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This page contains details about how to release a new version of [[FlightGear]] into the wild. It is a continous work in progress to be improved with every new release.
{{GitStatus}}
{{Release}}


[[File:ReleasePlan.jpg|thumb|250px|The original plan]]
The '''release plan''' is the process by which a new version of [[FlightGear]] is released. The release plan is actually a continual work-in-progress, and is refined with every new release.
This release plan was originally developed by Mathias Fröhlich, Martin Spott, Thorsten Brehm and Torsten Dreyer during LinuxTag 2011.


If you think you have something to contribute to the release process, feel free to <span class=plainlinks>[{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=edit}} edit this page]</span>. Please discuss this concept at the mailing-list.
[[File:ReleasePlan.jpg|thumb|250px|The original release plan.]]
FlightGear has had two release plans over [[FlightGear History|history]]. The original release plan was developed by Mathias Fröhlich, Martin Spott, Thorsten Brehm and Torsten Dreyer during LinuxTag 2011. The current plan was proposed by Torsten Dreyer after the 3.6 release was [[FlightGear Newsletter November 2015#FlightGear v3.6 canceled|cancelled]].


=== General Release Concept ===
To suggest improvements and/or changes to the release plan, it is recommended to get in touch via the [[mailing list]]. Improvements can be based on the [[Release plan/Lessons learned|lessons learned]] from previous releases.
New FlightGear releases will be scheduled twice a year. The magic number to remember is 17 (we tried 42, but that didn't turn out so well. 17 is perfect: 1 is a prime, 7 is a prime and so is 17). On the 17th of January (1) and July (7) a new release branch will be created for SimGear, FlightGear and FGDATA.  


After branching, we will allow one month for bug fixing in the release branch, so building and packing of the binaries and FGDATA will take place around February, 18th and August, 18th. Allowing a few days for distribution of the files, new versions should be publically available around the 20th of February and August.  
== General release concept ==
A new version of FlightGear is released every three months, meaning four releases per year. On the 17th of the month, new release branches are created and the [[build server]] creates the binaries and uploading them to SourceForge. If any changes are made to the release branch, a new bugfix release is created. The version of the <code>next</code> branch is incremented. And development coninutes as normal, with new nightly builds be created after each change. The table below shows the release cycle. See also [http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34701971/ this mailing list post].


The development stream of SimGear, FlightGear and FGDATA will be set into a frozen state one month before the branch-day (17th) to let the dust of development settle and to allow fixing the most annoying bugs in the code. During this period, developers are requested not to add any new features, subsystems or alike. Immediately after the stream has branched for the release, development in the main stream (next/master) is open for major changes until one month before the next branch-day. This results in a duty cycle of 5 month developing and 1 month thinking.
{| class="wikitable"
! Month !! Number in cycle
|-
| January
| style="background-color: #e55757" | 4 ''(previous year)''
|-
| February
| style="background-color: #e4ae3a" | 1
|-
| March
| style="background-color: #e4ae3a" | 1
|-
| April
| style="background-color: #e4ae3a" | 1
|-
| May
| style="background-color: #6a6bd7" | 2
|-
| June
| style="background-color: #6a6bd7" | 2
|-
| July
| style="background-color: #6a6bd7" | 2
|-
| August
| style="background-color: #63e557" | 3
|-
| September
| style="background-color: #63e557" | 3
|-
| October
| style="background-color: #63e557" | 3
|-
| November
| style="background-color: #e55757" | 4
|-
| December
| style="background-color: #e55757" | 4
|}


=== Version Numbers ===
== Version numbers ==
Releases will have even version numbers (2.2.0, 2.4.0, 2.6.0), bugfix releases will increase their least significant digit (2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3).
FlightGear version numbers consist of three digits, separated by dots:
The Development stream uses odd version numbers and is usually on number higher than the current release (Released is 2.4.0, development stream is 2.5.0, next release will be 2.6.0).


