binutils/README-how-to-make-a-release

   1                 README for MAKING BINUTILS RELEASES
   2
   3 This is a collection of notes on how to perform a binutils release.  A
   4 lot of this information can also be found in the maintain.texi file in
   5 the gnulib project:
   6
   7   https://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/
   8
   9 It is useful to have a cloned copy of the sources of this project as
  10 it also contains an upload script used to install tarballs on the GNU
  11 FTP server.
  12
  13 Make sure that you have upload authority on sourceware and fencepost.
  14 Beware - this is an involved process and can take weeks to complete.
  15 See the maintain.texi file for details on how to obtain these
  16 permissions.
  17
  18 -------------------------------------------------
  19 How to perform a release.
  20 -------------------------------------------------
  21
  22   1. Send an email out warning contributors about the forthcoming
  23      branch.  Set a date for the branch (weekends are better because
  24      they are less busy).
  25
  26   2. When the branch date is near:  Update the libiberty and config
  27      directories and the top level Makefile and configure files.  Also
  28      consider updating the toplevel libtool files.
  29
  30
  31 Approx time to complete from here: 2 hours ....
  32
  33   3. When branch day arrives add markers for the upcoming release to
  34      the NEWS files in gas, ld, and binutils.  No need to update NEWS
  35      in the gold directory - it has its own release numbering.
  36
  37      Likewise for the ChangeLog files in: bfd, binutils, config, cpu,
  38      elfcpp, gas, gold, gprof, include, ld, libctf, opcodes and toplevel.
  39
  40      Add a note of the name of the new branch to binutils/BRANCHES.
  41
  42      Commit these changes.
  43
  44   4. Create the release branch using:
  45
  46         git branch binutils-2_37-branch
  47         git push origin binutils-2_37-branch
  48
  49      If you get a message like:
  50
  51        remote: fatal: Invalid revision range 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f974f26cb16cc6fe3946f163c787a05e713fb77b
  52
  53      It appears that this can be ignored...
  54
  55   5. Make sure that the branch is there.  IE check out the branch sources:
  56
  57         git clone ssh://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-2_37-branch 2.37
  58
  59      If you get a message about being in a "detached head" state, something
  60      has gone wrong...
  61
  62      Keep the checked out sources - they are going to be needed in future
  63      steps.
  64
  65   6. Update "BINUTILS_BRANCH" in gdbadmin's crontab:
  66
  67      Log in as gdbadmin on sourceware.org, and then:
  68
  69         $ cd crontab
  70         $ vi crontab
  71         [change BINUTILS_BRANCH]
  72         $ cvs ci crontab
  73         $ crontab crontab
  74
  75      If you do not have access to this account, please feel free to
  76      ask Joel Brobecker <brobecker AT adacore DOT com>.
  77
  78   7. Rename the current HEAD version entry in Bugzilla, and create a
  79      new one.  E.g. rename "2.37 (HEAD)" to 2.37, and create
  80      "2.38 (HEAD)":
  81
  82         https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
  83
  84   8. Update bfd/version.m4 on HEAD to indicate that is now a snapshot
  85      of the next release:
  86
  87        m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.37.50])
  88
  89      Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 for the BRANCH.
  90      The branch only needs the point value set to 90 as the release
  91      has not actually happened yet.
  92
  93        m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.36.90])
  94
  95      Regenerate various files on both branch and HEAD by configuring
  96      with "--enable-maintainer-mode --enable-gold" and then building
  97      with "make all-binutils all-gas all-gold all-gprof all-ld"
  98
  99      Add ChangeLog entries for the updated files.  Commit the changes.
 100      Make sure that this includes the .pot files as well as the
 101      configure and makefiles.
 102
 103   9. Create an initial pre-release:
 104
 105      a. Remove any auto-generated files, in order to force the
 106         src-release script to rebuild them.
 107
 108           cd <branch-sources>
 109           git clean -fdx
 110
 111      b. Create a source tarball of the BRANCH sources:
 112
 113           ./src-release -x binutils
 114
 115      c. Build a test target using this tarball.
