RELEASE.md

Release Process

1. Draft a new release on GitHub
   • "Tag version": vx.y.z @ Target: main
   • "Release title": x.y.z Two Word Summary (e.g. biggest change / reason for release)
   • "Describe this release": use the template from Releases on GitHub
2. Do the release (see project specific docs/release.md file)
3. Publish drafted release on GitHub
   Note: this will create a tag on main, equivalent to:

   git checkout main
   git tag vx.y
   git push origin vx.y # or --tags

4. Close x.y.z milestone
   • "Due date": release date
   • "Description": link to Release on GitHub

Steps to build and publish an Android App

1. Merge everything to main that needs to be in the release.
   • Current active milestone might help to see what's missing.
   • Review version.properties is right for the target release, if not, PR.
2. Run gradlew releaseRelease to produce an APK and mapping file while on latest main.
   Latest main is important, because the commit counter will influence the version name/version code.
3. Create a new Release in the Alpha track.
   • Upload the APK and the mapping file either to App Bundle Explorer or inline.
   • Action any potential warnings or errors.
   • Replace pre-populated release name (<versionCode> (<versionName>)) with just <versionName>.
   • Copy Release Notes from previous alpha or production release.
   • Review and publish.
4. Smoke test on a real device installed from Google Play Store.
5. Promote to Production with 100% or staged rollout.

Release Notes

Information sources

• Commits since last release in Git repository
• Milestones in GitHub
  • Pull requests in GitHub associated with Milestones
  • Issues resolved in GitHub associated with Milestones

Deployment Targets

Project Listing on my Website (#history)

Under https://www.twisterrob.net/project/ each project has a "History" section.
Target audience: end users, tech savvy end users
Contents:

• Release version: the name of the release, usually in v0.0.0#x format
• Release date: the date the release was first publicly available.
• Bullet point list of all user-facing changes.
• Link to Release on GitHub

Template (Jekyll GFM):

### [0.0.0#x](https://github.com/TWiStErRob/net.twisterrob.?/releases/tag/v0.0.0) (yyyy-mm-dd)
{: #v00000000}
 * Feature: ...
 * Enhancement: ...
 * Fix: ...
 * Experimental: ...
 * ...
   * Feature: ...
   * Enhancement: ...
   * Fix: ...
   * Experimental: ...

User Release Notes

Published release notes (Google Play Store, Gradle Plugin Portal, etc.)
Target audience: end users
Contents:

• Very short bullet point summary of features, relevant fixes
• Limited to 500 characters.
• Link to website

Template (plain text):

<versionName.latest> (<release date:YYYY-MM-DD>)
* <Major change.>
* <Feature: description.>
* <Fix: description.>

<versionName.older> (<release date:YYYY-MM-DD>)
* <even shorter list>

Full listing: http://www.twisterrob.net/project/<project>/#history

CHANGELOG.md file in Git repository

This target was obsoleted by GitHub Releases' description.
Contents:

• Release version
• Release date
• Changes with links to PRs/Issues.

Project's Releases on GitHub

Target audience: tech-savvy end users, contributors
Contents:

• Link to website
• Development time range
• Link to milestone
• Full list of features with issue/PR links
• APK and release archive

Template (GFM):

## Release
<!-- TODO the day the release is published. -->
*Date*: yyyy-mm-dd
*Version*: 0.0.0

* **New**: ...major change...
* **Breaking**: ...major change...

See also the [public release notes on my website][3].

## Changes
For the full list of changes see [release milestone][1] and [diff][2].

<!-- TODO Each bullet point: `component: Title (#issue/#pr)`. -->

### Breaking
 * TODO ...

### New
 * TODO ...

### Fixes
 * TODO ...

### Internal
 * TODO ...

<!-- TODO Update these links. -->
[1]: https://github.com/TWiStErRob/net.twisterrob.?/milestone/0?closed=1
[2]: https://github.com/TWiStErRob/net.twisterrob.?/compare/v0.0.0...v0.0.0
[3]: https://www.twisterrob.net/project/?/#v00000000

Steps after pasting:

• Fix TODOs
• remove empty sections
• upload artifacts

Project's Milestone on GitHub

Target audience: contributors
Contents:

• Name of milestone: vx.y.z
• Date of milestone: release date
• Description of milestone:
  • Link to Release on GitHub