announcing-struts-release

name	announcing-struts-release
description	Use when a new Apache Struts version has been released and you need to publish the website announcement (announce-YYYY.md, _config.yml, releases.md), open the PR, and draft the user-list email.

Announcing a Struts Release

Overview

Publishing a release announcement on the struts-site repo is a fixed, repeatable procedure: add an announcement entry, bump the right version variables, move the superseded version to Prior Releases, draft the [ANN] email, and open a draft PR with the email in its description (the email is NOT committed — the release manager copies it from the PR description and sends it to the mailing list after merge).

Model PRs: #292 (6.9.0 GA), this skill was derived from the 6.10.0 release.

Inputs to gather first

1. Version (e.g. 6.10.0) and release date (e.g. 25 May 2026).
2. Version Notes URL — {{ site.wiki_url }}/Version+Notes+<version>. Fetch it (use the cwiki page) to confirm date, bug fixes, dependency bumps, security fixes.
3. Which GA line? Struts ships two lines tracked separately in _config.yml:
   • current_version = newest overall (the 7.x line)
   • prev_version = newest 6.x maintenance release A 6.x release updates the prev_* variables; a 7.x release updates the current_*/release_* variables. Don't touch the other line.
4. Security bulletin — does a S2-0XX number exist? If the Version Notes mention a security fix but no bulletin number is published, leave bulletin links empty (match how the prior superseded row is listed).

Workflow

1. source/announce-YYYY.md — add a new entry at the top of the list (newest first), using the announcement template below. Anchor is #a<YYYYMMDD>.
2. _config.yml — bump the variables for the released line:
   • 6.x: prev_version, prev_version_short (digits only, e.g. 6100), prev_release_date, prev_release_date_short (YYYYMMDD).
   • 7.x: current_version, current_version_short, release_date, release_date_short.
3. source/index.html — usually no edit needed: the GA box renders from the variables. Read the relevant <a href="announce-YYYY#a{{ site.…_release_date_short }}"> line and compare its announce-YYYY to the year of your new entry. If they differ (the announcement crossed into a new year file), update the announce-YYYY part to the new year — the anchor itself is variable-driven. If they already match, no edit. Note: a brand-new year file is the "New announcement year" task in CLAUDE.md — just create source/announce-YYYY.md; the .htaccess /announce.html redirect picks up the newest year automatically.
4. source/releases.md — move the now-superseded version of the same line into the Prior Releases table, newest first. Match the column widths and the vulnerability-cell style of the row above it (empty if no published bulletin).
5. Draft the email — build the [ANN] email (below). It is not committed to the repo; it goes into the PR description in the next step.
6. Branch + commit + draft PR — branch docs/announce-<version>, commit type docs:, then gh pr create --draft --base main. Put the [ANN] email in the PR description inside a fenced text block under an `## [ANN] email` heading, so the release manager can copy it verbatim after merge. **Write the PR body to a file and pass `--body-file`** — the email contains fences that a shell heredoc / will mangle (escaped backticks). Return a clickable PR link.

Announcement template (announce-YYYY.md)

#### <DD Month YYYY> - Apache Struts version <X.Y.Z> General Availability {#a<YYYYMMDD>}

The Apache Struts group is pleased to announce that Apache Struts version <X.Y.Z> is available as a "General Availability"
release. The GA designation is our highest quality grade.

The Apache Struts is an elegant, extensible framework for creating enterprise-ready Java web applications.
The framework has been designed to streamline the full development cycle, from building, to deploying,
to maintaining applications over time.

> Please read the [Version Notes]({{ site.wiki_url }}/Version+Notes+<X.Y.Z>) to find more details about performed
> bug fixes and improvements.

**All developers are strongly advised to perform this upgrade.**

The 6.x series of the Apache Struts framework has a minimum requirement of the following specification versions:
Servlet API 3.1, JSP API 2.1, and Java 8.

Should any issues arise with your use of any version of the Struts framework, please post your comments to the user list,
and, if appropriate, file [a tracking ticket]({{ site.jira_url }}).

You can download this version from our [download](download.cgi#struts-ga) page.

For a 7.x release adjust the spec-versions paragraph to the 7.x requirements (Servlet 5.0 / Jakarta / Java 17 — copy from the most recent 7.x announcement).

Email template ([ANN] — goes in the PR description, NOT committed)

Placed in the PR description (fenced ```text block under an ## [ANN] email heading), then sent by the release manager to [e-mail] (cc user list) after merge. Plain text, full URLs inline, signed off. Mirror the website announcement wording:

Subject: [ANN] Apache Struts <X.Y.Z>

The Apache Struts group is pleased to announce that Apache Struts
version <X.Y.Z> is available as a "General Availability" release. The GA
designation is our highest quality grade.

The Apache Struts is an elegant, extensible framework for creating
enterprise-ready Java web applications. The framework has been
designed to streamline the full development cycle, from building, to
deploying, to maintaining applications over time.

Please read the Version Notes to find more details about performed bug
fixes and improvements.
https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/Version+Notes+<X.Y.Z>

All developers are strongly advised to perform this upgrade.

The 6.x series of the Apache Struts framework has a minimum
requirement of the following specification versions: Servlet API 3.1,
JSP API 2.1, and Java 8.

Should any issues arise with your use of any version of the Struts
framework, please post your comments to the user list, and, if
appropriate, file a tracking ticket.
https://issues.apache.org/jira/projects/WW/

You can download this version from our download page.
https://struts.apache.org/download.cgi#struts-ga

Regards
Lukasz

If the release fixes a security issue with a published bulletin, add a line after the Version Notes link pointing to https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-0XX.

Common mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Bumping current_version for a 6.x release	6.x updates prev_*; 7.x updates current_*. Lines are independent.
Editing index.html when staying in the same year	It auto-renders from variables; only edit when the year file changes.
Adding the new version to Prior Releases	Move the superseded (previous) version of that line, not the one just released.
Forgetting *_short variables	Short forms are digits-only version (6100) and YYYYMMDD date — anchors break otherwise.
Committing the email	The email goes in the PR description and is sent to the list manually — never committed to the repo.
Escaped ``` fences in the PR body	Write the body to a file and use gh pr ... --body-file; inline --body "…" / heredoc mangles the email's code fences.
Inventing an S2-0XX number	Only link a bulletin that actually exists; otherwise leave it out.