 116
 117            cp binutils-2.36.90.tar.xz /dev/shm
 118            pushd /dev/shm
 119            tar xvf binutils-2.36.90.tar.xz
 120            mkdir build
 121            cd build
 122            ../binutils-2.36.90/configure --quiet --enable-gold
 123            make
 124            popd
 125
 126         If there are problems, fix them.
 127
 128      d. Upload the pre-release snapshot to the sourceware FTP site:
 129
 130           scp binutils-2.36.90.tar.xz sourceware.org:~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots
 131           ssh sourceware.org sha256sum ~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.36.90.tar.xz
 132
 133      e. Clean up the source directory again.
 134
 135          git clean -fdx
 136
 137   10. Tell the Translation Project where to find the new tarball.
 138       <coordinator@translationproject.org>
 139       qv: https://translationproject.org/html/maintainers.html
 140
 141 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 142 Dear Translation Project
 143
 144   The <NEW_VERSION> release branch has been created for the GNU binutils.
 145
 146   A snapshot of the branch sources can be found here:
 147
 148     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-<OLD_VERSION>.90.tar.xz
 149
 150   We hope to make the official release of the sources on the <DATE>
 151   although that could change if there are important bugs that need to
 152   be fixed before the release.
 153 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 154
 155   11. Announce the availability of the snapshot and the branch on the
 156       binutils mailing list.  Set a date for when the release will
 157       actually happen.  Something like:
 158
 159 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 160 Hi Everyone,
 161
 162   The <NEW_VERSION> branch has now been created:
 163
 164      git clone git://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-<NEW_VERSION>-branch <NEW_VERSION>
 165
 166   A snapshot of the sources is also available here:
 167
 168     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-<OLD_VERSION>.90.tar.xz
 169
 170   Please could all patches for the branch be run by me.
 171   The rules for the branch are:
 172
 173     * No new features.
 174     * Target specific bug fixes are OK.
 175     * Generic bug fixes are OK if they are important and widely tested.
 176     * Documentation updates/fixes are OK.
 177     * Translation updates are OK.
 178     * Fixes for testsuite failures are OK.
 179
 180   Ideally I would like to make the release happen in two weeks time,
 181   i.e. <DATE>.  Which I hope will be enough time for everyone
 182   to get their final fixes in.
 183 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 184
 185   12. Build various different toolchains, test them and nag
 186       maintainers to fix any testsuite failures for their
 187       architectures...
 188
 189 ==============================================================================
 190
 191 When the time comes to actually make the release....
 192
 193
 194   20. Make sure that the branch sources still build, test and install
 195       correctly.  Make sure that the sources are clean, without any
 196       patch files (.reg .orig *~) left over.
 197
 198          cd <branch>
 199          git clean -dfx .
 200
 201   21. Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 on the release
 202       branch to a whole new minor version number, without a point
 203       value.  Eg "2.35.90" becomes "2.36".  Change bfd/development.sh
 204       to set all values to "false".  Regenerate the configure and
 205       makefiles.  And *info* files.  Add ChangeLog entries for the
 206       updates and add a  "this-is-the-2.3x-release" comment and
 207       commit.
 208
 209   22. Check that your file creation mask will create the
 210       correct file permissions.  Eg:
 211
 212             % umask
 213             22
 214
 215       Remove any spurious autom4te.cache files left over from the
 216       reconfiguring:
 217
 218             git clean -fdx
 219
 220   23. Note - check to see if any new files have been added to the top
 221       level of the source directory, but which are not in the
 222       DEVO_SUPPORT variable in the src-release.sh script.  If they are
 223       needed then add them.
 224
 225        Create the release tarballs:
 226
 227             ./src-release.sh -b -g -l -x binutils
 228
 229   24. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
 230       permissions.  (FIXME: How to do this ?)
 231
 232   25. Sanity check the release on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu by building and
 233       running the testsuites (gas, gold, binutils and ld).  Make the
 234       source directory read-only before building.  Also test
 235       "make install".  If necessary fix any problems.
 236
 237         cd /dev/shm
 238         mkdir delme
 239         cd delme
 240         tar xvf <path-to-sources>/binutils-2.X.tar.xz
 241         chmod -R -w binutils-2.X
 242         mkdir build
 243         cd build
 244         ../binutils-2.X/configure --enable-gold --prefix=`pwd`/install --enable-plugins
 245         make all-gas all-gold all-ld all-binutils all-gprof
 246         make check-gas check-binutils check-ld check-gold
 247         make install-gas install-gold install-ld install-binutils
 248
 249         # Needed for step 29...
