1 Here are most of the steps we (maintainers) follow when making a release.
3 * Start from a clean, up-to-date git directory on "master":
5 make -k maintainer-clean || { ./configure && make maintainer-clean; }
9 * Ensure that the latest stable versions of autoconf, automake, etc.
10 are in your PATH. See the buildreq list in bootstrap.conf for
11 the complete list of tools.
13 * Ensure that you have no uncommitted diffs. This should produce no
18 * Ensure that you've pushed all changes that belong in the release:
20 git push origin master
22 * Check that the NixOS/Hydra autobuilder is reporting all is well:
24 http://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/gnu/@PACKAGE@-master
26 * Run the following command to download any new translations:
28 ./bootstrap && ./configure
30 * Pre-release testing: ensure that the following command succeeds:
32 make check syntax-check distcheck
34 * To (i) set the date, version number, and release TYPE on line 3 of
35 NEWS, (ii) commit that, and (iii) tag the release, run
37 # "TYPE" must be stable, beta or alpha
38 make release-commit RELEASE='X.Y TYPE'
40 * Run the following to create release tarballs. Your choice selects the
41 corresponding upload-to destination in the emitted gnupload command.
42 The different destinations are specified in cfg.mk. See the definitions
43 of gnu_ftp_host-{alpha,beta,stable}.
45 make release RELEASE='X.Y TYPE'
47 * Test the tarball. Copy it to a few odd-ball systems and ensure that
48 it builds and passes all tests.
50 * While that's happening, write the release announcement that you will
51 soon post. Start with the template, $HOME/announce-@PACKAGE@-X.Y
52 that was just created by that "make" command.
54 Once all the builds and tests have passed,
56 * Run the gnupload command that was suggested by your "make release"
59 make upload RELEASE='X.Y TYPE'
61 * Wait a few minutes (maybe up to 30?) and then use the release URLs to
62 download all tarball/signature pairs and use gpg --verify to ensure
63 that they're all valid.
65 * Push the NEWS-updating changes and the new tag:
67 v=$(cat .prev-version)
68 git push origin master tag v$v
70 * Announce it on Savannah first, so you can include the savannah.org
71 announcement link in the email message.
73 Go to the news-submission form:
75 https://savannah.gnu.org/news/submit.php?group=@PACKAGE@
77 If it does not work, then enable "News" for the project via this link:
79 https://savannah.gnu.org/project/admin/editgroupfeatures.php?group=@PACKAGE@
81 Write something like the following:
83 Subject: @PACKAGE@-X.Y released [stable]
85 ...paste the announcement here...
88 Then go here to approve it:
90 https://savannah.gnu.org/news/approve.php?group=@PACKAGE@
92 * Send the announcement email message.
94 * After each non-alpha release, run
96 make web-manual-update
98 to update the on-line manual accessible at
100 http://www.gnu.org/software/@PACKAGE@/manual/