path: root/doc/releases.md

# Node.js Release Process

This document describes the technical aspects of the Node.js release process.
The intended audience is those who have been authorized by the Node.js
Foundation Technical Steering Committee (TSC) to create, promote, and sign
official release builds for Node.js, hosted on <https://nodejs.org/>.

## Table of Contents

* [Who can make a release?](#who-can-make-a-release)
  * [1. Jenkins Release Access](#1-jenkins-release-access)
  * [2. <nodejs.org> Access](#2-nodejsorg-access)
  * [3. A Publicly Listed GPG Key](#3-a-publicly-listed-gpg-key)
* [How to create a release](#how-to-create-a-release)
  * [0. Pre-release steps](#0-pre-release-steps)
  * [1. Update the staging branch](#1-update-the-staging-branch)
  * [2. Create a new branch for the release](#2-create-a-new-branch-for-the-release)
  * [3. Update `src/node_version.h`](#3-update-srcnode_versionh)
  * [4. Update the Changelog](#4-update-the-changelog)
  * [5. Create Release Commit](#5-create-release-commit)
  * [6. Propose Release on GitHub](#6-propose-release-on-github)
  * [7. Ensure that the Release Branch is Stable](#7-ensure-that-the-release-branch-is-stable)
  * [8. Produce a Nightly Build _(optional)_](#8-produce-a-nightly-build-optional)
  * [9. Produce Release Builds](#9-produce-release-builds)
  * [10. Test the Build](#10-test-the-build)
  * [11. Tag and Sign the Release Commit](#11-tag-and-sign-the-release-commit)
  * [12. Set Up For the Next Release](#12-set-up-for-the-next-release)
  * [13. Promote and Sign the Release Builds](#13-promote-and-sign-the-release-builds)
  * [14. Check the Release](#14-check-the-release)
  * [15. Create a Blog Post](#15-create-a-blog-post)
  * [16. Create the release on GitHub](#16-create-the-release-on-github)
  * [17. Cleanup](#17-cleanup)
  * [18. Announce](#18-announce)
  * [19. Celebrate](#19-celebrate)
* [Major Releases](#major-releases)

## Who can make a release?

Release authorization is given by the Node.js TSC. Once authorized, an
individual must have the following:

### 1. Jenkins Release Access

There are three relevant Jenkins jobs that should be used for a release flow:

**a.** **Test runs:**
**[node-test-pull-request](https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-pull-request/)**
is used for a final full-test run to ensure that the current *HEAD* is stable.

**b.** **Nightly builds:** (optional)
**[iojs+release](https://ci-release.nodejs.org/job/iojs+release/)** can be used
to create a nightly release for the current *HEAD* if public test releases are
required. Builds triggered with this job are published straight to
<https://nodejs.org/download/nightly/> and are available for public download.

**c.** **Release builds:**
**[iojs+release](https://ci-release.nodejs.org/job/iojs+release/)** does all of
the work to build all required release assets. Promotion of the release files is
a manual step once they are ready (see below).

The [Node.js build team](https://github.com/nodejs/build) is able to provide
this access to individuals authorized by the TSC.

### 2. <nodejs.org> Access

The _dist_ user on nodejs.org controls the assets available in
<https://nodejs.org/download/>. <https://nodejs.org/dist/> is an alias for
<https://nodejs.org/download/release/>.

The Jenkins release build workers upload their artifacts to the web server as
the _staging_ user. The _dist_ user has access to move these assets to public
access while, for security, the _staging_ user does not.

Nightly builds are promoted automatically on the server by a cron task for the
_dist_ user.

Release builds require manual promotion by an individual with SSH access to the
server as the _dist_ user. The
[Node.js build team](https://github.com/nodejs/build) is able to provide this
access to individuals authorized by the TSC.

### 3. A Publicly Listed GPG Key

A `SHASUMS256.txt` file is produced for every promoted build, nightly, and
releases. Additionally for releases, this file is signed by the individual
responsible for that release. In order to be able to verify downloaded binaries,
the public should be able to check that the `SHASUMS256.txt` file has been
signed by someone who has been authorized to create a release.

