# Making a Release

You'll generally create one of two release types: a regular feature release (minor version bump) or a bug-fixing patch release (patch version bump). Regular releases start on main, while patch releases start with an existing release tag.

## Regular release from main

1. Check out the main branch.
1. Pick the new version. Use a new minor version (e.g. if the current latest release is 1.2.3, use 1.3.0). Save it using `export VERSION=<new version>`
1. Run `just prepare-release $VERSION`. This will create a branch `release/<version>`
1. Run `git push origin release/<version> --set-upstream` and open a PR into `main`. Use `git log --oneline --cherry-pick --right-only v<previous-version>...release/$VERSION` to generate a PR description
1. Wait for the bundled version of the app which will be linked from a comment on the PR
1. Test the bundled version of the app
1. Tag the release: check out the `release/<version>` branch locally to the latest revision and run `just tag-push` to create and push a tag. Make sure it doesn't error. This will start the release which you can monitor [here](https://github.com/block/goose/actions/workflows/release.yml)
1. Once the release is created on [Github](https://github.com/block/goose/releases), merge the PR and run `just release-notes <prior release>` to generate release notes. Copy these into the release description.

## Patch release

Follow the above steps, but rather than starting on main, start on the release tag you're interested in patching. Increment the patch version instead of minor (e.g. 1.2.3 -> 1.2.4). Bug fixes should be merged to main and then cherry-picked onto this branch.

1. Before proceeding, make sure any fixes you're looking to include in a patch are merged into main, if possible.
1. Check out the release you're patching using the tag (e.g `git checkout v1.3.0`). Set the version by incrementing the patch version (`export VERSION=1.3.1`).
1. Run `just prepare-release $VERSION`.
1. Cherry-pick the relevant fixes from the main branch.
1. Test this build. When ready to make the release, proceed to the next step.
1. Tag the release: check out the `release/<version>` branch locally to the latest revision and run `just tag-push` to create and push a tag. Make sure it doesn't error. This will start the release which you can monitor [here](https://github.com/block/goose/actions/workflows/release.yml)
1. Once the release is created on [Github](https://github.com/block/goose/releases), run `just release-notes <prior release>` to generate release notes. Copy these into the release description.

Note that you won't merge this branch into main.