1 For All Releases (major, minor, beta, RC)
4 * Release version number changes
5 o run src/tools/version_stamp.pl, then run autoconf
9 o scan cvs logs, use pgcvslog and flags in comments
10 o update doc/src/sgml/release.sgml
11 o run spellchecker on result
13 o check if 'gmake HISTORY.html' works for <link>s
15 * Update timezone data to match latest zic database (see src/timezone/README)
18 Translations are kept in the project "pgtranslation" on PgFoundry.
19 1. Check out the messages module (of the right branch).
20 2. Check out the admin module.
21 3. Run "sh .../admin/cp-po .../messages .../pgsql
27 (in addition to the above)
29 * Bump minor library versions, major if appropriate (see below)
30 o src/interfaces/*/Makefile
31 o src/interfaces/*/*/Makefile
34 o check completion of items that have been marked as completed at
35 http://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Todo
36 o remove completed TODO items
37 o group items into categories
38 o select major features
39 o select incompatibilities
40 o add documentation for items
43 o document all new features
44 o update help output from inside the programs
45 o doc/src/sgml/ref manual pages
46 o convert any literal "<" and ">" characters, use tools/find_gt_lt
49 o update config.guess and config.sub at the start of beta
50 (from http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/config)
51 o update ports list in doc/src/sgml/installation.sgml
52 o update platform-specific FAQ's, if needed
54 * Update inet/cidr data types with newest Bind patches
57 Starting a New Development Cycle
58 ================================
60 * Create a branch in CVS for maintenance of the previous release
62 * Increment the major version number in src/tools/version_stamp.pl
64 * Run "src/tools/version_stamp.pl devel", then run autoconf
67 Creating Back-Branch Release Notes
68 ==================================
70 * Do 'cvs log' on each back-branch and run pgcvslog
72 * In CVS HEAD, edit and create SGML markup for the most recent branch
73 in that branch's release-N.N.sgml file
75 * Copy this into older branches' release-N.N.sgml files, then remove
76 items that do not apply based on cvs logs for that branch (and add
79 * Copy the appropriate release-N.N.sgml files into each back CVS branch
82 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
84 Library Version Changes
85 =======================
90 The major version number should be updated whenever the source of the
91 library changes to make it binary incompatible. Such changes include,
92 but are not limited to:
94 1. Removing a public function or structure (or typedef, enum, ...)
96 2. Modifying a public functions arguments.
98 3. Removing a field from a public structure.
100 4. Adding a field to a public structure, unless steps have been
101 previously taken to shield users from such a change, for example by
102 such structures only ever being allocated/instantiated by a library
103 function which would give the new field a suitable default value.
105 Adding a new function should NOT force an increase in the major version
106 number. (Packagers will see the standard minor number update and install
107 the new library.) When the major version is increased all applications
108 which link to the library MUST be recompiled - this is not desirable. When
109 the major version is updated the minor version gets reset.
114 The minor version number should be updated whenever the functionality of
115 the library has changed, typically a change in source code between releases
116 would mean an increase in the minor version number so long as it does not
117 require a major version increase.
119 Given that we make at least minor changes to our libraries in every major
120 PostgreSQL version, we always bump all minor library version numbers at the
121 start of each development cycle as a matter of policy.
126 When modifying public functions arguments, steps should be taken to
127 maintain binary compatibility across minor PostgreSQL releases (e.g. the
128 7.2 series, the 7.3 series, the 7.4/8.0 series). Consider the following
131 void print_stuff(int arg1, int arg2)
133 printf("stuff: %d %d\n", arg1, arg2);
136 If we wanted to add a third argument:
138 void print_stuff(int arg1, int arg2, int arg3)
140 printf("stuff: %d %d %d\n", arg1, arg2, arg3);
143 Then doing it like this:
145 void print_stuff2(int arg1, int arg2, int arg3)
147 printf("stuff: %d %d %d\n", arg1, arg2, arg3);
150 void print_stuff(int arg1, int arg2)
152 print_stuff(arg1, arg2, 0);
155 would maintain binary compatibility. Obviously this would add a fair
156 bit of cruft if used extensively, but considering the changes between
157 minor versions would probably be worthwhile to avoid bumping library
158 major version. Naturally in the next major version print_stuff() would
159 assume the functionality and arguments of print_stuff2().