Release Process

SnoutDB releases are driven by the repository's canonical VERSION file.

Prepare a Release Pull Request

1. Update VERSION.
2. Update CHANGELOG.md.
3. Update version references when necessary.
4. Review compatibility notes.
5. Run:

./scripts/validate-release.sh

Merge

Merge the reviewed release pull request into main using squash merge. The release workflow reads VERSION and checks whether v<version> already exists.

For a new version, automation:

1. validates the tagged commit;
2. generates release notes from merged pull requests;
3. creates source .tar.gz and .zip archives;
4. calculates SHA-256 checksums;
5. creates an annotated tag;
6. publishes the GitHub Release.

Release Labels

Use these labels on pull requests so generated notes are organized correctly:

• breaking-change
• enhancement
• bug
• performance
• documentation
• skip-changelog

Verification

After publication:

• confirm CI and release workflows succeeded;
• verify the tag points to the intended commit;
• inspect archive contents;
• verify checksums;
• confirm release notes and compatibility warnings;
• never move or reuse the tag.

Normal pull requests must not change VERSION.