Release Schedule for 29.0

[glozow]

Here is a proposed release schedule for v29.0, the next major release of Bitcoin Core. The dates are set to target a release in early April.

2025-02-06 ✔️

• Open Transifex translations for v29.0
• Soft translation string freeze (no large or non-critical string changes until release)
• Finalize and close translations for v27.0

2025-02-20 ✔️

• Feature freeze (bug fixes only until release)
• Translation string freeze (no more source language changes until release)

2025-03-06 ✔️

• Anything needed before branch-off, see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/release-process.md
• Split off 29.x branch from master
• Start RC cycle, tag and release v29.0rc1
• Start merging for 30.x on master branch

2025-04-03 ✔️

• Tag v29.0 (aim).

If any specific dates are a problem for you, please leave a comment.

[hebasto]

2025-02-06 🚧

* Open Transifex translations for `v29.0`

* Soft translation string freeze (no large or non-critical string changes until release)

* Finalize and close translations for `v27.0`

First set of tasks completed.

See the announcement on Transifex: https://app.transifex.com/bitcoin/communication/d:559e9df0-3f34-432e-9523-54c6dbef4d02/.

[fanquake]

rc1 has been tagged: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/tag/v29.0rc1.

[jsarenik]

Are there any release candidate builds available yet? All I want is a Linux x86_64 build. What could I do to help? Thanks.

[maflcko]

@jsarenik If you just want to build a tag or commit for yourself, you can use the doc/build-*.md instructions, or the guix build (contrib/guix/README.md). With the guix build you can even contribute attestations, see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/release-process.md#building. If you are waiting on the pre-compiled rc binary, I suspect it will be available some time this week.

[fanquake]

rc2 has been tagged: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/tag/v29.0rc2.

[maflcko]

I missed when the rc bins were put up on the website, and it seems others have, too: https://bitcoin-irc.chaincode.com/bitcoin-core-dev/2025-03-20#1103484

I know it isn't documented in the release-process, but it could make sense to announce them on the mailing list, or here in this issue, to possibly get more testing by users.

[glozow]

Thanks for the reminder @maflcko. I posted to delving but not sure if the mailing list(s) are still active. Just posted to the google group. Will remember to comment here in the future.

Fwiw rc2 bins are here: https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-29.0/test.rc2/

[maflcko]

A post to one of either delving or the google group should be sufficient. Thanks!

[glozow]

rc3 has been tagged: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/tag/v29.0rc3

[glozow]

rc3 bins are available: https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-29.0/test.rc3/