The GPG keys should be fetchable from a known third-party keyserver. The SKS
Keyservers at <https://sks-keyservers.net> are recommended. Use the
[submission](https://pgp.mit.edu/) form to submit a new GPG key. Keys should be
fetchable via:

```console
$ gpg --keyserver pool.sks-keyservers.net --recv-keys <FINGERPRINT>
```

The key you use may be a child/subkey of an existing key.

Additionally, full GPG key fingerprints for individuals authorized to release
should be listed in the Node.js GitHub README.md file.

## How to create a release

Notes:

* Dates listed below as _"YYYY-MM-DD"_ should be the date of the release **as
  UTC**. Use `date -u +'%Y-%m-%d'` to find out what this is.
* Version strings are listed below as _"vx.y.z"_ or _"x.y.z"_. Substitute for
  the release version.
* Examples will use the fictional release version `1.2.3`.

### 0. Pre-release steps

Before preparing a Node.js release, the Build Working Group must be notified at
least one business day in advance of the expected release. Coordinating with
Build is essential to make sure that the CI works, release files are published,
and the release blog post is available on the project website.

Build can be contacted best by opening up an issue on the [Build issue
tracker][], and by posting in `#node-build` on [webchat.freenode.net][].

When preparing a security release, contact Build at least two weekdays in
advance of the expected release. To ensure that the security patch(es) can be
properly tested, run a `node-test-pull-request` job against the `master` branch
of the `nodejs-private/node-private` repository a day or so before the
[CI lockdown procedure][] begins. This is to confirm that Jenkins can properly
access the private repository.

### 1. Update the staging branch

Checkout the staging branch locally.

```console
$ git remote update
$ git checkout v1.x-staging
$ git reset --hard upstream/v1.x-staging
```

If the staging branch is not up to date relative to `master`, bring the
appropriate PRs and commits into it.

Go through PRs with the label `vN.x`. e.g. [PRs with the `v8.x` label](https://github.com/nodejs/node/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-desc+label%3Av8.x).

For each PR:

* Run or check that there is a passing CI.
* Check approvals (you can approve yourself).
* Check that the commit metadata was not changed from the `master` commit.
* If there are merge conflicts, ask the PR author to rebase.
Simple conflicts can be resolved when landing.

When landing the PR add the `Backport-PR-URL:` line to each commit. Close the
backport PR with `Landed in ...`. Update the label on the original PR from
`backport-requested-vN.x` to `backported-to-vN.x`.

To determine the relevant commits, use
[`branch-diff`](https://github.com/nodejs/branch-diff). The tool is available on
npm and should be installed globally or run with `npx`. It depends on our commit
metadata, as well as the GitHub labels such as `semver-minor` and
`semver-major`. One drawback is that when the `PR-URL` metadata is accidentally
omitted from a commit, the commit will show up because it's unsure if it's a
duplicate or not.

For a list of commits that could be landed in a patch release on v1.x:

```console
$ branch-diff v1.x-staging master --exclude-label=semver-major,semver-minor,dont-land-on-v1.x,backport-requested-v1.x --filter-release --format=simple
```

Previous release commits and version bumps do not need to be
cherry-picked.

Carefully review the list of commits:

* Checking for errors (incorrect `PR-URL`)
* Checking semver status - Commits labeled as `semver-minor` or `semver-major`
should only be cherry-picked when appropriate for the type of release being
made.
* If you think it's risky so should wait for a while, add the `baking-for-lts`
tag.

When cherry-picking commits, if there are simple conflicts you can resolve
them. Otherwise, add the `backport-requested-vN.x` label to the original PR
and post a comment stating that it does not land cleanly and will require a
backport PR. You can refer the owner of the PR to the "[Backporting to Release
 Lines](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/doc/guides/backporting-to-release-lines.md)" guide.

