Process/Release Checklist

Release Checklist

This is a checklist to go over when making releases, to ensure everything has been updated.

Start New Release Cycle

When the release transitions to the stabilizing branch at the start of bcon3.

Blender

I - Before Branching

  • Check with Sergey Sharybin that pushing of new branches is possible
  • Do an actual subversion bump if needed to have everything properly organized in our doversion code.
    • I.E. block with /* Versioning code until next subversion bump goes here. */ comment should be empty.
    • Both blo_do_versions_xxx and do_versions_after_linking_xxx have to be checked.

II - Branching

  • Create blender-v4.XX-release branches for the following repositories:
    • Blender
    • Addons (scripts/addons)
    • Addons Contrib (scripts/addons_contrib)
    • Manual (blender/blender-manual)
git checkout -b blender-v4.XX-release
git push origin blender-v4.XX-release
  • Create blender-4.XX-release tag for Libraries (rBL)
svn mkdir https://svn.blender.org/svnroot/bf-blender/tags/blender-4.XX-release
svn copy https://svn.blender.org/svnroot/bf-blender/trunk/lib https://svn.blender.org/svnroot/bf-blender/tags/blender-4.XX-release/lib

III - After Branching

  • In the main branch of the Manual, update the blender_version number in manual/conf.py.
  • In the main branch:
    • PROJECT_NUMBER in doc/doxygen/Doxyfile
    • BLENDER_VERSION, BLENDER_FILE_SUBVERSION in source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
  • In the release branch:
    • Set BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE to beta.
    • Update and uncomment BLENDER_VERSION in build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake.
  • Commit Splash screen to the release branch
    • Don't push this change before talking to the PR team - we announce to the world in social media at the same we commit the splash to the source code.
  • Merge the release branch into main, ensuring BKE_blender_version and the splashscreen remains correct.

Buildbot

  • Add tracks for new release branch in cmd/buildbot/conf/branches.py and cmd/build/functions/build-branches.ps1.
  • Remove folders for unused tracks on all buildbot machines, as there may not be enough disk space for the new track otherwise.
  • Push git repo to workers and masters, and reconfigure masters.
  • Force build daily-coordinator, doc-api-coordinator and doc-manual-coordinator for both vdev and the new release track.
  • Verify that builds succeeded and are available for download.
  • If new release is an LTS, create daily-X.X and devtest-X.X branches on Steam.

Websites

  • Create empty release notes for next release on wiki.blender.org and blender.org
  • Update dashboard on projects.blender.org
  • Update bcon in blender.chat topic
  • Add a new release notes redirect (e.g., blender.org/download/releases/X.X -> wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/X.X)
  • Add a new Blender version milestone on Gitea for the second next release.

Release

Preparation for the final release:

Communication

  • Make a dedicated channel on blender.chat to handle release communication
  • At least one hour before going to BCon5, send message to #blender-coders and check with available core developers online that everything looks good for release.
    • Do not do that outside of reasonable work hours CET (10:00-17:00), nor during lunch break (13:00-14:00).
    • Ensure i18n (rBT, /release/datafiles/locale) is updated. Notify Bastien Montagne/mont29 so he can update the files prior to final release commits
  • Move Blender to bcon5 status:
  • Create a Potential candidates for corrective releases task tagged with the released version. (For LTS releases, create a Blender LTS: Maintenance Task X.X instead)

Blender

  • Update release list in release/freedesktop/org.blender.Blender.appdata.xml
  • Update manual references by running tools/utils_doc/rna_manual_reference_updater.py
  • Make sure the libraries versions are updated in release/license/THIRD-PARTY-LICENSES.txt
  • Do an actual subversion bump if needed to have everything properly organized in our doversion code.
    • I.E. block with /* Versioning code until next subversion bump goes here. */ comment should be empty.
    • Both blo_do_versions_xxx and do_versions_after_linking_xxx have to be checked.
  • Version bump (in release branch)
    • BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE in BKE_blender_version.h

Tagging (3.3 only)

Tag repositories (only after the build is approved):

  • Tag submodules first (same code as for main repo see below):
    • addons (rBA, /release/scripts/addons)
    • addons_contrib (rBAC, /release/scripts/addons_contrib)
  • Commit and push updated references to the branch:
git commit release/scripts/addons release/scripts/addons_contrib
  • Tag the main repo blender (rB)
git tag -a v3.4.0 -m "Tagging Blender 3.4.0 release"
git push origin v3.4.0
  • The following are not tagged: i18n SVN (rBTS), libraries (rBL)
  • The libraries (rBL) were tagged already at the start of the release cycle and do not need to be tagged again.

Tagging (3.5 and later)

  • Tag blender.git, blender-addons.git and blender-addons-contrib.git
git tag -a v3.5.0 -m "Tagging Blender 3.5.0 release"
git push origin v3.5.0
  • The libraries (rBL) were tagged already at the start of the release cycle and do not need to be tagged again.

