Release_policy

This document describes the release policy of Postgres-XC. This policy is respected from version 0.9.5.

• About code base
• Versioning
• Release process in GIT
• Merge policy with PostgreSQL

About code base

In GIT repository, Postgres-XC master branch is aligned with PostgreSQL code up to the latest intersection of PostgreSQL master branch and X_X_STABLE branches (determined with git merge-base). As PostgreSQL stable branches are created more or less at each beta2 release once a year, Postgres-XC master branch is realigned once a year with PostgreSQL master branch. This allows to make releases of Postgres-XC by including code commits of latest PostgreSQL stable branch and having a stable version.

Versioning

Each major release of Postgres-XC is numbered 0.9.5, 0.9.6, etc. by incrementing the latest digit number. Minor releases are numbered 0.9.X.X and then 1.X.X for versions from 1.0.

A minor release is made respecting a 3-month cycle. Minor releases just contain the latest commits of PostgreSQL stable branch release depending on the stable branch is forked on and Postgres-XC maintenance fixes. For example, release 0.9.5 used this number as major release number, then minor releases are numbered 0.9.5.1, 0.9.5.2, etc. by incrementing the latest digit number.

Release process in GIT

At a new release, a new branch called REL0_9_X_STABLE for 0.9.X versions and REL1_X_STABLE for 1.X versions is created. This new branch contains the latest Postgres-XC development and a merge of the latest PostgreSQL stable branch where Postgres-XC master branch is forked on. All the commits of stable branch are included at the time of Postgres-XC release to include a maximum of fixes.

Then when a release minor or major is made, 2 tags are created: Development and version tags. Development tags are formatted with DEV_XXX. Version tags are formatted as REL_XXX.

Then following format is respected depending on if release is minor or major, on if release is numbered more or less than 1.0.

• REL0_9_Y for major release 0.9.Y up to 1.0
• REL0_9_Y_Z for minor releases 0.9.Y.Z up to 1.0
• REL1_Y for major releases 1.Y from 1.0
• REL1_Y_Z for minor releases 1.Y.Z from 1.0
• DEV_PG9_X_XC0_9_Y for major releases 0.9.Y of XC based on PostgreSQL 9.X stable branches
• DEV_PG9_X_XC0_9_Y_Z for minor releases 0.9.Y.Z of XC based on PostgreSQL 9.X stable branches

When doing a release, for example REL0_9_Y_Z and DEV_PG9_X_XC0_9_Y_Z tags are equivalent but allows to keep a trace on which version of PostgreSQL current release is based on.

Merge policy with PostgreSQL

[-img src=Pgxc release policy diag.jpg: missing =-]