The Major version number will be increased after significant changes to the functionality of the software.
=== Before 2016.1 ===
* '''Major''' (<u>3</u>.4.0): Only increased after significant changes to the functionality of the software (e.g., 1.x.x → 2.0.0 (due to switch to [[OSG]]).
* '''Minor''' (3.<u>4</u>.0): Has two applications:
** '''Stable releases''' always have ''even numbers'' (e.g. 2.8.0, 2.10.0, 2.12.0).
** The '''latest [[Git]] version''' or '''[[FlightGear build server|nightly build]]''' uses an ''odd number'', always one more than the latest stable release's minor revision numbere. For example, when the latest release was 3.4.0, the current development stream was 3.5.0.
* '''Revision''' (3.4.<u>0</u>): Increased by bugfix releases (e.g., 2.12.1).


=== Detailed Time Schedule and Checklist ===
=== 2016.1 and after ===
# Dec/Jun 17th: Development stream is declared "frozen" or "yellow".
* '''Year''' (<u>2016</u>.1.0): The year the version was released.
#: Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mailing-list to announce the state.
* '''Number''' (2016.<u>1</u>.0): Which release of the year the version is (note: starts at 1).
# Jan/Jul 17th: Create new release branch, assign new version number to dev-stream, re-open streams
* '''Revision''' (2016.1.<u>0</u>): Indicates one of two things:
##Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mail-list, asking not to commit/push anything, declare the streams "closed" or "red"
** In the '''latest [[Git]] version''' or '''[[FlightGear build server|nightly build]]''', this digit is 0, indicating that it is unstable.
##Bump up the version-number of simgear/next, flightgear/next and fgdata/master to an even number (2.3.0 -> 2.4.0)
** When a new '''release''' is created, this digit is set to 1. With bugfix that is made, this digit is increased by 1, and a new version created.
##Compile and test drive FlightGear with the new version-number
##Commit the new version number to next (flightgear+simgear) and master(fgdata)
##Tag (annotated) flightgear, simgear and fgdata with "version/2.4.0"
##:''git tag -a version/2.4.0'' (Enter a wise comment)
##Create the release branches on simgear, flightgear and fgdata named release/2.4.0
##:''git branch release/2.4.0''
##On the next/master branches, bump up the version-number of simgear, flightgear and fgdata to an odd number (2.4.0 -> 2.5.0)
##Compile and test drive FlightGear with the new development version number
##Commit the changes of version-number to next/master
##Tag (annotated) flightgear, simgear and fgdata with "version/2.5.0"
##:''git tag -a version/2.5.0'' (Enter a wise comment)
##Push the branches next/master '''and''' release/2.4.0 '''and''' the tags upstream
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin release/2.4.0''
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/2.4.0''
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/2.5.0''
##:for flightgear and simgear: ''git push origin next''
##:for fgdata: ''git push origin master''
## declare dev-streams "open" or "green"
##:Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mailing-list to announce the state.
## Trigger James for the Jenkins-builds and Curt for a snapshot release
# Feb/Aug 17th: Create binaries/installers, pack fgdata, publish files, announce new version, close the release-branch
##Tag the release/2.4.0 branches of simgear, flightgear and fgdata.
##Merge the branch release/2.4.0 into '''master''' (<u>'''NOT'''</u> next) for flightgear and simgear
##:We don't have a next branch for fgdata, no merging of the release branch here.


=== To bump up the version number ===
{{note|In general, release are referred to by their first two digits (e.g., 3.4). However, when filing a bug report or debugging problems, it is a good idea to give the full release number.}}
* fgdata
** edit the ''version'' file
* SimGear
** edit the ''version'' file
* FlightGear
** edit the ''version'' file
** edit ''CMakeLists.txt''
**: change the line '''find_package(SimGear 2.5.0 REQUIRED)'''
** edit ''src/Main/main.cxx''
**: change the line '''static char required_version[] = "2.5.0";'''
** edit configure.ac
**: change the line '''AC_MSG_CHECKING([for SimGear 2.5.0 or newer])'''


