electron/docs/development/releasing.md

# Releasing

This document describes the process for releasing a new version of Electron.

## Create a backport branch

If you're about release a new major or minor version of Electron like `1.8.0`, 
`1.9.0`, or `2.0.0`, first create a branch from the most recent minor release 
for later backports:

Assuming you're about to publish `1.8.0`, and the highest `1.7` release was
`1.7.6`:

```sh
git checkout -b 1-7-x v1.7.6
git push origin HEAD
```

## Create a temporary branch

Create a new branch from `master`. Name it `release` or anything you like.

Note: If you are creating a backport release, you'll check out `1-6-x`, `1-7-x`, etc instead of `master`.

```sh
git checkout master
git pull
git checkout -b release
```

This branch is created as a precaution to prevent any merged PRs from sneaking into a release between the time the temporary release branch is created and the CI builds are complete.

## Check for extant drafts

The upload script [looks for an existing draft release](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/7961a97d7ddbed657c6c867cc8426e02c236c077/script/upload.py#L173-L181). To prevent your new release
from clobbering an existing draft, check [the releases page] and
make sure there are no drafts.

## Bump the version

Run the `bump-version` script, passing `major`, `minor`, or `patch` as an argument:

```sh
npm run bump-version -- patch
git push origin HEAD
```

This will bump the version number in several files. See [this bump commit] for an example.

Most releases will be `patch` level. Upgrades to Chrome or other major changes should use `minor`. For more info, see [electron-versioning].

## Wait for builds :hourglass_flowing_sand:

The presence of the word [`Bump`](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/7961a97d7ddbed657c6c867cc8426e02c236c077/script/cibuild-linux#L3-L6) in the commit message created by the `bump-version` script
will [trigger the release process](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/7961a97d7ddbed657c6c867cc8426e02c236c077/script/cibuild#L82-L96).

To monitor the build progress, see the following pages:

- [208.52.191.140:8080/view/All/builds](http://208.52.191.140:8080/view/All/builds) for Mac and Windows
- [jenkins.githubapp.com/label/chromium/](https://jenkins.githubapp.com/label/chromium/) for Linux

## Compile release notes

Writing release notes is a good way to keep yourself busy while the builds are running.
For prior art, see existing releases on [the releases page].

Tips:

- Each listed item should reference a PR on electron/electron, not an issue, nor a PR from another repo like libcc.
- No need to use link markup when referencing PRs. Strings like `#123` will automatically be converted to links on github.com.
- To see the version of Chromium, V8, and Node in every version of Electron, visit [atom.io/download/electron/index.json](https://atom.io/download/electron/index.json).

### Patch releases

For a `patch` release, use the following format:

```
## Bug Fixes

* Fixed a cross-platform thing. #123

### Linux

* Fixed a Linux thing. #123

### macOS

* Fixed a macOS thing. #123

### Windows

* Fixed a Windows thing. #1234

## API Changes

* Changed a thing. #123

### Linux

* Changed a Linux thing. #123

### macOS

* Changed a macOS thing. #123

### Windows

* Changed a Windows thing. #123
```

### Minor releases

For a `minor` release (which is normally a Chromium update, and possibly also a Node update), e.g. `1.8.0`, use this format:

```
**Note:** This is a beta release. This is the first release running on upgraded versions of Chrome/Node.js/V8 and most likely will have have some instability and/or regressions.

Please file new issues for any bugs you find in it.

This release is published to [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/electron) under the `beta` tag and can be installed via `npm install electron@beta`.

## Upgrades

- Upgraded from Chrome `oldVersion` to `newVersion`. #123
- Upgraded from Node `oldVersion` to `newVersion`. #123
- Upgraded from v8 `oldVersion` to `newVersion`. #9116

## Other Changes

- Some other change. #123
```

## Edit the release draft

1. Visit [the releases page] and you'll see a new draft release with placeholder release notes.
1. Edit the release and add release notes.
1. Ensure the `prerelease` checkbox is checked. This should happen automatically for Electron versions >=1.7
1. Click 'Save draft'. **Do not click 'Publish release'!**
1. Wait for all builds to pass before proceeding. 

## Merge temporary branch

Merge the temporary branch back into master, without creating a merge commit:

```sh
git checkout master
git merge release --no-commit
git push origin master
```

If this fails, rebase with master and rebuild:

```sh
git pull
git checkout release
git rebase master
git push origin HEAD
```

## Run local debug build

Run local debug build to verify that you are actually building the version you want. Sometimes you thought you were doing a release for a new version, but you're actually not.

```sh
npm run build
npm start
```

Verify the window is displaying the current updated version.

## Set environment variables

You'll need to set the following environment variables to publish a release. Ask another team member for these credentials.

- `ELECTRON_S3_BUCKET`
- `ELECTRON_S3_ACCESS_KEY`
- `ELECTRON_S3_SECRET_KEY`
- `ELECTRON_GITHUB_TOKEN` - A personal access token with "repo" scope.

You will only need to do this once.

## Publish the release

This script will download the binaries and generate the node headers and the .lib linker used on Windows by node-gyp to build native modules.

```sh
npm run release
```

Note: Many distributions of Python still ship with old HTTPS certificates. You may see a `InsecureRequestWarning`, but it can be disregarded.

## Delete the temporary branch

```sh
git checkout master
git branch -D release # delete local branch
git push origin :release # delete remote branch
```

[the releases page]: https://github.com/electron/electron/releases
[this bump commit]: https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/78ec1b8f89b3886b856377a1756a51617bc33f5a
[electron-versioning]: /docs/tutorial/electron-versioning.md

## Promoting a release on npm

New releases are published to npm with the `beta` tag. Every release should 
eventually get promoted to stable unless there's a good reason not to.

Releases are normally given around two weeks in the wild before being promoted.
Before promoting a release, check to see if there are any bug reports
against that version, e.g. issues labeled with `version/1.7.x`.

It's also good to ask users in Slack if they're using the beta versions successfully.

To see what's beta and stable at any given time:

```
$ npm dist-tag ls electron  
beta: 1.7.5
latest: 1.6.11
```

To promote a beta version to stable (aka `latest`):

```
npm dist-tag add electron@1.2.3 latest
```