release-new-version

name	release-new-version
description	Guide for releasing a new version of the Torrust Tracker using the standard staging branch, tag, and crate publication workflow. Covers version bump, release commit, staging branch promotion, PR to main, release branch/tag creation, crate publication, and merge-back to develop. Use when asked to "release", "cut a version", "publish a new version", or "create release vX.Y.Z".
metadata	{"author":"torrust","version":"1.0"}

Release New Version

Primary reference: docs/release_process.md

Release Steps (Mandatory Order)

1. Stage develop → staging/main
2. Create release commit (bump version)
3. PR staging/main → main
4. Push main → releases/vX.Y.Z
5. Create signed tag vX.Y.Z on that branch
6. Verify deployment workflow + crate publication
7. Create GitHub release
8. Stage main → staging/develop (merge-back)
9. Bump next dev version, PR staging/develop → develop

Do not reorder these steps.

Version Naming Rules

• Version in code: X.Y.Z (release) or X.Y.Z-develop (development)
• Git tag: vX.Y.Z
• Release branch: releases/vX.Y.Z
• Staging branches: staging/main, staging/develop

Pre-Flight Checklist

Before starting:

• Clean working tree (git status)
• develop branch is up to date with torrust/develop
• All CI checks pass on develop
• Working version in manifests is X.Y.Z-develop

Commands

1) Stage develop → staging/main

git fetch --all
git push --force torrust develop:staging/main

2) Create Release Commit

git stash
git switch staging/main
git reset --hard torrust/staging/main
# Edit version in all Cargo.toml files:
#   change X.Y.Z-develop → X.Y.Z
git add -A
git commit -S -m "release: version X.Y.Z"
git push torrust

Edit version in:

• Cargo.toml (workspace)
• All packages under packages/ that publish crates
• console/tracker-client/Cargo.toml
• contrib/bencode/Cargo.toml

Also update any internal path dependency version constraints.

3) PR staging/main → main

Create PR: "Release Version X.Y.Z" (title format)
Base: torrust/torrust-tracker:main
Head: staging/main
Merge after CI passes.

4) Push releases/vX.Y.Z branch

git fetch --all
git push torrust main:releases/vX.Y.Z

5) Create Signed Tag

git switch releases/vX.Y.Z
git reset --hard torrust/releases/vX.Y.Z
git tag --sign vX.Y.Z
git push --tags torrust

6) Verify Deployment Workflow

Check the deployment workflow ran successfully and the following crates were published:

• torrust-tracker-contrib-bencode
• torrust-located-error
• torrust-tracker-primitives
• torrust-clock
• torrust-tracker-configuration
• torrust-tracker-torrent-repository
• torrust-tracker-test-helpers
• torrust-tracker

Crates must be published in dependency order. Each must be indexed on crates.io before the next publishes.

7) Create GitHub Release

Create a release from tag vX.Y.Z after the deployment workflow passes.

8) Merge-back: Stage main → staging/develop

git fetch --all
git push --force torrust main:staging/develop

9) Bump Next Dev Version

git stash
git switch staging/develop
git reset --hard torrust/staging/develop
# Edit version in all Cargo.toml files:
#   change X.Y.Z → (next)X.Y.Z-develop (e.g. 3.0.0 → 3.0.1-develop)
git add -A
git commit -S -m "develop: bump to version (next)X.Y.Z-develop"
git push torrust

Create PR: "Version X.Y.Z was Released"
Base: torrust/torrust-tracker:develop
Head: staging/develop

Failure Handling

• Deployment workflow failed: fix and rerun on same release branch
• Crate already published: do not republish; cut a patch release
• Partial state (tag exists but branch doesn't): investigate before proceeding