=== Definition of Stream States ===
== Detailed time schedule and checklist ==
* Open/Green
# Just after the next release, the next default airport is decided on by a poll on the forum. The next release will be named after it.
: Normal development of the code base and fgdata. Unrestricted (well, sort of) access to the streams. This state lasts for five month after the release branches were created.
# (On the 17th of the release month): The first Jenkins script is triggered to create <code>release/xxxx.x.0</code> branches with version xxxx.x.0.
* Frozen/Yellow
# Jenkins creates the binaries for xxxx.x.1.
*:No new features or major changes shall be pushed onto the development streams (neither source nor data). This period is for preparing the code for the release and make sure there are no major issues. It lasts for four weeks until creation of the release branches.
# Patches going into the <code>release/xxxx.x.0</code> branch automatically trigger a new build with a increase of the revision version number (see [[#2016.1 and after|above]]) and we immediately have a bugfix release.
* Closed/Red
# On the <code>next</code> branch, the version number is changed.
*:Nothing shall be pushed to the development streams (simgear, flightgear and fgdata). This state is for creating the release branches. It lasts for just a few hours on Jan 17th and Jul 17th around 12:00 UTC.
# Nightly builds are created from <code>next</code> after every push in that branch.


=== Bug fix committing policy ===
The process is repeated after three months.
Fixes for bugs during the shakedown test of the release branch may be applied to the branches next or release/2.4.0.
A fix goes into release/2.4.0 if the development of next has moved forward and this fix does not apply there. It also goes into the release branch if there will be a better fix for next.
A fix goes into next if it is also solves an issue for the next version. Cherry-pick this commit into the release/2.4.0 branch.


'''DO NOT''' merge next into release/2.4.0 or vice versa. Most likely, there will be commits that are not welcome in or even break the other branch.
== Version files ==
; FGData: {{fgdata file|version}}
; SimGear: {{simgear file|version}}
; FlightGear: {{flightgear file|version}}
; FGRun: [http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/fgrun/ci/next/tree/version fgrun/version]
<!--
== Bug fix committing policy ==
Fixes for bugs during the shakedown test of the release branch may be applied to the branches next or release/2.8.0.
A fix goes into release/2.8.0 if the development of next has moved forward and this fix does not apply there. It also goes into the release branch if there will be a better fix for next.
A fix goes into next if it is also solves an issue for the next version. Cherry-pick this commit into the release/2.8.0 branch.


=== Bug Tracking ===
'''DO NOT''' merge next into release/2.8.0 or vice versa. Most likely, there will be commits that are not welcome in or even break the other branch.
The [http://flightgear-bugs.googlecode.com bugtracker] will be our primary source for the bug fixing period. Bugs reported on the mailing list or forum will not be tracked! Reporters shall be requested to file a bug report at the bugtracker. Bugs shall be assigned a priority and a keyword to make the assignment to a developer easier. Bug reports that can't be confirmed or need more input from the reporter to get fixed will be assigned a new state "stalled" and only processed after more information has been provided. Bugs assigned a high priority will be downgraded, if no progress has been made over a certain amount of time. This is to prevent the release from being blocked by a bug that no developer is able (or willing) to fix. The only exception is "does not compile for one of the major platforms", which certainly is a release-blocker.
-->


=== Legacy ===
== Bug tracking ==
The current branch for the never release version 2.2.0 will be left untouched. No release will be created from this branch. The next/master branches will receive a new development version number 2.3.0 soon. The first release branch will be created on Jul, 17th 2011. The first freeze for the branches will be announced on Jun, 17th 2011. If everything goes well, Version 2.4.0 will be available around Aug, 18th 2011.
The [http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/ bugtracker] is the primary source of bug reports. Unlike the forum or mailing list, bugs reported there will be tracked, making it easier for developers to keep up with them. When reporting bugs, it is best to provide as much information as possible to more easily find the bug. If you can provide a backtrace, please do so and attach it to the bug report. When creating backtraces, please use "thread apply all bt full" at the gdb command prompt.


