release-process.rst: Add "soft freeze" stage.

[ovs.git] / Documentation / internals / release-process.rst

..
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      Convention for heading levels in Open vSwitch documentation:

      =======  Heading 0 (reserved for the title in a document)
      -------  Heading 1
      ~~~~~~~  Heading 2
      +++++++  Heading 3
      '''''''  Heading 4

      Avoid deeper levels because they do not render well.

============================
Open vSwitch Release Process
============================

This document describes the process ordinarily used for Open vSwitch
development and release.  Exceptions are sometimes necessary, so all of the
statements here should be taken as subject to change through rough consensus of
Open vSwitch contributors, obtained through public discussion on, e.g., ovs-dev
or the #openvswitch IRC channel.

Release Strategy
----------------

Open vSwitch feature development takes place on the "master" branch.
Ordinarily, new features are rebased against master and applied directly.  For
features that take significant development, sometimes it is more appropriate to
merge a separate branch into master; please discuss this on ovs-dev in advance.

The process of making a release has the following stages.  See `Release
Scheduling`_ for the timing of each stage:

1. "Soft freeze" of the master branch.

   During the freeze, we ask committers to refrain from applying patches that
   add new features unless those patches were already being publicly discussed
   and reviewed before the freeze began.  Bug fixes are welcome at any time.
   Please propose and discuss exceptions on ovs-dev.
 
2. Fork a release branch from master, named for the expected release number,
   e.g. "branch-2.3" for the branch that will yield Open vSwitch 2.3.x.

   Release branches are intended for testing and stabilization.  At this stage
   and in later stages, they should receive only bug fixes, not new features.
   Bug fixes applied to release branches should be backports of corresponding
   bug fixes to the master branch, except for bugs present only on release
   branches (which are rare in practice).

   At this stage, sometimes there can be exceptions to the rule that a release
   branch receives only bug fixes.  Like bug fixes, new features on release
   branches should be backports of the corresponding commits on the master
   branch.  Features to be added to release branches should be limited in scope
   and risk and discussed on ovs-dev before creating the branch.

3. When committers come to rough consensus that the release is ready, they
   release the .0 release on its branch, e.g. 2.3.0 for branch-2.3.  To make
   the actual release, a committer pushes a signed tag named, e.g. v2.3.0, to
   the Open vSwitch repository, makes a release tarball available on
   openvswitch.org, and posts a release announcement to ovs-announce.

4. As bug fixes accumulate, or after important bugs or vulnerabilities are
   fixed, committers may make additional releases from a branch: 2.3.1, 2.3.2,
   and so on.  The process is the same for these additional release as for a .0
   release.

At most two release branches are formally maintained at any given time: the
latest release and the latest release designed as LTS.  An LTS release is one
that the OVS project has designated as being maintained for a longer period of
time.  Currently, an LTS release is maintained until the next LTS is chosen.
There is not currently a strict guideline on how often a new LTS release is
chosen, but so far it has been about every 2 years.  That could change based on
the current state of OVS development.  For example, we do not want to designate
a new release as LTS that includes disruptive internal changes, as that may
make it harder to support for a longer period of time.  Discussion about
choosing the next LTS release occurs on the OVS development mailing list.

Release Numbering
-----------------

The version number on master should normally end in .90.  This indicates that
the Open vSwitch version is "almost" the next version to branch.

Forking master into branch-x.y requires two commits to master.  The first is
titled "Prepare for x.y.0" and increments the version number to x.y.  This is
the initial commit on branch-x.y.  The second is titled "Prepare for post-x.y.0
(x.y.90)" and increments the version number to x.y.90.

The version number on a release branch is x.y.z, where z is initially 0.
Making a release requires two commits.  The first is titled *Set release dates
for x.y.z.* and updates NEWS and debian/changelog to specify the release date
of the new release.  This commit is the one made into a tarball and tagged.
The second is titled *Prepare for x.y.(z+1).* and increments the version number
and adds a blank item to NEWS with an unspecified date.

Release Scheduling
------------------

Open vSwitch makes releases at the following six-month cadence.  All dates are
approximate:

+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+
| Time (months) | Dates          | Stage                                |
+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+
| T             | Mar 1, Sep 1   | Begin x.y release cycle              |
+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+
| T + 4         | Jul 1, Jan 1   | "Soft freeze" master for x.y release |
+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+
| T + 4.5       | Jul 15, Jan 15 | Fork branch-x.y from master          |
+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+
| T + 5.5       | Aug 15, Feb 15 | Release version x.y.0                |
+---------------+----------------+--------------------------------------+

Contact
-------

Use dev@openvswitch.org to discuss the Open vSwitch development and release
process.