postgis/HOWTO_RELEASE

How to release
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 2021-11-18

Versioning Scheme
-----------------

*PostGIS*

PostGIS release version is composed by POSTGIS_MAJOR_VERSION,
POSTGIS_MINOR_VERSION and POSTGIS_MICRO_VERSION components, all
set in Version.config.

By default only [POSTGIS_MICRO_VERSION] increments between releases.
Starting at PostGIS 2.1 in development  POSTGIS_MICRO_VERSION should have
a "dev" string at the end

[POSTGIS_MINOR_VERSION] is incremented (and MICRO set to 0) when minor
additions have been introduced (one or two functions can be considered
*micro* additions)

[POSTGIS_MAJOR_VERSION] is incremented (and MICRO and MINOR set to 0) when
a dump/reload of existing spatial databases is *REQUIRED* for things
to work or rather *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED* to get new functionalities.

All POSTGIS_MICRO_VERSION that are in branch or trunk should end in dev.
So for example if you just release 2.1.1, then the 2.1 branch should have
POSTGIS_MICRO_VERSION set to 2dev so that the full version is 2.1.2dev.

*Liblwgeom*

Liblwgeom versioning is composed by by LIBLWGEOM_IFACE_CUR,
LIBLWGEOM_IFACE_AGE and LIBLWGEOM_IFACE_REV; all set and documented
in Version.config.

The liblwgeom versioning represents compatibility of the library
within a PostGIS minor version.

Requirements
------------

In order to build a release, you will need to build PostGIS and the
documentation -- that means having the required software:

* For PostGIS:
  - PostgreSQL
  - GEOS
  - Proj
  - SFCGAL
  - protobuf-c
  - GDAL (for raster)
  - json-c (for GeoJSON load support)
* For the docs:
  - xsltproc
  - DocBook XSL scripts
  - ImageMagic
  - DbLatex (for PDF)

Release procedure
-----------------


1. Check access.

  - Can edit tickets and milestones on http://trac.osgeo.org/postgis/
  - Can commit to upstream git https://git.osgeo.org/gitea/postgis/postgis
  - Have SSH to download.osgeo.org and can write to /osgeo/download/postgis.
  - Have SSH to postgis.net and can write to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/postgis.net.
  - Post to https://git.osgeo.org/gitea/postgis/postgis.net/ and get it added to feed
  https://planet.postgresql.org/register/new/
  - Can alter https://debbie.postgis.net

2. Check greenlight.

  - Ensure all bots are green: https://trac.osgeo.org/postgis
  - Check no blockers on https://trac.osgeo.org/postgis/roadmap on version you're releasing.

3. Reconcile done & planned.

  - Edit NEWS: set release date and check all notable changes have been reported
    (extract from git log and trac tickets for milestone).
  - Create milestone for next verison in Trac.
  - Push all the open tickets in Trac milestone to future and Fund Me milestones.

4. Update code.

  - Update the README.md to reflect new to be created buildbot badges
	   (this should only be needed for trunk release)
  - Edit README.postgis and set release date and version.
  - Add release notes in doc/release_notes.xml
  - Update Version.config to drop the "dev" suffix
  - Add the "dev" suffixed version in extensions/upgradeable_versions.mk
    and ensure all the previous released minor versions are listed in it
  - Commit all changes
  - If this is a minor or major release (no branch exists):
	   $ rev=x.x
	   $ git checkout master; git checkout -b "$rev"; git push -u osgeo $rev

	   Go to: https://debbie.postgis.net and copy last branch version and make new job
	   a) Replace PostGIS_* string params with new version
	   b) Replace repository url with new branch repo url
	   c) Update the PostGIS_trunk by updating the PostGIS_* string params

	   Go to: https://trac.osgeo.org/postgis/ edit the matrix to reflect new branch

5. Publish release

  - Check that bots are still green on https://trac.osgeo.org/postgis

  - Tag branch:  (replace x.x and x.x.x with minor and micro version e.g 2.3, 2.3.1)
     $ rev=x.x.x
     $ git tag -a $rev -m "Tagged release $rev"
     $ git push osgeo --tags

  - Take tar ball from http://postgis.net/stuff/
     (You might need to wait a few minutes to see it.
     If impatient check status of job - https://debbie.postgis.net/job/PostGIS_Make_Dist/
     If it fails, sh make_dist.sh $rev)
  - Documentation should also have been built and should be in http://postgis.net/stuff
     (this sometimes takes sometime so wait 15 minutes)
  - Test generated tarball (including extension upgrade)
  - Copy tarball, pdf, doc-html to https://download.osgeo.org/postgis/ web site.

  - PostGIS doc release versioned doc - http://postgis.net/documentation/
    - On postgis.net server, change /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/postgis.net (Versionless URL line )
         - nginx -t #to confirm you didn't breat the config
         - service nginx reload
      Verify the documentation is up to date (might need to change the apache config)

  - Post on website:
      - https://git.osgeo.org/gitea/postgis/postgis.net/src/branch/master/_content/config.yml
        Fix latest version pointers.
      - https://git.osgeo.org/gitea/postgis/postgis.net/src/master/_content/posts
        a) create a new Post for current year making sure the page name starts with mm-dd
        b) Update links on https://git.osgeo.org/gitea/postgis/postgis.net/src/master/_content/pages/source.html
        c) commit and wait 5 minutes to see changes on website

6. Spread the word

  - Announce on e-mail
    - postgis-users@lists.osgeo.org
    - postgis-devel@lists.osgeo.org
    - discuss@lists.osgeo.org
    - pgsql-announce@postgresql.org (no longer accepts direct posts) need to log in and post https://www.postgresql.org/account/edit/news/
    - david@fetter.org to be included in Weekly news

  - External web sites
    - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostGIS
    - Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1569955
    - Twitter
       This should automatically happen as a result of posting to PostGIS website since Planet PostGIS and Planet PostgreSQL both autotweet.

7. Start new development cycle
  - Update Trac and make old Milestone as completed
  - Push the revision number forward (see Versioning Scheme)
  - Remove the "dev" suffixed version from extensions/upgradeable_versions.mk