=== Tasks and Owners ===
<!--
(taskowners not yet assigned)
=== Tasks and owners ===
* Announce the state-change of the dev-streams
* Create/maintain the git branches
* Track the bugs on the tracker, trigger developers, adjust bug-priorities
* Beta testing
* Update documentation: [[FAQ]], [https://gitorious.org/fg/getstart GetStart], wiki
* Pack RC and final version of FGDATA
* Create the RC and final version (source-tarball)
* Create the RC and final version for Linux
* Create the RC and final version for Windows
* Create the RC and final version for MacOS
* Distribute files to download servers
* Make adjustments on the web-site
** Collect/make screenshots for the gallery
* Announce the new version to the public
** Write a changelog: [[Changelog 2.4.0]]
** Contact flightsim websites and send them/link them to a "press release"


=== Open Items, Questions ===
The following table should be updated and augmented after each release, according to the [[Release plan#Lessons learned|Lessons learned]] section below.
* <s>Can Jenkins create binaries (RC) from the release branch?</s> Binaries: yes, installers: semiautomatic (Curt &amp; Tat)
 
* <s>If not, how often will we create RC?</s> Weekly
{| class="wikitable"
* Surely the beta testing rôle could/should be undertaken by selected members the community - selected based on their ability to write clearly and to write usefully. (computer specifications, errors from the console, and other pieces of useful objective information - no subjective rot such as "it doesn't work")
! Stage
** Surely not! The more people beta-test our release candidates, the better.
! width="500px" | Task
! Owner(s)
|-
! rowspan="7" | Preparation
| Announce the state-change of the dev-streams, '''cross-post to JSBSim list''' (see lessons learned!)
| TorstenD
|-
| Create/maintain the git branches
| TorstenD
|-
| Track the bugs on the tracker, trigger developers, adjust bug-priorities
| ThorstenB, Gijs, James, ...
|-
| Sync the language files so they can be translated
| ThorstenB, James
|-
| Beta testing
| '''EVERYBODY'''
|-
| Update documentation: [[FAQ]], [https://www.gitorious.org/fg/getstart/ The Manual], wiki
| Stuart, Gijs and anyone else
|-
| Pack RC and final version of fgdata
|
|-
! rowspan="5" | Create the RC and final version
| Source-tarball
| Curt
|-
| Linux
| ThorstenB (for openSUSE)
|-
| Windows
| Curt
|-
| MacOS
| Tat/James
|-
| Distribute files to download servers
| Curt
|-
! rowspan="3" | Make adjustments on the web-site
| Collect/make screenshots for the gallery
| Curt
|-
| Generate aircraft page
| Curt, Gijs
|-
| Tag the [http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php?title=Talk:Next_newsletter&action=edit&section=45 newsletter template] according to the released version
<nowiki>[[Category:Changes after 2.12]]</nowiki>  
| Hooray, Gijs, Stuart (other wiki admins)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Announce the new version to the public
| Write a changelog: [[Next changelog]]
| All developers/contributors
|-
| Contact flightsim websites and send them/link them to the "press announcement". See [[release promotion]] for a list of already-contacted and yet-to-contact websites/magazines.
| '''EVERYBODY'''
|}
 
== Open items, questions ==
* Automate and/or document the creation of RC's: "We need to get this automated some day. Or at least documented...(another one from "famous last words": if you have to do it more than once, automate it. If you can't automate it, document it."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg39205.html |title=<nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] Release candidates</nowiki> |author=Torsten Dreyer |date=29 January 2013}}</ref>
* Automate the creation of fgdata distribution
* Possibly try to find a way to automate testing of updated jsbsim code, so that the chance for breakage is reduced by running scripted tests <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg39109.html |title=<nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] [Jsbsim-devel] JSBSim Synch with FlightGear</nowiki> |author=Torsten Dreyer |date=13 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg40201.html |title=<nowiki>Re: [Flightgear-devel] JSBSim Synch with FlightGear</nowiki> |author=Anders Gidenstam |date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref>
{{Cite web |url=http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/31762085/
|title=<nowiki>Release preparations - feature freeze starts today</nowiki> |author=Anders Gidenstam |date=2013-12-17 19:46:48}}
</ref>
 
-->
 
== Lessons learned ==
See [[Release plan/Lessons learned]] for a list of things that turned out well and should be kept for the next release as well as thing that didn't turn out so well and should be changed for future releases. Ideally, the release plan should be updated and augmented so that the lessons learned are incorporated accordingly.
<!-- {{Appendix}} -->
 
== Related content ==
=== Mailing lists ===
* {{cite web
|url = http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/34701971/
|title = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel] Release 3.8</nowiki>
|author = Torsten Dreyer
|date = Dec 17th, 2015
}}
 
[[Category:Core developer documentation]]
[[Category:FlightGear]]
[[Category: Release]]

Revision as of 10:28, 15 June 2016

Current release: 2020.3.19 (18 Oct 2023)
Next release: 2020.3.20
See release plan for details.

