[VOL-5009] - Create release notes for the v2.12 page.
Change-Id: Iafbc6b683cae034f7cbaf6b0a90c90120bc89506
diff --git a/howto/release/release-notes.rst b/howto/release/release-notes.rst
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+Release Notes
+=============
+
+Intent
+------
+This page details howto create a release notes page on the docs.voltha.org website.
+
+
+Cookbook: Patch #1
+------------------
+- `VOL-5009 <https://jira.opencord.org/browse/VOL-5009>`_ - For tracking, create a jira ticket to create a release notes page.
+- Clone repository `repo:voltha-docs <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs>`_
+- Modify `VERSION <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/VERSION>`_ file to prevent publishing.
+
+ - Specify a version string with a -dev suffix (2.11.55-dev)
+ - The ``*-dev`` suffix will inhibit publishing release notes to https://docs.voltha.org.
+ - Helpful but not required, avoid specifying the new release version until they are finalized.
+
+ - This will help retain a logical initial version string like
+ voltha-2.12.0 VS voltha-2.12.22 in case several edits are needed to
+ finalize documentation.
+
+- Copy the release notes template to create an empty release notes file:
+
+ - Source: `release_notes/template.rst <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/release_notes>`__.
+ - Examine the last release notes file and transfer any relevant generic text into template.rst.
+ - % cp `release_notes/template.rst <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/release_notes>`__ `release_notes/voltha_2.12.rst <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/release_notes/voltha_2.11.rst>`_
+
+- Add `release_notes/voltha_2.12.rst <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/release_notes/voltha_2.11.rst>`_ in the index file `release_notes/index.rst <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/release_notes/index.rst>`_
+
+- Modify `config.py <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/conf.py#308>`_ so ``make linkcheck`` will not fail on yet-to-be-generated html release notes file.
+
+- Release notes: content and hilights:
+
+ - Ask `VOLTHA TST(s) <https://opennetworking.org/voltha/>`_ to write up the release notes documentation.
+ - ONF will work on filling in the grid of dependent components and apps
+ at the bottom as they are built during a release cycle.
+
+- Pre-screen your patch for potential problems, ``make test`` failures will cause patch acceptance to fail.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+ # pre-screen for checkin test problems
+ % make sterile
+ % make test
+
+ # Summarize make test
+ % make test-errors
+
+ # Optional
+ % make lint
+
+- Create a patch, request code reviews and merge.
+- Wait for the jenkins voltha-docs sync job to complete before continuing on.
+
+
+Cookbook: Patch #2
+------------------
+- Once release notes are ready to publish update the version string.
+- Modify `VERSION <https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-docs/+/refs/heads/master/VERSION>`_ file.
+- Remove any vresion suffix decorations such as -dev.
+- Increment version string for the upcomign release:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+ # For exmaple increment version string
+ 2.11.5-dev
+
+ # To the new release version: voltha-2.12
+ 2.12
+
+- After a code merge and jenkins job has run to generate documentation.
+- `https://docs.voltha.org <https://docs.voltha.org/master/index.html>`_ will contain the new release documentation if your version string appears in the top left navigation box on the site.
+
+
+Release independent changes
+---------------------------
+- Update `copyright notice dates <https://github.com/joey-onf/copyright/blob/origin/master/notice>`_
+
+ - VALID: Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+ - Copyright notice must be inclusive of the date sources were last modified.
+ - Use of strings like 2017-present are not valid syntax and can have legal implications.
+