If commits were cherry-picked in this step, check that the test still pass and
push to the staging branch to keep it up-to-date.

```console
$ git push upstream v1.x-staging
```

### 2. Create a new branch for the release

Create a new branch named `vx.y.z-proposal`, off the corresponding staging
branch.

```console
$ git checkout -b v1.2.3-proposal upstream/v1.x-staging
```

### 3. Update `src/node_version.h`

Set the version for the proposed release using the following macros, which are
already defined in `src/node_version.h`:

```c
#define NODE_MAJOR_VERSION x
#define NODE_MINOR_VERSION y
#define NODE_PATCH_VERSION z
```

Set the `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` macro value to `1`. This causes the build to
be produced with a version string that does not have a trailing pre-release tag:

```c
#define NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE 1
```

**Also consider whether to bump `NODE_MODULE_VERSION`**:

This macro is used to signal an ABI version for native addons. It currently has
two common uses in the community:

* Determining what API to work against for compiling native addons, e.g.
  [NAN](https://github.com/nodejs/nan) uses it to form a compatibility-layer for
  much of what it wraps.
* Determining the ABI for downloading pre-built binaries of native addons, e.g.
  [node-pre-gyp](https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp) uses this value as
  exposed via `process.versions.modules` to help determine the appropriate
  binary to download at install-time.

The general rule is to bump this version when there are _breaking ABI_ changes
and also if there are non-trivial API changes. The rules are not yet strictly
defined, so if in doubt, please confer with someone that will have a more
informed perspective, such as a member of the NAN team.

A registry of currently used `NODE_MODULE_VERSION` values is maintained at
<https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/doc/abi_version_registry.json>.
When bumping `NODE_MODULE_VERSION`, you should choose a new value not listed
in the registry. Also include a change to the registry in your commit to
reflect the newly used value.

It is current TSC policy to bump major version when ABI changes. If you
see a need to bump `NODE_MODULE_VERSION` then you should consult the TSC.
Commits may need to be reverted or a major version bump may need to happen.

### 4. Update the Changelog

#### Step 1: Collect the formatted list of changes

Collect a formatted list of commits since the last release. Use
[`changelog-maker`](https://github.com/nodejs/changelog-maker) to do this:

```console
$ changelog-maker --group
```

`changelog-maker` counts commits since the last tag and if the last tag
in the repository was not on the current branch you may have to supply a
`--start-ref` argument:

```console
$ changelog-maker --group --start-ref v1.2.2
```

#### Step 2: Update the appropriate doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_*.md file

There is a separate `CHANGELOG_Vx.md` file for each major Node.js release line.
These are located in the `doc/changelogs/` directory. Once the formatted list of
changes is collected, it must be added to the top of the relevant changelog file
in the release branch (e.g. a release for Node.js v4 would be added to the
`/doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V4.md`).

**Please do *not* add the changelog entries to the root `CHANGELOG.md` file.**

The new entry should take the following form:

```md
<a id="x.y.x"></a>
## YYYY-MM-DD, Version x.y.z (Release Type), @releaser

### Notable changes

* List interesting changes here
* Particularly changes that are responsible for minor or major version bumps
* Also be sure to look at any changes introduced by dependencies such as npm
* ... and include any notable items from there

### Commits

* Include the full list of commits since the last release here. Do not include "Working on X.Y.Z+1" commits.
```

The release type should be either Current, LTS, or Maintenance, depending on the
type of release being produced.

You can use `branch-diff` to get a list of commits with the `notable-change`
label:

```console
$ branch-diff upstream/v1.x v1.2.3-proposal --require-label=notable-change -format=simple
```

Be sure that the `<a>` tag, as well as the two headings, are not indented at
all.

At the top of the root `CHANGELOG.md` file, there is a table indexing all
releases in each major release line. A link to the new release needs to be added
to it. Follow the existing examples and be sure to add the release to the *top*
of the list. The most recent release for each release line is shown in **bold**
in the index. When updating the index, please make sure to update the display
accordingly by removing the bold styling from the previous release.

#### Step 3: Update any REPLACEME and DEP00XX tags in the docs

If this release includes new APIs then it is necessary to document that they
were first added in this version. The relevant commits should already include
`REPLACEME` tags as per the example in the
[docs README](../tools/doc/README.md). Check for these tags with `grep REPLACEME
doc/api/*.md`, and substitute this node version with `sed -i
"s/REPLACEME/$VERSION/g" doc/api/*.md` or `perl -pi -e "s/REPLACEME/$VERSION/g"
doc/api/*.md`.

