docs/HowToReleaseLLVM.rst - llvm-project/llvm - Git at Google

 =================================
 How To Release LLVM To The Public
 =================================

 Introduction
 ============

 This document contains information about successfully releasing LLVM ---
 including sub-projects: e.g., ``clang`` and ``compiler-rt`` --- to the public.
 It is the Release Manager's responsibility to ensure that a high quality build
 of LLVM is released.

 If you're looking for the document on how to test the release candidates and
 create the binary packages, please refer to the :doc:`ReleaseProcess` instead.

 .. _timeline:

 Release Timeline
 ================

 LLVM is released on a time based schedule --- with major releases roughly
 every 6 months.  In between major releases there may be dot releases.
 The release manager will determine if and when to make a dot release based
 on feedback from the community.  Typically, dot releases should be made if
 there are large number of bug-fixes in the stable branch or a critical bug
 has been discovered that affects a large number of users.

 Unless otherwise stated, dot releases will follow the same procedure as
 major releases.

 Annual Release Schedule
 -----------------------

 Here is the annual release schedule for LLVM.  This is meant to be a
 guide, and release managers are not required to follow this exactly.
 Releases should be tagged on Tuesdays.

 =============================== =========================
 Release                         Approx. Date
 =============================== =========================
 *release branch: even releases* *4th Tue in January*
 *release branch: odd releases*  *4th Tue in July*
 X.1.0-rc1                       3 days after branch.
 X.1.0-rc2                       2 weeks after branch.
 X.1.0-rc3                       4 weeks after branch
 **X.1.0-final**                 **6 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.1**                       **8 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.2**                       **10 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.3**                       **12 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.4**                       **14 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.5**                       **16 weeks after branch**
 **X.1.6 (if necessary)**        **18 weeks after branch**
 =============================== =========================

 Release Process Summary
 -----------------------

 * Announce release schedule to the LLVM community and update the website.  Do
   this at least 3 weeks before the -rc1 release.

 * Create release branch and begin release process.

 * Send out release candidate sources for first round of testing.  Testing lasts
   6 weeks.  During the first round of testing, any regressions found should be
   fixed.  Patches are merged from mainline into the release branch.  Also, all
   features need to be completed during this time.  Any features not completed at
   the end of the first round of testing will be removed or disabled for the
   release.

 * Generate and send out the second release candidate sources.  Only *critical*
   bugs found during this testing phase will be fixed.  Any bugs introduced by
   merged patches will be fixed.  If so a third round of testing is needed.

 * The release notes are updated.

 * Finally, release!

 * Announce bug fix release schedule to the LLVM community and update the website.

 * Do bug-fix releases every two weeks until X.1.5 or X.1.6 (if necessary).

 Release Process
 ===============

 .. contents::
    :local:

 Release Administrative Tasks
 ----------------------------

 This section describes a few administrative tasks that need to be done for the
 release process to begin.  Specifically, it involves:

 * Updating version numbers,

 * Creating the release branch, and

 * Tagging release candidates for the release team to begin testing.

 Create Release Branch
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Branch the Git trunk using the following procedure:

 #. Remind developers that the release branching is imminent and to refrain from
    committing patches that might break the build.  E.g., new features, large
    patches for works in progress, an overhaul of the type system, an exciting
    new TableGen feature, etc.

 #. Verify that the current git trunk is in decent shape by
    examining nightly tester and buildbot results.

 #. Bump the version in trunk to N.0.0git and tag the commit with llvmorg-N-init.
    If ``X`` is the version to be released, then ``N`` is ``X + 1``.

 ::

   $ git tag -sa llvmorg-N-init

 #. Clear the release notes in trunk.

 #. Create the release branch from the last known good revision from before the
    version bump.  The branch's name is release/X.x where ``X`` is the major version
    number and ``x`` is just the letter ``x``.

 #. On the newly-created release branch, immediately bump the version
    to X.1.0git (where ``X`` is the major version of the branch.)

