User:JesterKing/ReleaseCycleNotes/ReleaseCycle

Release Cycle

2.81 dates

• cut-off: 2019.09.13
• stabilizing branch: 2019.10.01
• release: 2019.11.14

• Preliminary 2.82 dates
  • 2.82 work starts in master branch October 2019: 2019.10.01
  • cut-off December 2019
  • stabilizing branch begin January 2020
  • release around 2nd/3rd week February 2020

The 2.8x release cycle

The release cycle targets around 3 month cycle. With the stabilizing branch creation work will be done in two branches:

• stabilizing branch (i.e. 2.81): fixes only
• master: new work (i.e. 2.82)

With the stabilizing branch in place for roughly 6 weeks prior to release date it leaves around 6 weeks between current release date and cut-off for next release.

Taking into account that master will be open for changes once stabilizing branch is in place that gives almost 3 months time to work on new features for the next release.

Stabilizing branch will essentially be bcon 3 (stabilizing for release and actual release), while at the same time master can be in bcon 1 (confirm targets, make release schedule, start work for master). For master bcon will be in effect from the cut-off date. Bcon 1 and 2 take around 6 weeks together.

B-Con Levels

Bcon Level	Duration	Task
Bcon1: Set targets	2-3 weeks	Confirm targets, make release schedule, start merging approved work to trunk
Bcon2: Targets set, Merge	3-4 weeks	Remaining branches can be merged in, but only the ones agreed on in Bcon1. Module work can continue, focus is on stabilizing and fixing.
Bcon3: Fixing/Stabilize only	circa 6 weeks	If a branch added in Bcon1/2 is still very unstable it will be reverted. Focus is on bugfixing and get release ready. Prior to release (same/previous day)splash & version commit, Release Ahoy and clear call for freeze/unfreeze. The Release Candidate release(s) happen

(Test) Build Schedule

For 2.81 and onward there won't be special RC releases as such. Rather testing is to be done using builds generated by our buildbots (still WIP).