`$VERSION` should be prefixed with a `v`.

If this release includes any new deprecations it is necessary to ensure that
those are assigned a proper static deprecation code. These are listed in the
docs (see `doc/api/deprecations.md`) and in the source as `DEP00XX`. The code
must be assigned a number (e.g. `DEP0012`). This assignment should
occur when the PR is landed, but a check will be made when the release build is
run.

### 5. Create Release Commit

The `CHANGELOG.md`, `doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_Vx.md`, `src/node_version.h`, and
`REPLACEME` changes should be the final commit that will be tagged for the
release. When committing these to git, use the following message format:

```txt
YYYY-MM-DD, Version x.y.z (Release Type)

Notable changes:

* Copy the notable changes list here, reformatted for plain-text
```

For security releases, begin the commit message with the phrase
`This is a security release.` to allow the
[distribution indexer](https://github.com/nodejs/nodejs-dist-indexer) to
identify it as such:

```txt
YYYY-MM-DD, Version x.y.z (Release Type)

This is a security release.

Notable changes:

* Copy the notable changes list here, reformatted for plain-text
```

### 6. Propose Release on GitHub

Push the release branch to `nodejs/node`, not to your own fork. This allows
release branches to more easily be passed between members of the release team if
necessary.

Create a pull request targeting the correct release line. For example, a
`v5.3.0-proposal` PR should target `v5.x`, not master. Paste the CHANGELOG
modifications into the body of the PR so that collaborators can see what is
changing. These PRs should be left open for at least 24 hours, and can be
updated as new commits land.

If you need any additional information about any of the commits, this PR is a
good place to @-mention the relevant contributors.

After opening the PR, update the release commit to include `PR-URL` metadata and
force-push the proposal.

### 7. Ensure that the Release Branch is Stable

Run a **[`node-test-pull-request`](https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-pull-request/)**
test run to ensure that the build is stable and the HEAD commit is ready for
release.

Also run a **[`node-test-commit-v8-linux`](https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-commit-v8-linux/)**
test run if the release contains changes to `deps/v8`.

Perform some smoke-testing. There is the
**[`citgm-smoker`](https://ci.nodejs.org/job/citgm-smoker/)** CI job for this
purpose. Run it once with the base `vx.x` branch as a reference and with the
proposal branch to check if new regressions could be introduced in the
ecosystem.

### 8. Produce a Nightly Build _(optional)_

If there is a reason to produce a test release for the purpose of having others
try out installers or specifics of builds, produce a nightly build using
**[iojs+release](https://ci-release.nodejs.org/job/iojs+release/)** and wait for
it to drop in <https://nodejs.org/download/nightly/>. Follow the directions and
enter a proper length commit SHA, enter a date string, and select "nightly" for
"disttype".

This is particularly recommended if there has been recent work relating to the
macOS or Windows installers as they are not tested in any way by CI.

### 9. Produce Release Builds

Use **[iojs+release](https://ci-release.nodejs.org/job/iojs+release/)** to
produce release artifacts. Enter the commit that you want to build from and
select "release" for "disttype".

Artifacts from each worker are uploaded to Jenkins and are available if further
testing is required. Use this opportunity particularly to test macOS and Windows
installers if there are any concerns. Click through to the individual workers
for a run to find the artifacts.

All release workers should achieve "SUCCESS" (and be green, not red). A release
with failures should not be promoted as there are likely problems to be
investigated.

You can rebuild the release as many times as you need prior to promoting them if
you encounter problems.

If you have an error on Windows and need to start again, be aware that you'll
get immediate failure unless you wait up to 2 minutes for the linker to stop
from previous jobs. i.e. if a build fails after having started compiling, that
worker will still have a linker process that's running for another couple of
minutes which will prevent Jenkins from clearing the workspace to start a new
one. This isn't a big deal, it's just a hassle because it'll result in another
failed build if you start again!

