2015-08-05 00:25:30 +00:00
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# Docker Release Process
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This document describes how the Docker project is released. The Docker project
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release process targets the Engine, Compose, Kitematic, Machine, Swarm,
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Distribution, Notary and their underlying dependencies (libnetwork, libkv,
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etc...).
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Step-by-step technical details of the process are described in
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2022-01-18 12:10:07 +00:00
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[PATCH-RELEASES.md](https://github.com/moby/moby/blob/master/project/PATCH-RELEASES.md).
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2015-08-05 00:25:30 +00:00
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## Release cycle
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The Docker project follows a **time-based release cycle** and ships every nine
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weeks. A release cycle starts the same day the previous release cycle ends.
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The first six weeks of the cycle are dedicated to development and review. During
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this phase, new features and bugfixes submitted to any of the projects are
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**eligible** to be shipped as part of the next release. No changeset submitted
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during this period is however guaranteed to be merged for the current release
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cycle.
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## The freeze period
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Six weeks after the beginning of the cycle, the codebase is officially frozen
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and the codebase reaches a state close to the final release. A Release Candidate
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(RC) gets created at the same time. The freeze period is used to find bugs and
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get feedback on the state of the RC before the release.
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During this freeze period, while the `master` branch will continue its normal
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development cycle, no new features are accepted into the RC. As bugs are fixed
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in `master` the release owner will selectively 'cherry-pick' critical ones to
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be included into the RC. As the RC changes, new ones are made available for the
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community to test and review.
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This period lasts for three weeks.
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## How to maximize chances of being merged before the freeze date?
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First of all, there is never a guarantee that a specific changeset is going to
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be merged. However there are different actions to follow to maximize the chances
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for a changeset to be merged:
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- The team gives priority to review the PRs aligned with the Roadmap (usually
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defined by a ROADMAP.md file at the root of the repository).
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- The earlier a PR is opened, the more time the maintainers have to review. For
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example, if a PR is opened the day before the freeze date, it’s very unlikely
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that it will be merged for the release.
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2017-10-04 16:38:09 +00:00
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- Constant communication with the maintainers (mailing-list, IRC, GitHub issues,
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2015-08-05 00:25:30 +00:00
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etc.) allows to get early feedback on the design before getting into the
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implementation, which usually reduces the time needed to discuss a changeset.
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- If the code is commented, fully tested and by extension follows every single
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rules defined by the [CONTRIBUTING guide](
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https://github.com/docker/docker/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md), this will help
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the maintainers by speeding up the review.
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## The release
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At the end of the freeze (nine weeks after the start of the cycle), all the
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projects are released together.
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```
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Codebase Release
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Start of is frozen (end of the
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the Cycle (7th week) 9th week)
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+---------------------------------------+---------------------+
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| Development phase | Freeze phase |
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+---------------------------------------+---------------------+
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6 weeks 3 weeks
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<---------------------------------------><-------------------->
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```
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## Exceptions
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If a critical issue is found at the end of the freeze period and more time is
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needed to address it, the release will be pushed back. When a release gets
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pushed back, the next release cycle gets delayed as well.
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