Release Cycle

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{{Template:Quicklinks}}
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{{Quicklinks|Release Cycle}}
 
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This is the current OpenSim lightweight Release Cycle recipe.
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OpenSimulator has a lightweight release cycle right now. This allows us to get code out to people quickly, as befits the alpha status of the project.
  
The goal is to run a cycle that churns out recommended code snapshots with reasonably regular intervals, and with a minimum of work for any one human resource. It should be a community effort, and anyone should be able to move the cycle forward.
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Since 0.9.1.0 we did simplify the release cycle even more, removing the release candidates and post fixes "things"
  
If you're not acquainted with svn revision numbering schemes, see [[On revisions, tags and branches]] for additional info.
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We make a new release when the code state and received feedback justifies one.
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Changes on the minor number of the version will usually mean a release with mostly "bug fixes"
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On Git, at the release point, we;
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* create a new branch with the code to release and names as the release version, for example 0.9.2.0
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* on the release branch, change the version type to Release in the VersionInfo.cs
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* on master branch, change version information on the needed source files (VersionInfo.cs, ServerReleaseNotesURL in OpenSimDefaults.ini, etc)
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* on master branch, add a tag with the new version with Dev suffix, for example 0.9.2.1Dev
  
The Cycle:
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update the release release notes page
<ol>
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<li>Developers and Testers work on <em>/trunk</em> ("testers" being defined as "users feeding off trunk", also lovingly known as "trunkheads")</li>
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        <li>/trunk revisions will always have the <i>Flavour</i> "Dev" reflected in the version info string.
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<li>Developers and Testers identify suitable release candidate revisions, from the repository history. (for example, people on [http://osgrid.org/ osgrid.org] discuss this on their weekly meet-ups)</li>
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<li>This revision is branched off as a "release candidate" (to <em>/branches/0.6.5-rc1</em> in this case), version number is upped, flavour is changed to "rc1". Version number and flavour changes and committed <em>only to this branch</em>. We don't want to up the version number in trunk until we know we have a release.</li>
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<li>Testers now switch their focus to running the rc until they can give feedback on whether "rc <strong>sux</strong>" or "rc <strong>rox</strong>".
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Key issues:
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<ul>
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<li>Has all version numbers been updated?</li>
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<li>Does it play well with last version? Do we need to up the interface version as well?</li>
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<li>Does it feel better or worse than last version?</li>
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<li>Any critical errors that needs fixing first?</li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<li>If any <span style="text-decoration: underline;">critical but fixable</span> errors are found, these are fixed in trunk and the fixing revision is merged into the release candidate branch. (or vice versa, if that works out better)</li>
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<li>If, even after this, testers agree that "rc sux" the project goes back to 1) to wait and look for the next rc (thusly named rc2)</li>
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<li>If testers agree that "rc rox" the flavour of the current rc branch Flavour is changed to "Release", and this is tagged as "-release" (to <em>/tags/0.6.5-release</em> in this case)</li>
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<li>The flavour of the "-rc1" branch is then changed to "Post_Fixes" and after this renamed to "-post-fixes"  (to <em>/branches/0.6.5-post-fixes</em> in this case) for continued service awaiting the next cycle. The svn rename lets us keep the revision history back thru the rc branch history.</li>
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<li>The version number (and optionally interface version) uppage is merged back into trunk. (this is a minor merge which will probably always succeed without conflict) - but the Flavour is kept at "Dev" in the trunk.</li>
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<li>The project goes back to 1)</li>
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</ol>
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The output of this would be named version flavours for each of these user categories:
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<ul>
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<li><strong>Grid/Region owners running services in production</strong>
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add a release notes page for the new version on wiki as ServerReleaseNotesURL
  
Feed off "-post-fixes" if they want stability first, or off "-release" if they want a known 'upgrade track'.</li>
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Produce the release source and binary packages and place on the website at http://dist.opensimulator.org
<li><strong>Developers</strong>
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Add the release and new version to Mantis versions field
  
