[doc] update release-process.md and backports section of CONTRIBUTING

- Mention which directories contain the respective unsigned tarballs
- Clarify that bitcoin.conf might not need to be updated
- Specify where to put historical release notes if there is already
  something in release-notes.md
- Clarify what exactly is the problem with running guix-codesign more
  than once
- Correct number: 6 codesigned attestations are needed before uploading
  binaries
- Remove scp command which is outdated
- Remove server path which is outdated
- Specify that translations update should happen before branch-off, not
  before each release candidate
- Mention that you should notify lists when RCs are available
- Put "Archive the release notes" as a separate step, since creating the
  github release has a dependency on it.
- Update "bitcoin-dev mailing list" to "bitcoin-dev group"
- Document that maintainers should create PRs to collect backports

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -417,11 +417,8 @@ Backporting
 
 Security and bug fixes can be backported from `master` to release
 branches.
-If the backport is non-trivial, it may be appropriate to open an
-additional PR to backport the change, but only after the original PR
-has been merged.
-Otherwise, backports will be done in batches and
-the maintainers will use the proper `Needs backport (...)` labels
+Maintainers will do backports in batches and
+use the proper `Needs backport (...)` labels
 when needed (the original author does not need to worry about it).
 
 A backport should contain the following metadata in the commit body:

doc/release-process.md

@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ Release Process
 
 ### Before every release candidate
 
-* Update translations see [translation_process.md](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/translation_process.md#synchronising-translations).
 * Update release candidate version in `configure.ac` (`CLIENT_VERSION_RC`).
 * Update manpages (after rebuilding the binaries), see [gen-manpages.py](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-manpagespy).
-* Update bitcoin.conf and commit, see [gen-bitcoin-conf.sh](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-bitcoin-confsh).
+* Update bitcoin.conf and commit changes if they exist, see [gen-bitcoin-conf.sh](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-bitcoin-confsh).
 
 ### Before every major and minor release
 
 * Update [bips.md](bips.md) to account for changes since the last release.
 * Update version in `configure.ac` (don't forget to set `CLIENT_VERSION_RC` to `0`).
 * Update manpages (see previous section)
-* Write release notes (see "Write the release notes" below).
+* Write release notes (see "Write the release notes" below) in doc/release-notes.md. If necessary,
+  archive the previous release notes as doc/release-notes/release-notes-${VERSION}.md.
 
 ### Before every major release
 
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Release Process
 
 #### Before branch-off
 
+* Update translations see [translation_process.md](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/translation_process.md#synchronising-translations).
 * Update hardcoded [seeds](/contrib/seeds/README.md), see [this pull request](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/27488) for an example.
 * Update the following variables in [`src/kernel/chainparams.cpp`](/src/kernel/chainparams.cpp) for mainnet, testnet, and signet:
   - `m_assumed_blockchain_size` and `m_assumed_chain_state_size` with the current size plus some overhead (see
@@ -161,32 +162,40 @@ Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoi
 
 ### macOS codesigner only: Create detached macOS signatures (assuming [signapple](https://github.com/achow101/signapple/) is installed and up to date with master branch)
 
+In the `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/x86_64-apple-darwin` and `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/arm64-apple-darwin` directories:
+
     tar xf bitcoin-osx-unsigned.tar.gz
     ./detached-sig-create.sh /path/to/codesign.p12
     Enter the keychain password and authorize the signature
     signature-osx.tar.gz will be created
 
 ### Windows codesigner only: Create detached Windows signatures
 
+In the `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/x86_64-w64-mingw32` directory:
+
     tar xf bitcoin-win-unsigned.tar.gz
     ./detached-sig-create.sh -key /path/to/codesign.key
     Enter the passphrase for the key when prompted
     signature-win.tar.gz will be created
 
 ### Windows and macOS codesigners only: test code signatures
 It is advised to test that the code signature attaches properly prior to tagging by performing the `guix-codesign` step.
-However if this is done, once the release has been tagged in the bitcoin-detached-sigs repo, the `guix-codesign` step must be performed again in order for the guix attestation to be valid when compared against the attestations of non-codesigner builds.
+However if this is done, once the release has been tagged in the bitcoin-detached-sigs repo, the `guix-codesign` step must be performed again in order for the guix attestation to be valid when compared against the attestations of non-codesigner builds. The directories created by `guix-codesign` will need to be cleared prior to running `guix-codesign` again.
 