 #. All tags and branches need to be created in both the llvm/llvm-project and
    llvm/llvm-test-suite repos.

 Update LLVM Version
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 After creating the LLVM release branch, update the release branches'
 version with the script in ``llvm/utils/release/bump-version.py``.

 Tagging the LLVM Release Candidates
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Tag release candidates:

 ::

   $ git tag -sa llvmorg-X.Y.Z-rcN

 The pre-packaged source tarballs will be automatically generated via the
 "Release Sources" workflow on GitHub.  This workflow will create an artifact
 containing all the release tarballs and the artifact attestation.  The
 Release Manager should download the artifact, verify the tarballs, sign them,
 and then upload them to the release page.

 ::

   $ unzip artifact.zip
   $ gh auth login
   $ for f in *.xz; do gh attestation verify --owner llvm $f && gpg -b $f; done

 Tarballs, release binaries,  or any other release artifacts must be uploaded to
 GitHub.  This can be done using the github-upload-release.py script in utils/release.

 ::

   $ github-upload-release.py upload --token <github-token> --release X.Y.Z-rcN --files <release_files>


 Build The Binary Distribution
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Creating the binary distribution requires following the instructions
 :doc:`here <ReleaseProcess>`.

 That process will perform both Release+Asserts and Release builds but only
 pack the Release build for upload. You should use the Release+Asserts sysroot,
 normally under ``final/Phase3/Release+Asserts/llvmCore-3.8.1-RCn.install/``,
 for test-suite and run-time benchmarks, to make sure nothing serious has
 passed through the net. For compile-time benchmarks, use the Release version.

 The minimum required version of the tools you'll need are :doc:`here <GettingStarted>`

 Release Qualification Criteria
 ------------------------------

 There are no official release qualification criteria.  It is up to the
 the release manager to determine when a release is ready.  The release manager
 should pay attention to the results of community testing, the number of outstanding
 bugs, and then number of regressions when determining whether or not to make a
 release.

 The community values time based releases, so releases should not be delayed for
 too long unless there are critical issues remaining.  In most cases, the only
 kind of bugs that are critical enough to block a release would be a major regression
 from a previous release.

 Official Testing
 ----------------

 A few developers in the community have dedicated time to validate the release
 candidates and volunteered to be the official release testers for each
 architecture.

 These will be the ones testing, generating and uploading the official binaries
 to the server, and will be the minimum tests *necessary* for the release to
 proceed.

 This will obviously not cover all OSs and distributions, so additional community
 validation is important. However, if community input is not reached before the
 release is out, all bugs reported will have to go on the next stable release.

 The official release managers are:

 * Even releases: Tom Stellard (tstellar@redhat.com)
 * Odd releases: Tobias Hieta (tobias@hieta.se)

 The official release testers are volunteered from the community and have
 consistently validated and released binaries for their targets/OSs. To contact
 them, you should post on the `Discourse forums (Project
 Infrastructure - Release Testers). <https://discourse.llvm.org/c/infrastructure/release-testers/66>`_

 The official testers list is in the file ``RELEASE_TESTERS.TXT``, in the ``LLVM``
 repository.

 Community Testing
 -----------------

 Once all testing has been completed and appropriate bugs filed, the release
 candidate tarballs are put on the website and the LLVM community is notified.

 We ask that all LLVM developers test the release in any the following ways:

 #. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
    binary.  Build LLVM.  Run ``make check`` and the full LLVM test suite (``make
    TEST=nightly report``).

 #. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the ``clang`` sources.  Compile
    everything.  Run ``make check`` and the full LLVM test suite (``make
    TEST=nightly report``).

 #. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
    binary. Build whole programs with it (ex. Chromium, Firefox, Apache) for
    your platform.

 #. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
    binary. Build *your* programs with it and check for conformance and
    performance regressions.

 #. Run the :doc:`release process <ReleaseProcess>`, if your platform is
    *different* than that which is officially supported, and report back errors
    only if they were not reported by the official release tester for that
    architecture.