ARMv7 takes the longest to compile. Unfortunately ccache isn't as effective on
release builds, I think it's because of the additional macro settings that go in
to a release build that nullify previous builds. Also most of the release build
machines are separate to the test build machines so they don't get any benefit
from ongoing compiles between releases. You can expect 1.5 hours for the ARMv7
builder to complete and you should normally wait for this to finish. It is
possible to rush a release out if you want and add additional builds later but
we normally provide ARMv7 from initial promotion.

You do not have to wait for the ARMv6 / Raspberry PI builds if they take longer
than the others. It is only necessary to have the main Linux (x64 and x86),
macOS .pkg and .tar.gz, Windows (x64 and x86) .msi and .exe, source, headers,
and docs (both produced currently by an macOS worker). **If you promote builds
_before_ ARM builds have finished, you must repeat the promotion step for the
ARM builds when they are ready**. If the ARMv6 build failed for some reason you
can use the
[`iojs-release-arm6-only`](https://ci-release.nodejs.org/job/iojs+release-arm6-only/)
build in the release CI to re-run the build only for ARMv6. When launching the
build make sure to use the same commit hash as for the original release.

### 10. Test the Build

Jenkins collects the artifacts from the builds, allowing you to download and
install the new build. Make sure that the build appears correct. Check the
version numbers, and perform some basic checks to confirm that all is well with
the build before moving forward.

### 11. Tag and Sign the Release Commit

Once you have produced builds that you're happy with, create a new tag. By
waiting until this stage to create tags, you can discard a proposed release if
something goes wrong or additional commits are required. Once you have created a
tag and pushed it to GitHub, you ***must not*** delete and re-tag. If you make
a mistake after tagging then you'll have to version-bump and start again and
count that tag/version as lost.

Tag summaries have a predictable format, look at a recent tag to see, `git tag
-v v6.0.0`. The message should look something like `2016-04-26 Node.js v6.0.0
(Current) Release`.

Install `git-secure-tag` npm module:

```console
$ npm install -g git-secure-tag
```

Create a tag using the following command:

```console
$ git secure-tag <vx.y.z> <commit-sha> -sm "YYYY-MM-DD Node.js vx.y.z (<release-type>) Release"
```

`release-type` is either "Current" or "LTS". For LTS releases, you should also
 include the release codename, for example:

```txt
2019-10-22 Node.js v10.17.0 'Dubnium' (LTS) Release
```

The tag **must** be signed using the GPG key that's listed for you on the
project README.

Push the tag to the repo before you promote the builds. If you haven't pushed
your tag first, then build promotion won't work properly. Push the tag using the
following command:

```console
$ git push <remote> <vx.y.z>
```

*Note*: Please do not push the tag unless you are ready to complete the
remainder of the release steps.

### 12. Set Up For the Next Release

On release proposal branch, edit `src/node_version.h` again and:

* Increment `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` by one
* Change `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` back to `0`

Commit this change with the following commit message format:

```txt
Working on vx.y.z # where 'z' is the incremented patch number

PR-URL: <full URL to your release proposal PR>
```

This sets up the branch so that nightly builds are produced with the next
version number _and_ a pre-release tag.

Merge your release proposal branch into the stable branch that you are releasing
from and rebase the corresponding staging branch on top of that.

```console
$ git checkout v1.x
$ git merge --ff-only v1.2.3-proposal
$ git push upstream v1.x
$ git checkout v1.x-staging
$ git rebase v1.x
$ git push upstream v1.x-staging
```

Cherry-pick the release commit to `master`. After cherry-picking, edit
`src/node_version.h` to ensure the version macros contain whatever values were
previously on `master`. `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` should be `0`. **Do not**
cherry-pick the "Working on vx.y.z" commit to `master`.

Run `make lint` before pushing to `master`, to make sure the Changelog
formatting passes the lint rules on `master`.

### 13. Promote and Sign the Release Builds

**The same individual who signed the release tag must be the one
to promote the builds as the `SHASUMS256.txt` file needs to be signed with the
same GPG key!**

Use `tools/release.sh` to promote and sign the build. When run, it will perform
the following actions:

**a.** Select a GPG key from your private keys. It will use a command similar
to: `gpg --list-secret-keys` to list your keys. If you don't have any keys, it
will bail. If you have only one key, it will use that. If you have more than
one key it will ask you to select one from the list. Be sure to use the same
key that you signed your git tag with.

