constellation/dev-docs/workflows/release.md

# Release Checklist

This checklist will prepare `v1.3.0` from `v1.2.0` (minor release) or `v1.3.1` from `v1.3.0` (patch release). Adjust your version numbers accordingly.

## Preparation

1. Search the code for TODOs and FIXMEs that should be resolved before releasing.
2. [Update titles and labels for all PRs relevant for this release](/dev-docs/conventions.md#pr-conventions) to aid in the [changelog generation](/.github/release.yml).


## Automated release

Releases should be performed using [the automated release pipeline](https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/actions/workflows/release.yml).

### Patch release

1. `cherry-pick` (only) the required commits from `main`
   * Check PRs with label [needs-backport](https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aclosed+label%3A%22needs+backport%22) to find candidates that should be included in a patch release.
2. trigger the automated release pipeline from the existing minor version branch:
   ```sh
    ver=v1.3.1 # replace me
    minor=$(echo $ver | cut -d '.' -f 1,2)
    gh workflow run release.yml --ref release/v$minor -F version=$ver -F kind=patch
   ```
3. wait for the pipeline to finish
4. look over the autogenerated draft release and publish it

### Minor release

1. Merge ready PRs
2. trigger the automated release pipeline from `main`:
   ```sh
    ver=v1.3.0 # replace me
    minor=$(echo $ver | cut -d '.' -f 1,2)
    gh workflow run release.yml --ref main -F version=$ver -F kind=minor
   ```
3. wait for the pipeline to finish
4. look over the autogenerated draft release and publish it

## Post release steps

1. Milestones management
   1. Create a new milestone for the next release
   2. Add the next release manager and an approximate release date to the milestone description
   3. Close the milestone for the release
   4. Move open issues and PRs from closed milestone to next milestone
2.  If the release is a minor version release, tag the latest commit on main as the start of the next pre-release phase.

    ```sh
    nextMinorVer=$(echo "${ver}" | awk -F. -v OFS=. '{$2 += 1 ; print}')
    git checkout main
    git pull
    git tag v${nextMinorVer}-pre
    git push origin refs/tags/v${nextMinorVer}-pre
    ```