 We also ask that the OS distribution release managers test their packages with
 the first candidate of every release, and report any *new* errors in GitHub.
 If the bug can be reproduced with an unpatched upstream version of the release
 candidate (as opposed to the distribution's own build), the priority should be
 release blocker.

 During the first round of testing, all regressions must be fixed before the
 second release candidate is tagged.

 In the subsequent stages, the testing is only to ensure that bug
 fixes previously merged in have not created new major problems. *This is not
 the time to solve additional and unrelated bugs!* If no patches are merged in,
 the release is determined to be ready and the release manager may move onto the
 next stage.

 Reporting Regressions
 ---------------------

 Every regression that is found during the tests (as per the criteria above),
 should be filled in a bug in GitHub and added to the release milestone.

 If a bug can't be reproduced, or stops being a blocker, it should be removed
 from the Milestone. Debugging can continue, but on trunk.

 Backport Requests
 -----------------

 Instructions for requesting a backport to a stable branch can be found :doc:`here <GitHub>`.

 Triaging Bug Reports for Releases
 ---------------------------------

 This section describes how to triage bug reports:

 #. Search for bugs with a Release Milestone that have not been added to the
    "Release Status" github project:

    https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/issues?q=is%3Aissue+milestone%3A%22LLVM+14.0.5+Release%22+no%3Aproject+

    Replace 14.0.5 in this query with the version from the Release Milestone being
    targeted.

    Add these bugs to the "Release Status" project.

 #. Navigate to the `Release Status project <https://github.com/orgs/llvm/projects/3>`_
    to see the list of bugs that are being considered for the release.

 #. Review each bug and first check if it has been fixed in main.  If it has, update
    its status to "Needs Pull Request", and create a pull request for the fix
    using the /cherry-pick or /branch comments if this has not been done already.

 #. If a bug has been fixed and has a pull request created for backporting it,
    then update its status to "Needs Review" and notify a knowledgeable reviewer.
    Usually you will want to notify the person who approved the patch in Phabricator,
    but you may use your best judgement on who a good reviewer would be.  Once
    you have identified the reviewer(s), assign the issue to them and mention
    them (i.e @username) in a comment and ask them if the patch is safe to backport.
    You should also review the bug yourself to ensure that it meets the requirements
    for committing to the release branch.

 #. Once a bug has been reviewed, add the release:reviewed label and update the
    issue's status to "Needs Merge".  Check the pull request associated with the
    issue.  If all the tests pass, then the pull request can be merged.  If not,
    then add a comment on the issue asking someone to take a look at the failures.

 #. Once the pull request has been merged push it to the official release branch
    with the script ``llvm/utils/git/sync-release-repo.sh``.

    Then add a comment to the issue stating that the fix has been merged along with
    the git hashes from the release branch.  Add the release:merged label to the issue
    and close it.


 Release Patch Rules
 -------------------

 Below are the rules regarding patching the release branch:

 #. Patches applied to the release branch may only be applied by the release
    manager, the official release testers or the maintainers with approval from
    the release manager.

 #. Release managers are encouraged, but not required, to get approval from a
    maintainer before approving patches.  If there are no reachable maintainers
    then release managers can ask approval from patch reviewers or other
    developers active in that area.

 #. *Before RC1* Patches should be limited to bug fixes, important optimization
    improvements, or completion of features that were started before the branch
    was created.  As with all phases, release managers and maintainers can reject
    patches that are deemed too invasive.

 #. *Before RC2* Patches should be limited to bug fixes or backend specific
    improvements that are determined to be very safe.

 #. *Before RC3/Final Major Release* Patches should be limited to critical
    bugs or regressions.

 #. *Bug fix releases* Patches should be limited to bug fixes or very safe
    and critical performance improvements.  Patches must maintain both API and
    ABI compatibility with the previous major release.