**b.** Log in to the server via SSH and check for releases that can be promoted,
along with the list of artifacts. It will use the `dist-promotable` command on
the server to find these. You will be asked, for each promotable release,
whether you want to proceed. If there is more than one release to promote (there
shouldn't be), be sure to only promote the release you are responsible for.

**c.** Log in to the server via SSH and run the promote script for the given
release. The command on the server will be similar to: `dist-promote vx.y.z`.
After this step, the release artifacts will be available for download and a
`SHASUMS256.txt` file will be present. The release will still be unsigned,
however.

**d.** Use `scp` to download `SHASUMS256.txt` to a temporary directory on your
computer.

**e.** Sign the `SHASUMS256.txt` file using a command similar to: `gpg
--default-key YOURKEY --digest-algo SHA256 --clearsign /path/to/SHASUMS256.txt`.
You will be prompted by GPG for your password. The signed file will be named
SHASUMS256.txt.asc.

**f.** Output an ASCII armored version of your public GPG key using a command
similar to: `gpg --default-key YOURKEY --digest-algo SHA256 --detach-sign /path/to/SHASUMS256.txt`.
You will be prompted by GPG for your password. The signed file will be named
SHASUMS256.txt.sig.

**g.** Upload the `SHASUMS256.txt` files back to the server into the release
directory.

If you didn't wait for ARM builds in the previous step before promoting the
release, you should re-run `tools/release.sh` after the ARM builds have
finished. That will move the ARM artifacts into the correct location. You will
be prompted to re-sign `SHASUMS256.txt`.

**It is possible to only sign a release by running `./tools/release.sh -s
vX.Y.Z`.**

### 14. Check the Release

Your release should be available at `https://nodejs.org/dist/vx.y.z/` and
<https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/>. Check that the appropriate files are in
place. You may want to check that the binaries are working as appropriate and
have the right internal version strings. Check that the API docs are available
at <https://nodejs.org/api/>. Check that the release catalog files are correct
at <https://nodejs.org/dist/index.tab> and <https://nodejs.org/dist/index.json>.

### 15. Create a Blog Post

There is an automatic build that is kicked off when you promote new builds, so
within a few minutes nodejs.org will be listing your new version as the latest
release. However, the blog post is not yet fully automatic.

Create a new blog post by running the [nodejs.org release-post.js script][].
This script will use the promoted builds and changelog to generate the post. Run
`npm run serve` to preview the post locally before pushing to the
[nodejs.org repository][].

* You can add a short blurb just under the main heading if you want to say
  something important, otherwise the text should be publication ready.
* The links to the download files won't be complete unless you waited for the
  ARMv6 builds. Any downloads that are missing will have `*Coming soon*` next to
  them. It's your responsibility to manually update these later when you have
  the outstanding builds.
* The `SHASUMS256.txt.asc` content is at the bottom of the post. When you update
  the list of tarballs you'll need to copy/paste the new contents of this file
  to reflect those changes.
* Always use pull-requests on the [nodejs.org repository][]. Be respectful
  of the website team, but you do not have to wait for PR sign-off. Please
  use the following commit message format:

  ```console
  Blog: vX.Y.Z release post

  Refs: <full URL to your release proposal PR>
  ```

* Changes to `master` on the [nodejs.org repository][] will trigger a new build
  of nodejs.org so your changes should appear a few minutes after pushing.

### 16. Create the release on GitHub

* Go to the [New release page](https://github.com/nodejs/node/releases/new).
* Select the tag version you pushed earlier.
* For release title, copy the title from the changelog.
* For the description, copy the rest of the changelog entry.
* Click on the "Publish release" button.

### 17. Cleanup

Close your release proposal PR and delete the proposal branch.

### 18. Announce

The nodejs.org website will automatically rebuild and include the new version.
To announce the build on Twitter through the official @nodejs account, email
[pr@nodejs.org](mailto:pr@nodejs.org) with a message such as:

> v5.8.0 of @nodejs is out: https://nodejs.org/en/blog/release/v5.8.0/
> …
> something here about notable changes

To ensure communication goes out with the timing of the blog post, please allow
24 hour prior notice. If known, please include the date and time the release
will be shared with the community in the email to coordinate these
announcements.

