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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 not 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 ==
* '''Major releases''' always have '''even numbers''' as the second version element, i.e. 2.4.0, 2.6.0, 2.8.0.
FlightGear version numbers consist of three digits, separated by dots:
* '''Bugfix releases''' increase the least significant digit: 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 2.6.3.
* The '''development stream''' (''latest Git version'') uses an '''odd number''', increasing the second element of the latest stable release's version by 1: (latest release is 2.4.0 =&gt; current development stream is 2.5.0, next official release is 2.6.0).
* The major version number is increased after significant changes to the functionality of the software (i.e. FG 1.x => 2.0 due to switch to OSG).


=== Detailed Time Schedule and Checklist ===
=== Before 2016.1 ===
# '''Dec/Jun 17th:''' Development stream is declared "frozen" or "yellow"
* '''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]]).
#:Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mailing-list to announce the state
* '''Minor''' (3.<u>4</u>.0): Has two applications:
#:Create a "release preperations" topic at the forum and make it a "Global Announcement"
** '''Stable releases''' always have ''even numbers'' (e.g. 2.8.0, 2.10.0, 2.12.0).
#:Change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <tt><nowiki>{{GitStatus:frozen}}</nowiki></tt>
** 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.
# '''Jan/Jul 17th:''' Create new release branch, assign new version number to dev-stream, re-open streams
* '''Revision''' (3.4.<u>0</u>): Increased by bugfix releases (e.g., 2.12.1).
##Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mail-list, asking not to commit/push anything, declare the streams "closed" or "red"
##Post an update to the forum topic
##Change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <tt><nowiki>{{GitStatus:closed}}</nowiki></tt>
##Bump up the version-number of simgear/next, flightgear/next and fgdata/master to an even number (2.5.0 -> 2.6.0)
##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/2.6.0"
##:''git tag -a version/2.6.0'' (Enter a wise comment)
##Create the release branches on simgear, flightgear and fgdata named release/2.6.0
##:''git branch release/2.6.0''
##On the next/master branches, bump up the version-number of simgear, flightgear and fgdata to an odd number (2.6.0 -> 2.7.0)
##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/2.7.0"
##:''git tag -a version/2.7.0'' (Enter a wise comment)
##Push the branches next/master '''and''' release/2.6.0 '''and''' the tags upstream
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin release/2.6.0''
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/2.6.0''
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/2.7.0''
##:for flightgear and simgear: ''git push origin next''
##:for fgdata: ''git push origin master''
##: Declare dev-streams "open" or "green"
##: Change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <tt><nowiki>{{GitStatus:open}}</nowiki></tt>
##: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 and ThorstenB for the OpenSuse build
# '''Feb/Aug 1st:''' Start preparing the release notes and a press announcement
# '''Feb/Aug 17th:''' Create binaries/installers, pack fgdata, publish files, announce new version, close the release-branch
##Tag the release/2.6.0 branches of simgear, flightgear and fgdata and push the tags.
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git tag version/2.6.0-final''
##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/2.6.0-final''
##Merge the branch release/2.6.0 into '''master''' (<u>'''NOT'''</u> next) for flightgear and simgear and push the branch
##:We don't have a next branch for fgdata, no merging of the release branch here.
##:for flighgear and simgear:
##:''git checkout -b master origin/master'' or ''git checkout master'' if you already have the local branch
##:''git merge version/2.6.0-final
##:''git push origin master''


=== To bump up the version number ===
=== 2016.1 and after ===
* fgdata
* '''Year''' (<u>2016</u>.1.0): The year the version was released.
** edit the ''version'' file
* '''Number''' (2016.<u>1</u>.0): Which release of the year the version is (note: starts at 1).
* SimGear
* '''Revision''' (2016.1.<u>0</u>): Indicates one of two things:
** edit the ''version'' file
** In the '''latest [[Git]] version''' or '''[[FlightGear build server|nightly build]]''', this digit is 0, indicating that it is unstable.
* FlightGear
** 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.
** edit the ''version'' file
** <s>edit ''CMakeLists.txt''</s>
**: <s>change the line '''find_package(SimGear 2.5.0 REQUIRED)'''</s>
** <s>edit ''src/Main/options.cxx''</s>
**: <s>change the line '''static char required_version[] = "2.5.0";'''</s>
** <s>edit configure.ac</s> (Obsolete, automake is gone)
**: <s>change the line '''AC_MSG_CHECKING([for SimGear 2.5.0 or newer])'''</s>