Feed off <em>/trunk</em> ("Dev"), or off -rcX or -post-fixes if they want some stability while hunting bugs or doing protoyping.</li>
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Update the rest of wiki so it points to the new release
<li><strong>Testers</strong>
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Testers are committed to helping the devs find bugs at the prize of instabilities, crashes and loss of data. They therefore feed off the <em>/trunk</em> ("Dev") development branch or -rcX depending on whether there is an RC pending release or not. (ie, is the latest version an RC, use that, if not, use <em>/trunk</em>)
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Run to a remote island without telephone or internet
Everyone feeding off <em>/trunk</em> are collectively labeled 'testers', and any installation running on anything but a 'release' or 'post-fixes' revision is considered a 'test installation'.</li>
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</ul>
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Here are the old release cycle steps
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# '''Get informal feedback''' about current OpenSimulator stability. Good places to do this are at the OpenSimulator weekly developer's meeting on osgrid.org and in the #opensim-dev IRC channel.
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# '''Announce the intention''' to start a release process to the opensim-dev mailing list.
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# '''Branch''' <release name>-post-fixes from OpenSimulator Master in git. For example, 0.6.8-post-fixes.
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# '''Change the version type''' in VersionInfo in OpenSim.Framework.Servers to RC1.
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# '''Change the release number''' in OpenSimulator trunk to the next possible future release (e.g. 0.6.9 if this release process concerns 0.6.8).
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# '''Change ServerReleaseNotesURL''' in OpenSimDefaults.ini in OpenSimulator Master in git and create a new “under development” wiki release notes page as required.
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# '''Produce a binary package''' for the release candidate.
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# '''Create a field for release in Mantis'''
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# '''Gather feedback''' over 2 weeks or so. '''Make bug fixes''' if possible. Critical showstopper bugs (e.g. server won't start up) ''should'' be fixed.
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# '''Change the version type''' to Release
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# '''Produce OpenSimulator source and binary packages''' after a successful test period and '''place on the website''' at http://opensimulator.org webserver (this needs further documentation since the automated production process is currently broken).
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# '''Change the wiki pages''' to point to new release. This includes both the download page and the link on the front page.
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# '''Change the version type''' to Post_Fixes
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==See Also==
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* [[Release Procedure]]
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[[Category:Development]]

Latest revision as of 03:23, 4 December 2023


OpenSimulator has a lightweight release cycle right now. This allows us to get code out to people quickly, as befits the alpha status of the project.

Since 0.9.1.0 we did simplify the release cycle even more, removing the release candidates and post fixes "things"

We make a new release when the code state and received feedback justifies one. Changes on the minor number of the version will usually mean a release with mostly "bug fixes" On Git, at the release point, we;

  • create a new branch with the code to release and names as the release version, for example 0.9.2.0
  • on the release branch, change the version type to Release in the VersionInfo.cs
  • on master branch, change version information on the needed source files (VersionInfo.cs, ServerReleaseNotesURL in OpenSimDefaults.ini, etc)
  • on master branch, add a tag with the new version with Dev suffix, for example 0.9.2.1Dev

update the release release notes page

add a release notes page for the new version on wiki as ServerReleaseNotesURL

Produce the release source and binary packages and place on the website at http://dist.opensimulator.org

Add the release and new version to Mantis versions field

Update the rest of wiki so it points to the new release


Run to a remote island without telephone or internet


Here are the old release cycle steps

  1. Get informal feedback about current OpenSimulator stability. Good places to do this are at the OpenSimulator weekly developer's meeting on osgrid.org and in the #opensim-dev IRC channel.
  2. Announce the intention to start a release process to the opensim-dev mailing list.
  3. Branch <release name>-post-fixes from OpenSimulator Master in git. For example, 0.6.8-post-fixes.
  4. Change the version type in VersionInfo in OpenSim.Framework.Servers to RC1.
  5. Change the release number in OpenSimulator trunk to the next possible future release (e.g. 0.6.9 if this release process concerns 0.6.8).
  6. Change ServerReleaseNotesURL in OpenSimDefaults.ini in OpenSimulator Master in git and create a new “under development” wiki release notes page as required.
  7. Produce a binary package for the release candidate.
  8. Create a field for release in Mantis
  9. Gather feedback over 2 weeks or so. Make bug fixes if possible. Critical showstopper bugs (e.g. server won't start up) should be fixed.
  10. Change the version type to Release
  11. Produce OpenSimulator source and binary packages after a successful test period and place on the website at http://opensimulator.org webserver (this needs further documentation since the automated production process is currently broken).
  12. Change the wiki pages to point to new release. This includes both the download page and the link on the front page.
  13. Change the version type to Post_Fixes

[edit] See Also

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