 Release Final Tasks
 -------------------

 The final stages of the release process involves tagging the "final" release
 branch, updating documentation that refers to the release, and updating the
 demo page.

 Update Documentation
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Review the documentation in the release branch and ensure that it is up
 to date.  The "Release Notes" must be updated to reflect new features, bug
 fixes, new known issues, and changes in the list of supported platforms.
 The "Getting Started Guide" should be updated to reflect the new release
 version number tag available from Subversion and changes in basic system
 requirements.

 .. _tag:

 Tag the LLVM Final Release
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Tag the final release sources:

 ::

   $ git tag -sa llvmorg-X.Y.Z
   $ git push https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project.git llvmorg-X.Y.Z

 Update the LLVM Website
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 The website must be updated before the release announcement is sent out.  Here
 is what to do:

 #. Check out the ``www-releases`` module from GitHub.

 #. Create a new sub-directory ``X.Y.Z`` in the releases directory.

 #. Copy and commit the ``llvm/docs`` and ``LICENSE.txt`` files into this new
    directory.

 #. Update the ``releases/download.html`` file with links to the release
    binaries on GitHub.

 #. Update the ``releases/index.html`` with the new release and link to release
    documentation.

 #. After you push the changes to the www-releases repo, someone with admin
    access must login to prereleases-origin.llvm.org and manually pull the new
    changes into /data/www-releases/.  This is where the website is served from.

 #. Finally checkout the llvm-www repo and update the main page
    (``index.html`` and sidebar) to point to the new release and release
    announcement.

 Announce the Release
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 Create a new post in the `Announce Category <https://discourse.llvm.org/c/announce>`_
 once all the release tasks are complete.  For X.1.0 releases, make sure to include a
 link to the release notes in the post.  For X.1.1+ releases, generate a changelog
 using this command and add it to the post.

 ::

   $ git log --format="- %aN: [%s (%h)](https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/commit/%H)" llvmorg-X.1.N-1..llvmorg-X.1.N

 Once the release has been announced add a link to the announcement on the llvm
 homepage (from the llvm-www repo) in the "Release Emails" section.
	=================================
	How To Release LLVM To The Public
	=================================

	Introduction
	============

	This document contains information about successfully releasing LLVM ---
	including sub-projects: e.g., ``clang`` and ``compiler-rt`` --- to the public.
	It is the Release Manager's responsibility to ensure that a high quality build
	of LLVM is released.

	If you're looking for the document on how to test the release candidates and
	create the binary packages, please refer to the :doc:`ReleaseProcess` instead.

	.. _timeline:

	Release Timeline
	================

	LLVM is released on a time based schedule --- with major releases roughly
	every 6 months. In between major releases there may be dot releases.
	The release manager will determine if and when to make a dot release based
	on feedback from the community. Typically, dot releases should be made if
	there are large number of bug-fixes in the stable branch or a critical bug
	has been discovered that affects a large number of users.

	Unless otherwise stated, dot releases will follow the same procedure as
	major releases.

	Annual Release Schedule
	-----------------------

	Here is the annual release schedule for LLVM. This is meant to be a
	guide, and release managers are not required to follow this exactly.
	Releases should be tagged on Tuesdays.

	=============================== =========================
	Release Approx. Date
	=============================== =========================
	release branch: even releases 4th Tue in January
	release branch: odd releases 4th Tue in July
	X.1.0-rc1 3 days after branch.
	X.1.0-rc2 2 weeks after branch.
	X.1.0-rc3 4 weeks after branch
	X.1.0-final 6 weeks after branch
	X.1.1 8 weeks after branch
	X.1.2 10 weeks after branch
	X.1.3 12 weeks after branch
	X.1.4 14 weeks after branch
	X.1.5 16 weeks after branch
	X.1.6 (if necessary) 18 weeks after branch
	=============================== =========================

	Release Process Summary
	-----------------------

	* Announce release schedule to the LLVM community and update the website. Do
	this at least 3 weeks before the -rc1 release.

