--- /dev/null
+Here are most of the steps we (maintainers) follow when making a release.
+
+* Start from a clean, up-to-date git directory on "master":
+
+ make -k maintainer-clean || { ./configure && make maintainer-clean; }
+ git checkout master
+ git pull origin master
+
+* Ensure that the latest stable versions of autoconf, automake, etc.
+ are in your PATH. See the buildreq list in bootstrap.conf for
+ the complete list of tools.
+
+* Ensure that you have no uncommitted diffs. This should produce no
+ output:
+
+ git diff
+
+* Ensure that you've pushed all changes that belong in the release:
+
+ git push origin master
+
+* Check that the NixOS/Hydra autobuilder is reporting all is well:
+
+ http://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/gnu/gzip-master
+
+* Run the following command to download any new translations:
+
+ ./bootstrap && ./configure
+
+* Pre-release testing: ensure that the following command succeeds:
+
+ make check syntax-check distcheck
+
+* From top_srcdir, run:
+
+ build-aux/do-release-commit-and-tag X.Y stable
+
+ in order to (i) set the date, version number, and release type
+ [stable/alpha/beta] on line 3 of NEWS, (ii) commit that, and (iii) tag the
+ release. See --help if you need options such as:
+
+ build-aux/do-release-commit-and-tag --branch=maint -C _build X.Y.Z stable
+
+* Run the following to create release tarballs. Your choice selects the
+ corresponding upload-to destination in the emitted gnupload command.
+ The different destinations are specified in cfg.mk. See the definitions
+ of gnu_ftp_host-{alpha,beta,stable}.
+
+ # "TYPE" must be stable, beta or alpha
+ make TYPE
+
+* Test the tarball. Copy it to a few odd-ball systems and ensure that
+ it builds and passes all tests.
+
+* While that's happening, write the release announcement that you will
+ soon post. Start with the template, $HOME/announce-gzip-X.Y
+ that was just created by that "make" command.
+
+Once all the builds and tests have passed,
+
+* Run the gnupload command that was suggested by your "make TYPE" run above.
+
+* Wait a few minutes (maybe up to 30?) and then use the release URLs to
+ download all tarball/signature pairs and use gpg --verify to ensure
+ that they're all valid.
+
+* Push the NEWS-updating changes and the new tag:
+
+ v=$(cat .prev-version)
+ git push origin master tag v$v
+
+* Announce it on Savannah first, so you can include the savannah.org
+ announcement link in the email message.
+
+ From here:
+ https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gzip/
+ click on "submit news", then write something like the following:
+ (If there is no such button, then enable "News" for the project via
+ the Main -> "Select Features" menu item, or via this link:
+ https://savannah.gnu.org/project/admin/editgroupfeatures.php?group=gzip)
+
+ Subject: gzip-X.Y released [stable]
+ +verbatim+
+ ...paste the announcement here...
+ -verbatim-
+
+ Then go here to approve it:
+ https://savannah.gnu.org/news/approve.php?group=gzip
+
+* Send the announcement email message.
+
+* After each non-alpha release, update the on-line manual accessible via
+
+ http://www.gnu.org/software/gzip/manual/
+
+ by running this from top_srcdir:
+
+ build-aux/gnu-web-doc-update
+
+ possibly with "-C <BUILDDIR>"