 250         make html
 251
 252   26. Tag the branch with the new release number:
 253
 254             git tag -a binutils-2_3x
 255               [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
 256               enter a tag message such as: "Official Binutils 2.3x release"
 257
 258         NB/ If you do sign the binaries make sure to use a key
 259         that has been published with the FSF.
 260
 261         Then push the release:
 262
 263             git push origin binutils-2_3x
 264
 265         If you get an error message along the lines of "Invalid revision range ..." you can ignore it.
 266
 267   27. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
 268
 269        gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-2.3x.tar.*
 270
 271       The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
 272
 273       Check for an email response from the upload.  If necessary
 274       fix any problems.
 275
 276   28. Upload the tarballs (and signatures) to sourceware.org:
 277
 278        sftp sourceware.org
 279          cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
 280          put binutils-2.3x.tar.*
 281          chmod 644 binutils-2.3x.tar.*
 282          quit
 283
 284       FIXME: Are the signatures (created by the gnupload script in step 27) needed ?
 285       [The above commands upload them and nobody has complained, so suggest that they
 286       are retained].
 287
 288   29. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
 289
 290       Create a new documentation folder on the sourceware.org web
 291       pages as /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils/docs-2.3x.
 292
 293        sftp sourceware.org
 294          cd /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
 295          mkdir docs-2.3x
 296          cd docs-2.3x
 297          mkdir as
 298          mkdir bfd
 299          mkdir binutils
 300          mkdir gprof
 301          mkdir ld
 302          cd ../docs-2.3(x-1)
 303          get index.html
 304
 305       Update the (local copy of the) index.html file to point to the
 306       new documentation and mention the new version and then upload it.
 307
 308          cd ../docs-2.3x
 309          put index.html
 310
 311       Make the html documentation locally with the "make html" command
 312       and then upload and rename the directories as needed.  (sftp
 313       does not appear to support recursive uploads however, so the
 314       directories had to be made by hand, as shown above).
 315
 316          cd as
 317          lcd <build-dir>/gas/doc/as.html
 318          put *      {be patient - this takes a long time...}
 319          cd ../bfd
 320          lcd ../../../bfd/doc/bfd.html
 321          put *
 322          cd ../binutils
 323          lcd ../../../binutils/doc/binutils.html
 324          put *
 325          cd ../gprof
 326          lcd ../../../gprof/gprof.html
 327          put *
 328          cd ../ld
 329          lcd ../../ld/ld.html
 330          put *
 331
 332       Edit the top level binutils index.html file to change the links
 333       to point to the new documentation.
 334
 335          cd ../..
 336          get index.html
 337          [edit]
 338          put index.html
 339          rm docs
 340          ln -s docs-2.3x docs
 341          quit
 342
 343       Check that the new web page is correct:
 344
 345           https://sourceware.org/binutils/
 346
 347       For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
 348       and ask them to make the change(s):
 349 ---------------------------------------
 350 Hi FSF Webmasters,
 351
 352   Please could the GNU Binutils webpage at:
 353
 354 https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/binutils.html
 355
 356   be updated to indicate that there is now a newer version available
 357   (2.3x).  I have already updated the related page on the sourceware
 358   website so this might be useful as a template:
 359
 360 https://sourceware.org/binutils/
 361
 362   Thanks very much.
 363
 364 Cheers
 365 --------------------------------------
 366
 367   30. Send emails to binutils@sourceware.org, info-gnu@gnu.org and
 368       David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
 369       Sign the email and include the checksum:
 370
 371           sha256sum binutils-2.3x.tar.*
 372
 373       (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
 374       social media).  Something like this:
 375       -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 376         Hi Everyone,
 377
 378         We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x of the GNU Binutils project
 379         sources have been released and are now available for download at:
 380
 381           https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
 382           https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
 383
 384           checksums: xxxx
 385
 386         This release contains numerous bug fixes, and also the
 387         following new features:
 388
 389           <extract info from the NEWS files>
 390
 391         Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
 392         present, for helping to make this release possible.
 393
 394       -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 395
 396   31. Clean up the source tree:
 397
 398         git clean -fdx .
