.XX-release
  • In the main branch of the Manual, update the blender_version number in manual/conf.py.
  • In the main branch:
    • PROJECT_NUMBER in doc/doxygen/Doxyfile
    • BLENDER_VERSION, BLENDER_FILE_SUBVERSION in source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
  • In the release branch:
    • Set BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE to beta.
    • Update and uncomment BLENDER_VERSION in build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake.
    • Update branch = main in .gitmodules of blender.git to point to the release branch name.
  • Commit Splash screen to the release branch
    • Don't push this change before talking to the PR team - we announce to the world in social media at the same we commit the splash to the source code.
  • Merge the release branch into main, ensuring BKE_blender_version and the splash screen remains correct.
  • Pre-create directory on download.blender.org/release/ for new version. Uset setfacl and check permissions (copy from previous releases)

Buildbot

  • Add tracks for new release branch in buildbot/conf/branches.py.
  • Remove folders for unused tracks on all buildbot machines, as there may not be enough disk space for the new track otherwise.
  • Push git repo to workers and masters, and reconfigure masters.
  • Force build daily-coordinator, doc-api-coordinator and doc-manual-coordinator for both vdev and the new release track.
  • Verify that builds succeeded and are available for download.
  • If new release is an LTS, create daily-X.X and devtest-X.X branches on Steam.

Websites

  • Release Notes
    • Adapt from the docs, add artwork
    • Add a new release notes redirect (e.g., blender.org/download/releases/X.X -> developer.blender.org/docs/release_notes/X.X)
    • Create empty release notes for next release on developer.blender.org/docs/release_notes/ and blender.org
  • Update dashboard on projects.blender.org
  • Update bcon in blender.chat topic

Bcon4

Blender

  • Set BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE to rc in the release branch.
  • Update release list in release/freedesktop/org.blender.Blender.appdata.xml
  • Update manual references by running tools/utils_doc/rna_manual_reference_updater.py
  • Make sure the libraries versions are updated in release/license/THIRD-PARTY-LICENSES.txt

Communication

  • Write press release and deliver it to the release manager one day before Bcon5.

Bcon5

Preparation for the final release:

Communication

  • At least one hour before going to BCon5, send message to #blender-coders and check with available core developers online that everything looks good for release.
    • Do not do that outside of reasonable work hours CET (10:00-17:00), nor during lunch break (13:00-14:00).
    • Ensure i18n (rBT, /release/datafiles/locale) is updated. Notify Bastien Montagne/mont29 so he can update the files prior to final release commits
  • Move Blender to bcon5 status:
  • Create a Potential candidates for corrective releases task tagged with the released version. (For LTS releases, create a Blender LTS: Maintenance Task X.X instead)

Blender

  • Set BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE to release in the release branch.

Tagging

Tag repositories (only after the build is approved):

  • Tag and push submodules first (same code as for main repo, see below):
    • release/scripts/addons (blender-addons.git)
    • release/scripts/addons_contrib (blender-addons-contrib.git)
    • tests/data (blender-test-data.git)
    • release/datafiles/assets (blender-assets.git)
    • lib/linux_x64 (lib-linux_x64.git)
    • lib/windows_x64 (lib-windows_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_x64 (lib-macos_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_arm64 (lib-macos_arm64.git)

  • Commit and push updated add-on references to the branch:

    git commit release/scripts/addons release/scripts/addons_contrib

  • Tag the main repo (blender.git)

    git tag -a v3.3.0 -m "Tagging Blender 3.3.0 release"
git push origin v3.3.0

  • Tag and push following repositories:

    • blender.git
    • scripts/addons (blender-addons.git)
    • scripts/addons_contrib (blender-addons-contrib.git)
    • tests/data (blender-test-data.git)
    • release/datafiles/assets (blender-assets.git)
    • lib/linux_x64 (lib-linux_x64.git)
    • lib/windows_x64 (lib-windows_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_x64 (lib-macos_x64.git)
    • lib/macos_arm64 (lib-macos_arm64.git)
    git tag -a v3.6.0 -m "Tagging Blender 3.6.0 release"
git push origin v3.6.0

Release Builds

NOTE

Check times when mirrors are updated. Aim to deploy files at 11:30 CET since syncing can take a while.

  • On the buildbot:
    • Trigger a vXXX-code-daily-coordinator build with package delivery.
    • Once finished, trigger vXXX-code-store-coordinator to upload builds to the stores and generate msix package
  • Manually tests builds.
  • Once ready to release, trigger vXXX-code-artifacts-deploy-coordinator to deploy the packages to download.blender.org and mirrors.
    • Ensure mirrors are synced
  • Lock uploaded files on download.blender.org (schg). Ask Dan McGrath to do this, can't be done from inside jail.