	* Create release branch and begin release process.

	* Send out release candidate sources for first round of testing. Testing lasts
	6 weeks. During the first round of testing, any regressions found should be
	fixed. Patches are merged from mainline into the release branch. Also, all
	features need to be completed during this time. Any features not completed at
	the end of the first round of testing will be removed or disabled for the
	release.

	* Generate and send out the second release candidate sources. Only critical
	bugs found during this testing phase will be fixed. Any bugs introduced by
	merged patches will be fixed. If so a third round of testing is needed.

	* The release notes are updated.

	* Finally, release!

	* Announce bug fix release schedule to the LLVM community and update the website.

	* Do bug-fix releases every two weeks until X.1.5 or X.1.6 (if necessary).

	Release Process
	===============

	.. contents::
	:local:

	Release Administrative Tasks
	----------------------------

	This section describes a few administrative tasks that need to be done for the
	release process to begin. Specifically, it involves:

	* Updating version numbers,

	* Creating the release branch, and

	* Tagging release candidates for the release team to begin testing.

	Create Release Branch
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Branch the Git trunk using the following procedure:

	#. Remind developers that the release branching is imminent and to refrain from
	committing patches that might break the build. E.g., new features, large
	patches for works in progress, an overhaul of the type system, an exciting
	new TableGen feature, etc.

	#. Verify that the current git trunk is in decent shape by
	examining nightly tester and buildbot results.

	#. Bump the version in trunk to N.0.0git and tag the commit with llvmorg-N-init.
	If ``X`` is the version to be released, then ``N`` is ``X + 1``.

	::

	$ git tag -sa llvmorg-N-init

	#. Clear the release notes in trunk.

	#. Create the release branch from the last known good revision from before the
	version bump. The branch's name is release/X.x where ``X`` is the major version
	number and ``x`` is just the letter ``x``.

	#. On the newly-created release branch, immediately bump the version
	to X.1.0git (where ``X`` is the major version of the branch.)

	#. All tags and branches need to be created in both the llvm/llvm-project and
	llvm/llvm-test-suite repos.

	Update LLVM Version
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	After creating the LLVM release branch, update the release branches'
	version with the script in ``llvm/utils/release/bump-version.py``.

	Tagging the LLVM Release Candidates
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Tag release candidates:

	::

	$ git tag -sa llvmorg-X.Y.Z-rcN

	The pre-packaged source tarballs will be automatically generated via the
	"Release Sources" workflow on GitHub. This workflow will create an artifact
	containing all the release tarballs and the artifact attestation. The
	Release Manager should download the artifact, verify the tarballs, sign them,
	and then upload them to the release page.

	::

	$ unzip artifact.zip
	$ gh auth login
	$ for f in *.xz; do gh attestation verify --owner llvm $f && gpg -b $f; done

	Tarballs, release binaries, or any other release artifacts must be uploaded to
	GitHub. This can be done using the github-upload-release.py script in utils/release.

	::

	$ github-upload-release.py upload --token <github-token> --release X.Y.Z-rcN --files <release_files>


	Build The Binary Distribution
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Creating the binary distribution requires following the instructions
	:doc:`here <ReleaseProcess>`.

	That process will perform both Release+Asserts and Release builds but only
	pack the Release build for upload. You should use the Release+Asserts sysroot,
	normally under ``final/Phase3/Release+Asserts/llvmCore-3.8.1-RCn.install/``,
	for test-suite and run-time benchmarks, to make sure nothing serious has
	passed through the net. For compile-time benchmarks, use the Release version.

	The minimum required version of the tools you'll need are :doc:`here <GettingStarted>`

	Release Qualification Criteria
	------------------------------

	There are no official release qualification criteria. It is up to the
	the release manager to determine when a release is ready. The release manager
	should pay attention to the results of community testing, the number of outstanding
	bugs, and then number of regressions when determining whether or not to make a
	release.