 399
 400   32. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set the development flag
 401       to "true".  (Leave the experimental flag set to "false").  Also bump
 402       the version in bfd/version.m4 by adding a trailing .0, so that the
 403       date suffix keeps the version lower than the trunk version.
 404       Regenerate files.  Commit these changes.
 405
 406   33. Email the binutils list telling everyone that the 2.3x branch
 407       is now open for business as usual and that patches no longer
 408       need special approval.
 409
 410   34. Examine the bfd/config.bfd file in the mainline sources and move
 411       any pending obsolete targets into the definitely obsolete
 412       section.  Create a changelog entry and commit.
 413
 414
 415
 416
 417 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 418 How to perform a POINT release.
 419 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 420
 421 A point release is easier than a normal release since a lot of the
 422 work has already been done.  The branch has been created, the
 423 translations updated and the documentation uploaded.  So the procedure
 424 looks like this:
 425
 426   0. Decide that a point release is necessary.
 427
 428      Usually this only happens when a sufficient number of serious
 429      bugs have been found and fixed since the previous release, and a
 430      new official release is not imminent.
 431
 432   1. Tell the community that a point release is happening.  Ask
 433      maintainers to ensure that their ports are up to date on the
 434      release branch.  Ask the community if there are any bug fixes
 435      which are missing from the branch.  Allow some time for the
 436      responses to this step.
 437
 438   2. Make sure that the branch sources build, test and install
 439      correctly.
 440
 441   2.5 Prepare a list of the bugs which have been fixed.  This
 442       will be needed for step 8.
 443
 444   3. In the branch sources:
 445
 446        a. Update the minor release number in bfd/version.m4.
 447        b. Edit bfd/development.sh, set "development=false".
 448        c. Regenerate the configure files.
 449        c.1. Remove spurious autom4te.cache files:
 450
 451           find . -depth -name autom4te.cache -exec rm -r {} \;
 452
 453        d. Commit the updates along with a "this-is-the-2.3x.y-release"
 454           note in all of the changelogs.
 455        e. Tag the branch with the new release number:
 456
 457             git tag -a binutils-2_3x_y
 458               [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
 459             git push origin binutils-2_3x_y
 460
 461        f. Check that your file creation mask will create the
 462           correct file permissions.  Eg:
 463
 464             umask 022
 465
 466        g. Create the release tarballs:
 467
 468             ./src-release -b -g -l -x binutils
 469
 470        h. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
 471           permissions.
 472
 473        i. Edit bfd/development.sh and set "development=true".
 474        j. Commit this change into the git repository.
 475
 476   4. [If paranoid - upload the tarballs to one of the FTP servers and
 477       ask people to test it before going on to step 5].
 478
 479   5. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
 480
 481        gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
 482
 483      The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
 484
 485   6. Upload the tarballs to sourceware.org:
 486
 487        sftp sourceware.org
 488          cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
 489          put binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
 490          chmod 644 binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
 491          quit
 492
 493     It is OK to upload the signatures as well.
 494
 495   7. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
 496
 497       * Log on to sourceware.org
 498       * Go to /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
 499       * Edit index.html
 500
 501       For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
 502       and ask them to make the change(s).
 503
 504   8. Send an emails to the binutils list, info-gnu@gnu.org and
 505      David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
 506      (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
 507      social media).  Something like this:
 508
 509 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 510 Hi Everyone,
 511
 512   We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x.y of the GNU Binutils
 513   project sources have been released and are now available for download at:
 514
 515     https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
 516     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
 517
 518   This is a point release over the previous 2.3x version, containing bug
 519   fixes but no new features.
 520
 521   Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
 522   present, for helping to make this release possible.
 523
 524   Here is a list of the bugs that have been fixed:
 525     xx
 526     xx
 527     xx
 528     xx
 529 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 530
 531   9. Create a new Bugzilla entry for the point release.
 532
 533        https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
 534
 535      And a new milestone too:
 536
 537        https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editmilestones.cgi?product=binutils
 538
 539  10. Clean up the source tree.
 540
 541             git clean -dfx .
 542
 543  11. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set the development flag
 544      to "true".  Commit this change.
 545
 546 \f
 547 Copyright (C) 2017-2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 548
 549 Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
 550 are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
 551 notice and this notice are preserved.