Release Checklist

Mudlet release checklist

1. 5 days before the release (14 if it's a long one)
   1. ☐ announce start of testing in Discord channel #mudlet-testing with the list of additions/improvements/fixes (but not infrastructure), and add link to latest download builds (from Latest Branch Snapshots, but double check that sha matches the latest commit).
   2. ☐ [automated] update mudlet.ts with the latest translations strings for translators to translate
   3. ☐ update mudlet_en_US.ts with the latest translation strings, translate/update the few plural forms it contains as necessary and then generate the binary translation mudlet_en_US.qm file and merge it into the repo (see Translating Mudlet - English (American) translation).
   4. ☐ merge outstanding approved pull requests
   5. ☐ create a new release-<version> branch off development
   6. ☐ go through every single commit (in main repo and installers) and ensure all new functionality is documented
   7. ☐ update http://www.mudlet.org/geyser/files/index.html (need to document how to upload)
   8. ☐ [automated] update built-in packages and scripts (IRE mapping script, ...)
   9. ☐ [automated] update edbee to latest in our fork, and the subsequent submodule
   10. ☐ update Patreon supporters in About tab
   11. ☐ check all regressions to see if any must be fixed before the release
   12. ☐ get testers to sign off (via Discord reaction) that they tested the release and it is fine with them
       1. if a tester doesn't sign off for 2 releases, notify them, if they don't do it on the next one, remove them from the testers team
   13. ☐ go through every single commit and write up a newspost with the latest highlights
2. on release day
   1. ☐ create Quick Redirect like mudlet.org/3-23 (see left-hand side in Wordpress, Tools - Redirection).
   2. ☐ create a new release in the 'release' channel in dblsqd. Make sure to enter the changelog right away, as it cannot be edited after. Include the full version number and a link to the release post (example). A command-line variant of this is: dblsqd release -a mudlet -c release -m "<message>. <a href="https://mudlet.org/4-##">See the changelog</a>." <version, ie 4.11.0>
   3. ☐ merge latest translations from Crowdin
   4. ☐ merge all Area 51 functions into main wiki
   5. ☐ merge latest autocomplete json
   6. ☐ update mudlet.pro and CMakeLists.txt to new version and strip out BUILD to be empty in release branch (release process starts here)
   7. ☐ tag in git
   8. ☐ manually create source code package following this
   9. ☐ reset BUILD in release branch to be -dev
   10. ☐ wait for the builds to complete...
   11. ☐ manually upload artifacts to https://www.mudlet.org/wp-content/files/?C=M;O=D through webmin. Linux and macOS ones will be available as artifacts on the Github job, while Windows is an artifact on the Appveyor job.
   12. ☐ manually link uploaded artifacts to dblsqd[1]:
   13. ☐ test that all binaries launch and work
   14. ☐ close github milestone
   15. ☐ update downloads on mudlet.org
   16. ☐ post news on mudlet.org
       1. [automated] create changelog with a github action
   17. ☐ Duplicate post for all languages:
       1. Select English news and "Duplicate this". Repeat these steps for every target language.
       2. In right-hand side Languages tab, change language from English to German. Page will reload. Then write name of English post in the English box. Suggestions will appear. Click the original post to confirm. Translations are now linked. In the end, all languages should be interlinked.
   18. ☐ post news to https://launchpad.net/mudlet
   19. ☐ make a proper github release (use turndown to convert release post html to markdown)
   20. ☐ post thread on forums.mudlet.org
   21. ☐ post update on achaea, starmourn, imperian, lusternia, pkuxkx.net, softpedia
   22. ☐ post update on twitter, reddit, http://arkadia.rpg.pl, muder.ru
   23. ☐ delay posting an announcement on Discord until 3-4 days past the release; post when there are no verified issues in update
   24. ☐ email to releaseradar@github.com about the update
   25. ☐ submit mudlet windows installer to avg and avast whitelisting
   26. ☐ merge development into master branch
   27. ☐ update Linux distro maintainers, Chocolatey maintainer, flag package outdated on arch (release process ends here)
   28. ☐ merge, don't squash or rebase, the release branch into development (but don't delete right away, keep it around for a potential hotfix if needed. Delete after the next release is done). Do it right away so next day's PTB's versions is the new release.
   29. ☐ create polls for most popular changes

[1]:

 dblsqd push -a mudlet -c release -r "<release>" -s mudlet --type "standalone" --attach linux:x86_64 "https://www.mudlet.org/wp-content/files/Mudlet-<release>-linux-x64.AppImage.tar"
 dblsqd push -a mudlet -c release -r "<release>" -s mudlet --type "standalone" --attach mac:x86_64 "https://www.mudlet.org/wp-content/files/Mudlet-<release>.dmg"
 dblsqd push -a mudlet -c release -r "<release>" -s mudlet --type "standalone" --attach win:x86 "https://www.mudlet.org/wp-content/files/Mudlet-<release>-windows-installer.exe"

Individual contributor TODOs

• keneanung: https://github.com/users/keneanung/projects/1
• vadi2: https://gist.github.com/vadi2/c4dd137010c1b969c011293eddfcee73