 ### Windows and macOS codesigners only: Commit the detached codesign payloads
 
 ```sh
 pushd ./bitcoin-detached-sigs
-# checkout the appropriate branch for this release series
-rm -rf ./*
+# checkout or create the appropriate branch for this release series
+git checkout --orphan <branch>
+# if you are the macOS codesigner
+rm -rf osx
 tar xf signature-osx.tar.gz
+# if you are the windows codesigner
+rm -rf win
 tar xf signature-win.tar.gz
 git add -A
-git commit -m "point to ${VERSION}"
+git commit -m "<version>: {osx,win} signature for {rc,final}"
 git tag -s "v${VERSION}" HEAD
 git push the current branch and new tag
 popd
@@ -216,16 +225,16 @@ popd
 
 Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoin-core/guix.sigs).
 
-## After 3 or more people have guix-built and their results match
+## After 6 or more people have guix-built and their results match
 
-Combine the `all.SHA256SUMS.asc` file from all signers into `SHA256SUMS.asc`:
+After verifying signatures, combine the `all.SHA256SUMS.asc` file from all signers into `SHA256SUMS.asc`:
 
 ```bash
 cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
 ```
 
 
-- Upload to the bitcoincore.org server (`/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION}/`):
+- Upload to the bitcoincore.org server:
     1. The contents of each `./bitcoin/guix-build-${VERSION}/output/${HOST}/` directory, except for
        `*-debug*` files.
 
@@ -241,15 +250,17 @@ cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
        as save storage space *do not upload these to the bitcoincore.org server,
        nor put them in the torrent*.
 
-       ```sh
-       find guix-build-${VERSION}/output/ -maxdepth 2 -type f -not -name "SHA256SUMS.part" -and -not -name "*debug*" -exec scp {} user@bitcoincore.org:/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION} \;
-       ```
+       Wait until all of these files have finished uploading before uploading the SHA256SUMS(.asc) files.
 
     2. The `SHA256SUMS` file
 
-    3. The `SHA256SUMS.asc` combined signature file you just created
+    3. The `SHA256SUMS.asc` combined signature file you just created.
 
-- Create a torrent of the `/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION}` directory such
+- After uploading release candidate binaries, notify the bitcoin-core-dev mailing list and
+  bitcoin-dev group that a release candidate is available for testing. Include a link to the release
+  notes draft.
+
+- Create a torrent of the directory such
   that at the top level there is only one file: the `bitcoin-core-${VERSION}`
   directory containing everything else. Name the torrent
   `bitcoin-${VERSION}.torrent` (note that there is no `-core-` in this name).
@@ -265,7 +276,10 @@ cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
   Also put it into the `optional_magnetlink:` slot in the YAML file for
   bitcoincore.org.
 
-- Update other repositories and websites for new version
+- Archive the release notes for the new version to `doc/release-notes/release-notes-${VERSION}.md`
+  (branch `master` and branch of the release).
+
+- Update repositories and websites for new version
 
   - bitcoincore.org blog post
 
@@ -286,11 +300,7 @@ cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
 
       - Push the snap, see https://github.com/bitcoin-core/packaging/blob/main/snap/local/build.md
 
-  - This repo
-
-      - Archive the release notes for the new version to `doc/release-notes/` (branch `master` and branch of the release)
-
-      - Create a [new GitHub release](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/new) with a link to the archived release notes
+  - Create a [new GitHub release](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/new) with a link to the archived release notes
 
 - Announce the release: