Commit c307eab8 authored by Achilleas Pipinellis's avatar Achilleas Pipinellis

Merge branch 'eread/refine-docs-release-docs' into 'master'

Refine docs release process docs

See merge request gitlab-org/gitlab!57789
parents a2c11428 92348ee3
......@@ -6,14 +6,15 @@ info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated w
# Monthly release process
When a new GitLab version is released on the 22nd, we need to release the published documentation
for the new version.
When a new GitLab version is released on the 22nd, we release version-specific published
documentation for the new version.
This should be done as soon as possible after the GitLab version is announced, so that:
We complete the process as soon as possible after the GitLab version is announced. The result is:
- The published documentation includes the three most recent minor releases of the current major
version, and the most recent minor releases of the last two major versions. For example 13.9,
13.8, 13.7, 12.10, and 11.11.
- The [online published documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com) includes:
- The three most recent minor releases of the current major version. For example 13.9, 13.8, and
13.7.
- The most recent minor releases of the last two major versions. For example 12.10, and 11.11.
- Documentation updates after the 22nd are for the next release. The versions drop down
should have the current milestone with `-pre` appended to it, for example `13.10-pre`.
......@@ -31,23 +32,30 @@ For example:
[stable branch](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/tree/13.8) and Docker image:
[`registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs:13.8`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/container_registry/631635).
To set up a documentation release, follow these steps:
1. [Add the charts version](#add-chart-version), so that the documentation is built using the
[version of the charts project that maps to](https://docs.gitlab.com/charts/installation/version_mappings.html)
the GitLab release. This step may have been completed already.
1. [Create a stable branch and Docker image](#create-stable-branch-and-docker-image-for-release) for
the new version.
1. [Create a release merge request](#create-release-merge-request) for the new version, which
updates the version dropdown menu for the current documentation and adds the release to the
Docker configuration. For example, the
[release merge request for 13.9](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1555).
1. [Update the three online versions](#update-dropdown-for-online-versions), so that they display the new release on their
version dropdown menus. For example:
- The merge request to [update the 13.9 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1556).
- The merge request to [update the 13.8 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1557).
- The merge request to [update the 13.7 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1558).
1. [Merge the release merge request and run the necessary Docker image builds](#merge-release-merge-request-and-run-docker-image-builds).
## Recommended timeline
To minimize problems during the documentation release process, use the following timeline:
- Before the 20nd of the month:
[Add the charts version](#add-chart-version), so that the documentation is built using the
[version of the charts project that maps to](https://docs.gitlab.com/charts/installation/version_mappings.html)
the GitLab release. This step may have been completed already.
- On or near the 20th of the month:
1. [Create a stable branch and Docker image](#create-stable-branch-and-docker-image-for-release) for
the new version.
1. [Create a release merge request](#create-release-merge-request) for the new version, which
updates the version dropdown menu for the current documentation and adds the release to the
Docker configuration. For example, the
[release merge request for 13.9](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1555).
1. [Update the three online versions](#update-dropdown-for-online-versions), so that they display the new release on their
version dropdown menus.
- On the 22nd of the month:
[Merge the release merge requests and run the necessary Docker image builds](#merge-merge-requests-and-run-docker-image-builds).
## Add chart version
......@@ -135,8 +143,12 @@ Do not merge the release merge request yet.
## Update dropdown for online versions
To update`content/_data/versions.yaml` for all online versions (stable branches `X.Y` of the
`gitlab-docs` project):
To update `content/_data/versions.yaml` for all online versions (stable branches `X.Y` of the
`gitlab-docs` project). For example:
- The merge request to [update the 13.9 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1556).
- The merge request to [update the 13.8 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1557).
- The merge request to [update the 13.7 version dropdown menu for the 13.9 release](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests/1558).
1. Run the Rake task that creates all of the necessary merge requests to update the dropdowns. For
example, for the 13.9 release:
......@@ -146,13 +158,12 @@ To update`content/_data/versions.yaml` for all online versions (stable branches
./bin/rake release:dropdowns
```
These merge requests are set to automatically merge.
1. [Visit the merge requests page](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/merge_requests?label_name%5B%5D=release)
to check that their pipelines pass. After all MRs are merged, proceed to the following and final
step.
to check that their pipelines pass.
Do not merge these merge requests yet.
## Merge release merge request and run Docker image builds
## Merge merge requests and run Docker image builds
The merge requests for the dropdowns should now all be merged into their respective stable branches.
Each merge triggers a new pipeline for each stable branch. Wait for the stable branch pipelines to
......@@ -160,7 +171,9 @@ complete, then:
1. Check the [pipelines page](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/pipelines)
and make sure all stable branches have green pipelines.
1. After all the pipelines succeed, merge the [release merge request](#create-release-merge-request).
1. After all the pipelines succeed:
1. Merge all of the [dropdown merge requests](#update-dropdown-for-online-versions).
1. Merge the [release merge request](#create-release-merge-request).
1. Finally, run the
[`Build docker images weekly` pipeline](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/pipeline_schedules)
that builds the `:latest` and `:archives` Docker images.
......
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