	The community values time based releases, so releases should not be delayed for
	too long unless there are critical issues remaining. In most cases, the only
	kind of bugs that are critical enough to block a release would be a major regression
	from a previous release.

	Official Testing
	----------------

	A few developers in the community have dedicated time to validate the release
	candidates and volunteered to be the official release testers for each
	architecture.

	These will be the ones testing, generating and uploading the official binaries
	to the server, and will be the minimum tests necessary for the release to
	proceed.

	This will obviously not cover all OSs and distributions, so additional community
	validation is important. However, if community input is not reached before the
	release is out, all bugs reported will have to go on the next stable release.

	The official release managers are:

	* Even releases: Tom Stellard (tstellar@redhat.com)
	* Odd releases: Tobias Hieta (tobias@hieta.se)

	The official release testers are volunteered from the community and have
	consistently validated and released binaries for their targets/OSs. To contact
	them, you should post on the `Discourse forums (Project
	Infrastructure - Release Testers). <https://discourse.llvm.org/c/infrastructure/release-testers/66>`_

	The official testers list is in the file ``RELEASE_TESTERS.TXT``, in the ``LLVM``
	repository.

	Community Testing
	-----------------

	Once all testing has been completed and appropriate bugs filed, the release
	candidate tarballs are put on the website and the LLVM community is notified.

	We ask that all LLVM developers test the release in any the following ways:

	#. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
	binary. Build LLVM. Run ``make check`` and the full LLVM test suite (``make
	TEST=nightly report``).

	#. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the ``clang`` sources. Compile
	everything. Run ``make check`` and the full LLVM test suite (``make
	TEST=nightly report``).

	#. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
	binary. Build whole programs with it (ex. Chromium, Firefox, Apache) for
	your platform.

	#. Download ``llvm-X.Y``, ``llvm-test-X.Y``, and the appropriate ``clang``
	binary. Build your programs with it and check for conformance and
	performance regressions.

	#. Run the :doc:`release process <ReleaseProcess>`, if your platform is
	different than that which is officially supported, and report back errors
	only if they were not reported by the official release tester for that
	architecture.

	We also ask that the OS distribution release managers test their packages with
	the first candidate of every release, and report any new errors in GitHub.
	If the bug can be reproduced with an unpatched upstream version of the release
	candidate (as opposed to the distribution's own build), the priority should be
	release blocker.

	During the first round of testing, all regressions must be fixed before the
	second release candidate is tagged.

	In the subsequent stages, the testing is only to ensure that bug
	fixes previously merged in have not created new major problems. *This is not
	the time to solve additional and unrelated bugs!* If no patches are merged in,
	the release is determined to be ready and the release manager may move onto the
	next stage.

	Reporting Regressions
	---------------------

	Every regression that is found during the tests (as per the criteria above),
	should be filled in a bug in GitHub and added to the release milestone.

	If a bug can't be reproduced, or stops being a blocker, it should be removed
	from the Milestone. Debugging can continue, but on trunk.

	Backport Requests
	-----------------

	Instructions for requesting a backport to a stable branch can be found :doc:`here <GitHub>`.

	Triaging Bug Reports for Releases
	---------------------------------

	This section describes how to triage bug reports:

	#. Search for bugs with a Release Milestone that have not been added to the
	"Release Status" github project:

	https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/issues?q=is%3Aissue+milestone%3A%22LLVM+14.0.5+Release%22+no%3Aproject+

	Replace 14.0.5 in this query with the version from the Release Milestone being
	targeted.

	Add these bugs to the "Release Status" project.

	#. Navigate to the `Release Status project <https://github.com/orgs/llvm/projects/3>`_
	to see the list of bugs that are being considered for the release.

	#. Review each bug and first check if it has been fixed in main. If it has, update
	its status to "Needs Pull Request", and create a pull request for the fix
	using the /cherry-pick or /branch comments if this has not been done already.