Release Builds

NOTE
Check times when mirrors are updated. Aim to deploy files at 11:30 CET since syncing can take a while.
  • On the buildbot:
    • Trigger a vXXX-code-daily-coordinator build with package delivery.
    • Once finished, trigger vXXX-code-store-coordinator to upload builds to the stores and generate msix package
  • Manually tests builds.
  • Once ready to release, trigger vXXX-code-artifacts-deploy-coordinator to deploy the packages to download.blender.org and mirrors.
  • Lock uploaded files on download.blender.org (schg). Ask Dan McGrath to do this, can't be done from inside jail.

Stores

  • Snap
    • Final builds should be uploaded at this point, but not yet released as stable
    • Close beta for this release.
    • Close candidate for previous release, if not an LTS.
    • Promote candidate channel to stable for this release.
    • Update latest/stable to match this release.
  • Steam
    • Final builds should be uploaded at this point, but not yet released in the stable branches
    • Create vX.X branch for this release and point it to the right build.
    • Point the default branch to the same build as vX.X.
    • Do release announcement and any other store page changes.
  • Windows Store
    • Download msix package from download.blender.org and release it in the windows store.
    • Update store listings (export CSV, edit, import CSV again) with the PR release text

Websites

blender.org

  • Release Notes
    • Adapt from Wiki, add artwork
  • Write press release
  • Add Splash .blend file to demo-files page
  • Update Redirection from /download/releases/{version}/ to wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/{version}
  • Download page
    • Paths & Platforms tab
      • Update the Builds Folder and File Path for every build in every platform
      • E.g. blender-3.1.2-windows-x64.msi → blender-3.2-windows-x64.msi
    • Splash & Release Notes tab
      • Update Release Features Summary, this text goes under the download section.
      • Update Splash Artwork, this shows up next to the Release Features Summary, doesn’t necessarily need to be the splash artwork, can be a cool screenshot too.
    • Announcement tab
      • This is a piece of HTML that can be displayed under the main download button. It could be used for adding a quick link to LTS versions.
  • Credits: Update page using source/tools/utils/credits_git_gen.py
  • Frontpage: Add news item
  • Release Notes: Add item to list of releases
  • Thanks page: Update artwork
  • Site-wide settings (this needs certain permissions only Pablo, Francesco, Dan have)
    • Set Blender Version and Release Date in Site-wide settings
    • Check mirrors have a copy of the file, otherwise disable those without. (find the URLs below)


LTS release

In the case of an LTS release, add a new row in Download → Long-term Support → Blender X.X LTS and fill with release notes from generate-code-patch-notes buildbot build step (can be run manually too, see create_release_notes.py)


Corrective releases

Corrective releases only require:

  • Update Download page links
  • Update Site-wide settings for:
    • Mirrors that have all the builds
    • Update version if the corrective release is for the latest release
  • Update "fancy" release notes page linking to the list of fixes in the Wiki.


wiki.blender.org

Docs

  • Buildbot:
    • Update cmd/build/functions/build-branches.ps1 for stable doc version and manual version labels (for version switching menu).
    • Push git repo to workers.
  • Trigger vdev-doc-api-coordinator and vdev-doc-manual-coordinator on buildbot to update docs, afterwards check the links and version switch menu are correct.
    • Python API current is the new release
    • Manual latest is the new release
  • Check manual links are valid in Blender (see bl_rna_manual_reference.py)

Post Release

Gitea

  • Create new milestone for next release, with initial dates for bcon stages.

Stores

  • Snap: request tracks for the next release to be created on snapcraft forum (with BlenderRelease account), so that we will have it by the time the next cycle starts. For LTS release, use a lts prefix for the track name.

Buildbot

  • Once the release is out for a while and no bugfix release is planned, update buildbot configuration to remove the track corresponding to the release.
  • In case of an LTS release, keep the track around and remove an old LTS track if needed.

Cycles

  • Sync and tag Cycles "stand-alone" repository (rC)

Benchmark

Blender as Python Module

  • Build and update the python module for PyPI, see instructions.
  • This is not currently done for bugfix/patch releases, due to limited disk space available.

Misc

  • Add initial dates for bcon stages to Blender Development calendar (contact person: Julian)

Release/Bcon date changes

  • Update gitea milestone page
  • Update Blender Development calendar (contact person: Julian)

LTS end-of-life

  • Update the LTS's page announcing the end-of-life, recommend to switch to the latest LTS. See 2.83 as reference.
  • Move the EOL release to "Previous LTS Releases" on blender.org


Mirrors

This is the complete list of mirrors, from which not all may be enabled for use at the moment. See the External Mirrors page in blender.org to find out which mirrors are currently enabled and ready to be used.

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