1 Here are most of the steps we (maintainers) follow when making a release.
3 * start from a clean, up-to-date git directory.
5 git checkout master; git pull
7 * Run ./configure && make maintainer-clean
9 * Ensure that the desired versions of autoconf, automake, etc.
10 are in your PATH. See the buildreq list in bootstrap.conf for
13 * Ensure that you're on "master" with no uncommitted diffs.
14 This should produce no output: git checkout master; git diff
16 * Run bootstrap one last time. This downloads any new translations:
20 * Pre-release testing:
21 Ensure that make check syntax-check succeeds.
23 * Run "make distcheck"
25 * Set the date, version number, and release type [stable/alpha/beta] on
26 line 3 of NEWS, commit that, and tag the release by running e.g.,
28 build-aux/do-release-commit-and-tag 8.1 beta
30 * Run the following to create release tarballs. Your choice selects the
31 corresponding upload-to destination in the emitted gnupload command.
32 The different destinations are specified in cfg.mk. See the definitions
33 of gnu_ftp_host-{alpha,beta,stable}.
35 # "TYPE" must be stable, beta or alpha
38 * Test the tarball. copy it to a few odd-ball systems and ensure that
39 it builds and passes all tests.
41 * While that's happening, write the release announcement that you will
44 Once all the builds and tests have passed,
46 * Run the gnupload command that was suggested by your "make stable" run above.
48 * Wait a few minutes (maybe up to 30?) and then use the release URLs to
49 download all tarball/signature pairs and use gpg --verify to ensure
50 that they're all valid.
52 * Push the NEWS-updating changes and the new tag:
54 v=$(cat .prev-version)
55 git push origin master tag v$v
57 * Send the gpg-signed announcement mail, e.g.,
60 Cc: coordinator@translationproject.org, bug-gzip@gnu.org
61 Subject: gzip-1.3.13 released [stable]
63 * Announce it on Savannah, too:
65 https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gzip/
66 click on the "submit news", then write something like the following:
67 (If there is no such button, then enable "News" for the project via
68 the Main -> "Select Features" menu item, or via this link:
69 https://savannah.gnu.org/project/admin/editgroupfeatures.php?group=gzip)
71 Subject: gzip-1.3.13 released [stable]
72 The announcement is here:
73 http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.gnu.gzip.bugs/258
75 Then go here to approve it:
76 https://savannah.gnu.org/news/approve.php?group=gzip
78 * After each non-alpha release, update the on-line manual accessible via
80 http://www.gnu.org/software/gzip/manual/
84 build-aux/gnu-web-doc-update