Ping the IRC ops and the other [Partner Communities][] liaisons.

### 19. Celebrate

_In whatever form you do this..._

## Major Releases

The process for cutting a new Node.js major release has a number of differences
from cutting a minor or patch release.

### Schedule

New Node.js Major releases happen twice per year:

* Even-numbered releases are cut in April.
* Odd-numbered releases are cut in October.

Major releases should be targeted for the third Tuesday of the release month.

A major release must not slip beyond the release month. In other words, major
releases must not slip into May or November.

The release date for the next major release should be announced immediately
following the current release (e.g. the release date for 13.0.0 should be
announced immediately following the release of 12.0.0).

### Release Branch

Approximately three months before a major release, new `vN.x` and
`vN.x-staging` branches (where `N` indicates the major release) should be
created as forks of the `master` branch. Up until one month before the release
date, these must be kept in sync with `master` and must not be considered to
be stable branches (e.g. they may be force pushed).

The `vN.x` and `vN.x-staging` branches must be kept in sync with one another
up until the date of release.

One month or less before the release date, commits must be cherry-picked into
the two branches. To land `SEMVER-MAJOR` at this time requires no objections
from the TSC.

### Release Proposal

A draft release proposal should be created two months before the release. A
separate `vN.x-proposal` branch should be created that tracks the `vN.x`
branch. This branch will contain the draft release commit (with the draft
changelog).

Notify the `@nodejs/npm` team in the release proposal PR to inform them of the
upcoming release. `npm` maintains a list of [supported versions](https://github.com/npm/cli/blob/latest/lib/utils/unsupported.js#L3)
that will need updating to include the new major release.

### Test Releases and Release Candidates

Test builds should be generated from the `vN.x-proposal` branch starting at
about 6 weeks before the release.

Release Candidates should be generated from the `vN.x-proposal` branch starting
at about 4 weeks before the release, with a target of one release candidate
per week.

Always run test releases and release candidates through the Canary in the
Goldmine tool for additional testing.

### Changelogs

Generating major release changelogs is a bit more involved than minor and patch
changelogs.

#### Create the changelog file

In the `doc/changelogs` directory, create a new `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md` file where
`{N}` is the major version of the release. Follow the structure of the existing
`CHANGELOG_V*.md` files.

The navigation headers in all of the `CHANGELOG_V*.md` files must be
updated to account for the new `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md` file.

Once the file is created, the root `CHANGELOG.md` file must be updated to
reference the newly-created major release `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md`.

#### Generate the changelog

To generate a proper major release changelog, use the `branch-diff` tool to
compare the `vN.x` branch against the `vN-1.x` branch (e.g. for Node.js 12.0,
we compare the `v12.x` branch against the up to date `v11.x` branch). Make sure
that the local copy of the downlevel branch is up to date.

The commits in the generated changelog must then be organized:

* Remove all release commits from the list
* Remove all reverted commits and their reverts
* Separate all SEMVER-MAJOR, SEMVER-MINOR, and SEMVER-PATCH commits into lists

#### Generate the notable changes

For a major release, all SEMVER-MAJOR commits that are not strictly internal,
test, or doc-related are to be listed as notable changes. Some SEMVER-MINOR
commits may be listed as notable changes on a case-by-case basis. Use your
judgment there.

[CI lockdown procedure]: https://github.com/nodejs/build/blob/master/doc/jenkins-guide.md#restricting-access-for-security-releases
[Build issue tracker]: https://github.com/nodejs/build/issues/new
[nodejs.org release-post.js script]: https://github.com/nodejs/nodejs.org/blob/master/scripts/release-post.js
[nodejs.org repository]: https://github.com/nodejs/nodejs.org
[Partner Communities]: https://github.com/nodejs/community-committee/blob/master/governance/PARTNER_COMMUNITIES.md
[webchat.freenode.net]: https://webchat.freenode.net/