	#. If a bug has been fixed and has a pull request created for backporting it,
	then update its status to "Needs Review" and notify a knowledgeable reviewer.
	Usually you will want to notify the person who approved the patch in Phabricator,
	but you may use your best judgement on who a good reviewer would be. Once
	you have identified the reviewer(s), assign the issue to them and mention
	them (i.e @username) in a comment and ask them if the patch is safe to backport.
	You should also review the bug yourself to ensure that it meets the requirements
	for committing to the release branch.

	#. Once a bug has been reviewed, add the release:reviewed label and update the
	issue's status to "Needs Merge". Check the pull request associated with the
	issue. If all the tests pass, then the pull request can be merged. If not,
	then add a comment on the issue asking someone to take a look at the failures.

	#. Once the pull request has been merged push it to the official release branch
	with the script ``llvm/utils/git/sync-release-repo.sh``.

	Then add a comment to the issue stating that the fix has been merged along with
	the git hashes from the release branch. Add the release:merged label to the issue
	and close it.


	Release Patch Rules
	-------------------

	Below are the rules regarding patching the release branch:

	#. Patches applied to the release branch may only be applied by the release
	manager, the official release testers or the maintainers with approval from
	the release manager.

	#. Release managers are encouraged, but not required, to get approval from a
	maintainer before approving patches. If there are no reachable maintainers
	then release managers can ask approval from patch reviewers or other
	developers active in that area.

	#. Before RC1 Patches should be limited to bug fixes, important optimization
	improvements, or completion of features that were started before the branch
	was created. As with all phases, release managers and maintainers can reject
	patches that are deemed too invasive.

	#. Before RC2 Patches should be limited to bug fixes or backend specific
	improvements that are determined to be very safe.

	#. Before RC3/Final Major Release Patches should be limited to critical
	bugs or regressions.

	#. Bug fix releases Patches should be limited to bug fixes or very safe
	and critical performance improvements. Patches must maintain both API and
	ABI compatibility with the previous major release.


	Release Final Tasks
	-------------------

	The final stages of the release process involves tagging the "final" release
	branch, updating documentation that refers to the release, and updating the
	demo page.

	Update Documentation
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Review the documentation in the release branch and ensure that it is up
	to date. The "Release Notes" must be updated to reflect new features, bug
	fixes, new known issues, and changes in the list of supported platforms.
	The "Getting Started Guide" should be updated to reflect the new release
	version number tag available from Subversion and changes in basic system
	requirements.

	.. _tag:

	Tag the LLVM Final Release
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Tag the final release sources:

	::

	$ git tag -sa llvmorg-X.Y.Z
	$ git push https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project.git llvmorg-X.Y.Z

	Update the LLVM Website
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	The website must be updated before the release announcement is sent out. Here
	is what to do:

	#. Check out the ``www-releases`` module from GitHub.

	#. Create a new sub-directory ``X.Y.Z`` in the releases directory.

	#. Copy and commit the ``llvm/docs`` and ``LICENSE.txt`` files into this new
	directory.

	#. Update the ``releases/download.html`` file with links to the release
	binaries on GitHub.

	#. Update the ``releases/index.html`` with the new release and link to release
	documentation.

	#. After you push the changes to the www-releases repo, someone with admin
	access must login to prereleases-origin.llvm.org and manually pull the new
	changes into /data/www-releases/. This is where the website is served from.

	#. Finally checkout the llvm-www repo and update the main page
	(``index.html`` and sidebar) to point to the new release and release
	announcement.

	Announce the Release
	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Create a new post in the `Announce Category <https://discourse.llvm.org/c/announce>`_
	once all the release tasks are complete. For X.1.0 releases, make sure to include a
	link to the release notes in the post. For X.1.1+ releases, generate a changelog
	using this command and add it to the post.

	::

	$ git log --format="- %aN: [%s (%h)](https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/commit/%H)" llvmorg-X.1.N-1..llvmorg-X.1.N

	Once the release has been announced add a link to the announcement on the llvm
	homepage (from the llvm-www repo) in the "Release Emails" section.