Stores

  • Snap
    • Final builds should be uploaded at this point, but not yet released as stable
    • Close beta for this release.
    • Close candidate for previous release, if not an LTS.
    • Promote candidate channel to stable for this release.
    • Update latest/stable to match this release.
  • Steam
    • Final builds should be uploaded at this point, but not yet released in the stable branches
    • Create vX.X branch for this release and point it to the right build.
    • Point the default branch to the same build as vX.X.
    • Do release announcement and any other store page changes.
  • Windows Store
    • Download msix package from download.blender.org and release it in the windows store.
    • Update store listings (export CSV, edit, import CSV again) with the PR release text

Websites

blender.org

  • Add Splash .blend file to demo-files page
  • Update Redirection from /download/releases/{version}/ to developer.blender.org/docs/release_notes/{version}
  • Download page
    • Paths & Platforms tab
      • Update the Builds Folder and File Path for every build in every platform
      • E.g. blender-3.1.2-windows-x64.msi → blender-3.2-windows-x64.msi
    • Splash & Release Notes tab
      • Update Release Features Summary, this text goes under the download section.
      • Update Splash Artwork, this shows up next to the Release Features Summary, doesn’t necessarily need to be the splash artwork, can be a cool screenshot too.
    • Announcement tab
      • This is a piece of HTML that can be displayed under the main download button. It could be used for adding a quick link to LTS versions.
  • Credits: Update page using source/tools/utils/credits_git_gen.py
  • Front page: Add news item
  • Release Notes: Add item to list of releases
  • Thanks page: Update artwork
  • Site-wide settings (this needs certain permissions only Pablo, Francesco, Dan have)
    • Set Blender Version and Release Date in Site-wide settings
    • Check mirrors have a copy of the file, otherwise disable those without. (find the URLs below)
Corrective releases

Corrective releases only require:

  • Update Download page links
  • Update Site-wide settings for:
    • Mirrors that have all the builds
    • Update version if the corrective release is for the latest release
  • Update "fancy" release notes page linking to the list of fixes in the release notes.

Release Notes

Docs

  • Buildbot:
    • Update buildbot/conf/branches.py for stable doc version and manual version labels (for version switching menu).
    • Push git repo to workers.
  • Trigger vdev-doc-api-coordinator and vdev-doc-manual-coordinator on buildbot to update docs, afterwards check the links and version switch menu are correct.
    • Python API current is the new release
    • Manual latest is the new release
  • Check manual links are valid in Blender (see bl_rna_manual_reference.py)

Bcon6: LTS

In the case of an LTS release, add a new row in Download → Long-term Support → Blender X.X LTS and fill with release notes from generate-code-patch-notes buildbot build step (can be run manually too, see create_release_notes.py)

Backporting bugfixes

  • Bugfixes should be in main for at least a week before backporting to LTS, to ensure they have been tested.
  • Backports should be done one week before the LTS release, to give some time for testing.

Releases

  • LTS releases are done once a month, even if there is just one (high priority) bugfix.
    • Backports are to be done by the second Tuesday of the month.
    • Release is on the third Tuesday of the month.

Sunsetting LTS

  • Update the LTS's page announcing the sunsetting, recommend to switch to the latest LTS. See 2.83 as reference.
  • Move the sunsetted release to Previous LTS Releases on blender.org

Post Release

Stores

  • Snap: request tracks for the next release to be created on snapcraft forum (with BlenderRelease account), so that we will have it by the time the next cycle starts. For LTS release, use a lts prefix for the track name.

Buildbot

  • Once the release is out for a while and no bugfix release is planned, update buildbot configuration to remove the track corresponding to the release.
  • In case of an LTS release, keep the track around and remove an old LTS track if needed.

Cycles

  • Sync and tag Cycles "stand-alone" repository (rC)

Benchmark

Blender as Python Module

  • Build and update the python module for PyPI. Note this is not currently done for bugfix/patch releases, due to limited disk space available.
    • Trigger vXXX-code-daily-coordinator with Python Module and Package Delivery checked
    • Trigger vXXX-code-bpy-deploy-coordinator

Mirrors

This is the complete list of mirrors, from which not all may be enabled for use at the moment. See the External Mirrors page in blender.org to find out which mirrors are currently enabled and ready to be used.