=== Definition of Repository States ===
{{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.}}
* Open/Green
: 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.
* Frozen/Yellow
*: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.
*:It's a good idea for aircraft developers to adhere to this rule. However, aircraft in FGDATA may be handled as an exception from the frozen state. Any change to aircraft may be pushed to the repository if it is guaranteed that this change does not affect any other aircraft or system and if no file outside the root directory of that specific aircraft is changed. Also, aircraft defined as part of the base package (e.g. the c172p) enter the frozen state and shall not undergo major changes in that period.
* Closed/Red
*: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.


=== Bug fix committing policy ===
== Detailed time schedule and checklist ==
Fixes for bugs during the shakedown test of the release branch may be applied to the branches next or release/2.6.0.
# 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.
A fix goes into release/2.6.0 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.  
# (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.
A fix goes into next if it is also solves an issue for the next version. Cherry-pick this commit into the release/2.6.0 branch.
# Jenkins creates the binaries for xxxx.x.1.
# 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.
# On the <code>next</code> branch, the version number is changed.
# Nightly builds are created from <code>next</code> after every push in that branch.


'''DO NOT''' merge next into release/2.6.0 or vice versa. Most likely, there will be commits that are not welcome in or even break the other branch.
The process is repeated after three months.


=== Bug Tracking ===
== Version files ==
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.
; 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.


Bugs that were present in the latest stable release, and now considered "fixed", should be assigned a milestone label, corresponding with the upcoming stable release number. By doing so, they'll end up in [http://code.google.com/p/flightgear-bugs/issues/list?can=1&q=label%3AMilestone-2.6.0 the list of fixed bugs].
'''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.
-->


=== Legacy ===
== Bug tracking ==
The branch for version 2.2.0 will be left untouched. No release has ever been created from this branch.
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.
The last official release was made from branch ''release/2.4.0'', tag ''version/2.4.0-final''.
If everything goes well, version 2.6.0 will be available around Jan, 18th 2012.


=== 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://www.gitorious.org/fg/getstart/ The Manual], 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 2.6.0]]
** Contact flightsim websites and send them/link them to the "press announcement"


=== 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.
* Automate the creation of Windows and Mac installers
* Automate the creation of FGDATA distribution


=== Lessons Learned ===
{| class="wikitable"
This is a list of lessons learned from the previous release, things that turned out well and should be kept for the next release as well as thing thad didn't turn out so well and should be changed for future releases.
! Stage
* Good: feature freeze in general
! width="500px" | Task
*: helped a lot during release management. Kept the commit traffic low and thus helped identifying those commits required to pick into the release.
! Owner(s)
* Not so good: feature freeze for aircraft
|-
*: Technically, a feature freeze for aircraft is not necessary as long as this aircraft is not part of the base distribution and no common parts are affected. If it's guaranteed that the changes remain in FGDATA/Aircraft/MyAircraft and no other files are touched, these updates should be OK up to shortly before the release.
! rowspan="7" | Preparation
* Not so good: switching to a new version of supporting libraries like OSG.
| Announce the state-change of the dev-streams, '''cross-post to JSBSim list''' (see lessons learned!)
*: The move to OSG 3.x introduced some major issues. If at all possible, switch to a new library early in the development cycle.
| TorstenD
* Not so good: manual creation of release candidates and the release binaries
|-
*: It's preferable to have equal numbers for release candidates for all O/S and probably a git-tag for each candidate.
| 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