ESR Workflow: Post full suite of resources at start of cycle
Background / Motivation
Every 6 months, we designate a version for extended security support. When there's a new security release, the ESR version is posted to Gitlab (esr/core
, esr/packages
, esr/drupal-8
, and so on -- collectively, the esr/*
projects).
If you are sysadmin who wants to be prepared for future security updates, then you would look to esr/*
and do a trial-run. Make sure you have access/credentials. Make sure you can find the spot for the releases. Make sure you're targeting the right version. Make sure your tools (like composer
) are configured to pull from there.
However, if there hasn't been a security release, then there may not be anything published on esr/*
. This interim period invites some confusion. On one hand, there's no security-release to publish -- so the regular security-release scripts don't apply. On the other hand, if you want to be ready, then you need something to look at. The result is that we improvise during the interim.
Goal
Whenever we start new ESR cycle, immediately publish to esr/*
. Include sufficient resources that enable the sysadmins to do a "dress rehearsal" (downloading/install using the exact same procedure as for a security fix). For example, suppose we're discussing v5.51 which started its extended support circa Aug 3. Here are some materials that you might expect to find (circa Aug 3):
- In the main repo, the tarballs for the
5.51.x
releases - In each repo, the branch (
5.51-esr
). - In each repo, the tags for specific patch releases (
5.51.x
or5.51.x+esr
). - In each repo, package-registry entries for each release (
5.51.x
or5.51.x+esr
). - In the main repo, links for the documentation interim changes (release announcements/notes for 5.51, 5.50, 5.49, 5.48, 5.47, 5.46)
Questions
Are there other resources that you expect in this period?
If 5.51 starts public-support in July and starts extended-support in August... then... when should 5.51 become available in esr/*
? Start of July? Start of August?
(If 5.51 is published to esr/*
in July, then it will overlap with the tail-end of 5.45. Would it be confusing to see both during July?)