Time-based Release Plan

How we manage releases.

1. Theory

Up until version 1.1, Mercurial took a "when it's ready" approach to releases. Starting with version 1.2, we've switched to a consistent calendar-based release schedule. This helps us get bug fixes and new features into our users' hands more quickly, improve our planning process, and keep our development cycles from growing stagnant.

Google calendar

2. Major releases

Starting with 2.0, Mercurial now follows a 3-month cycle with the following release dates:

3. Code Freeze

Each release cycle ends with a code freeze that starts approximately two weeks before the release date. When mpm begins the code freeze, the following things happen:

The point of the freeze is to get everyone to focus on testing and bug fixes for the upcoming release, so please don't distract from that by sending RFC patches or starting feature discussions.

{i} Please be aware that translators need time to synchronize translations before releases so avoid unnecessary string changes in the last few days of the freeze

/!\ All developers should be sure to check out the stable branch after the freeze is declared (no commits on default, also don't merge stable into default)

4. Rules for code freeze and stable branch commits

Because the code freeze is on the stable branch, the rules for each are the same. The following are allowed:

Everything else (including trivial cleanups) is not allowed.

5. Minor releases

Minor releases will be made by tagging the current state of the stable branch, which is continually kept in a production-ready state, except for possible issues during the early days of the freeze.

Releases will be made in a timely manner for significant behavior regressions, data integrity issues, or security issues.

Barring such issues, minor releases will be made on or about the first of every month that doesn't coincide with a major release.


CategoryDeveloper CategoryProcess