The release plan is the process by which a new version of FlightGear is released. The release plan is actually a continual work-in-progress, and is refined with every new release.

The original release plan.

FlightGear has had two release plans over history. The original release plan was developed by Mathias Fröhlich, Martin Spott, Thorsten Brehm and Torsten Dreyer during LinuxTag 2011. The current plan was proposed by Torsten Dreyer after the 3.6 release was cancelled.

To suggest improvements and/or changes to the release plan, it is recommended to get in touch via the mailing list. Improvements can be based on the lessons learned from previous releases.

General release concept

A new version of FlightGear is released every three months, meaning four releases per year. On the 17th of the month, new release branches are created and the build server creates the binaries and uploading them to SourceForge. If any changes are made to the release branch, a new bugfix release is created. The version of the next branch is incremented. And development coninutes as normal, with new nightly builds be created after each change. The table below shows the release cycle. See also this mailing list post.

Month Number in cycle
January 4 (previous year)
February 1
March 1
April 1
May 2
June 2
July 2
August 3
September 3
October 3
November 4
December 4

Version numbers

FlightGear version numbers consist of three digits, separated by dots:

Before 2016.1

  • Major (3.4.0): Only increased after significant changes to the functionality of the software (e.g., 1.x.x → 2.0.0 (due to switch to OSG).
  • Minor (3.4.0): Has two applications:
    • Stable releases always have even numbers (e.g. 2.8.0, 2.10.0, 2.12.0).
    • The latest Git version or nightly build uses an odd number, always one more than the latest stable release's minor revision numbere. For example, when the latest release was 3.4.0, the current development stream was 3.5.0.
  • Revision (3.4.0): Increased by bugfix releases (e.g., 2.12.1).

2016.1 and after

  • Year (2016.1.0): The year the version was released.
  • Number (2016.1.0): Which release of the year the version is (note: starts at 1).
  • Revision (2016.1.0): Indicates one of two things:
    • In the latest Git version or nightly build, this digit is 0, indicating that it is unstable.
    • When a new release is created, this digit is set to 1. With bugfix that is made, this digit is increased by 1, and a new version created.
Note  In general, release are referred to by their first two digits (e.g., 3.4). However, when filing a bug report or debugging problems, it is a good idea to give the full release number.

Detailed time schedule and checklist

  1. Just after the next release, the next default airport is decided on by a poll on the forum. The next release will be named after it.
  2. (On the 17th of the release month): The first Jenkins script is triggered to create release/xxxx.x.0 branches with version xxxx.x.0.
  3. Jenkins creates the binaries for xxxx.x.1.
  4. Patches going into the release/xxxx.x.0 branch automatically trigger a new build with a increase of the revision version number (see above) and we immediately have a bugfix release.
  5. On the next branch, the version number is changed.
  6. Nightly builds are created from next after every push in that branch.

The process is repeated after three months.

Version files

FGData
fgdata/version
SimGear
simgear/version
FlightGear
flightgear/version
FGRun
fgrun/version

Bug tracking

The bugtracker is the primary source of bug reports. Unlike the forum or mailing list, bugs reported there will be tracked, making it easier for developers to keep up with them. When reporting bugs, it is best to provide as much information as possible to more easily find the bug. If you can provide a backtrace, please do so and attach it to the bug report. When creating backtraces, please use "thread apply all bt full" at the gdb command prompt.


Lessons learned

See Release plan/Lessons learned for a list of things that turned out well and should be kept for the next release as well as thing that didn't turn out so well and should be changed for future releases. Ideally, the release plan should be updated and augmented so that the lessons learned are incorporated accordingly.

Related content

Mailing lists