github.com/demonoid81/moby@v0.0.0-20200517203328-62dd8e17c460/project/RELEASE-PROCESS.md (about) 1 # Docker Release Process 2 3 This document describes how the Docker project is released. The Docker project 4 release process targets the Engine, Compose, Kitematic, Machine, Swarm, 5 Distribution, Notary and their underlying dependencies (libnetwork, libkv, 6 etc...). 7 8 Step-by-step technical details of the process are described in 9 [RELEASE-CHECKLIST.md](https://github.com/demonoid81/moby/blob/master/project/RELEASE-CHECKLIST.md). 10 11 ## Release cycle 12 13 The Docker project follows a **time-based release cycle** and ships every nine 14 weeks. A release cycle starts the same day the previous release cycle ends. 15 16 The first six weeks of the cycle are dedicated to development and review. During 17 this phase, new features and bugfixes submitted to any of the projects are 18 **eligible** to be shipped as part of the next release. No changeset submitted 19 during this period is however guaranteed to be merged for the current release 20 cycle. 21 22 ## The freeze period 23 24 Six weeks after the beginning of the cycle, the codebase is officially frozen 25 and the codebase reaches a state close to the final release. A Release Candidate 26 (RC) gets created at the same time. The freeze period is used to find bugs and 27 get feedback on the state of the RC before the release. 28 29 During this freeze period, while the `master` branch will continue its normal 30 development cycle, no new features are accepted into the RC. As bugs are fixed 31 in `master` the release owner will selectively 'cherry-pick' critical ones to 32 be included into the RC. As the RC changes, new ones are made available for the 33 community to test and review. 34 35 This period lasts for three weeks. 36 37 ## How to maximize chances of being merged before the freeze date? 38 39 First of all, there is never a guarantee that a specific changeset is going to 40 be merged. However there are different actions to follow to maximize the chances 41 for a changeset to be merged: 42 43 - The team gives priority to review the PRs aligned with the Roadmap (usually 44 defined by a ROADMAP.md file at the root of the repository). 45 - The earlier a PR is opened, the more time the maintainers have to review. For 46 example, if a PR is opened the day before the freeze date, it’s very unlikely 47 that it will be merged for the release. 48 - Constant communication with the maintainers (mailing-list, IRC, GitHub issues, 49 etc.) allows to get early feedback on the design before getting into the 50 implementation, which usually reduces the time needed to discuss a changeset. 51 - If the code is commented, fully tested and by extension follows every single 52 rules defined by the [CONTRIBUTING guide]( 53 https://github.com/demonoid81/moby/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md), this will help 54 the maintainers by speeding up the review. 55 56 ## The release 57 58 At the end of the freeze (nine weeks after the start of the cycle), all the 59 projects are released together. 60 61 ``` 62 Codebase Release 63 Start of is frozen (end of the 64 the Cycle (7th week) 9th week) 65 +---------------------------------------+---------------------+ 66 | | | 67 | Development phase | Freeze phase | 68 | | | 69 +---------------------------------------+---------------------+ 70 6 weeks 3 weeks 71 <---------------------------------------><--------------------> 72 ``` 73 74 ## Exceptions 75 76 If a critical issue is found at the end of the freeze period and more time is 77 needed to address it, the release will be pushed back. When a release gets 78 pushed back, the next release cycle gets delayed as well.