status-mobile/doc/release-guide.md

# Description

This document explains some of the steps that are involved in releases.

# Release process

## Coordination

All the coordination is done in the `#release` channel on discord.

Release readiness can be tracked by watching an appropriate milestone at [milestones](https://github.com/status-im/status-mobile/milestones) section in github.

When release is building you can check the progress in a testrail. Ask @churik for access if you don't have it

## Preparing branches
Special branches should be created at the start of a release process. That can be done manually or with the script

### Prepare branches with the script

You can use the script to cut a release branch. No arguments needed, the new release version will be deducted automatically:

`scripts/cut-release.sh`

Upon script call two branches will be created:
- `release/a.b.x`
- `chore/update-release-to-$version`

The first one is the main release branch. All bugfixes should be cherry-picked from `develop` to it.  Jenkins treats that branch specially and prepares release builds from it. 

The second branch only updates the `VERSION` file and all you need to do is to merge it to `develop`. If you have the `gh` command installed, `cut-release` script will automatically create a PR for this.

### Prepare branches manually

#### Create a branch

First, we need to create a release branch cut from develop.
The name of the branch should be `release/a.b.x` where `x` is actually `x`, not a variable, and `a` and `b` are the `MAJOR` and `MINOR` version of the app.

For example, valid branch names are:

`release/1.12.x` or `release/3.12.x`

#### Update version

We need to update the `VERSION` file to reflect the release we want to build.


## Building 

Jenkins will automatically build this branch and create release candidates.
Those will go through the QA process and the QA team will let us know when
tested successfully.

You can see the state at https://ci.infra.status.im/ -> status-mobile -> release -> pick the right version number

## Bugfixes before an app is released

Because both `status-mobile` and `status-go` might have newer commits that we don't want to include, bug fixes should be applied separately to develop and the release branch.
The best workflow is to send a PR to develop, get it merged, and the cherry-pick on the
release branch.

It is a release manager's responsibility to cherry-pick bugfix from `develop` to release branch. In order to do this, you should be a part of a `release group` on github. Contact @jakubgs to be added.

If cherry-picking not practical for some reason (i.e develop has diverged significantly from release) 
other workflows are possible.

To change status-go, a similar workflow applies.
First checkout the tag used in `status-go-version.json` of release branch.

`git checkout v0.62.3`

Create a branch on status-go named: `release/vx.y.z+hotfix.w` where (make sure branch name is not the same as the tag)

`x` is the `MAJOR` version
`y` is the `MINOR` version
`z` is the `PATCH` version
`w` is the `HOTFIX` version

For example valid names are:

`release/v0.62.3+hotfix.2`
`release/v1.3.4+hotfix.4`

Once the branch is ready to use and tested successfully, tag the branch:

`git tag v0.62.3+hotfix.2` 

Push the branch and then the tag to origin:
`git push --set-upstream origin release/v0.62.3+hotfix.2`
`git push origin v0.62.3+hotfix.2`

Switch to status-mobile release branch, and cherry pick the commit you need.

Once that's done, update the status-mobile release branch with the new tag:

`make shell`

`scripts/update-status-go.sh v0.62.3+hotfix.2`

And commit and push the changes

# Hotfix process

The hotfix process is basically identical to the workflow of a bugfix:

1) Add the changes on status-mobile
2) Make sure you use a hotfix branch for status-go (unless we are happy to release from develop)
3) Update the `VERSION` in status-mobile

# PlayStore Metadata Updates
This section is relevant only for the marketing team, no developer participation is required.

You can update Play Store release metadata using `fastlane android upload_metadata`.

But that requires credentials necessary for accessing Play Store API. The simpler way is to edit files contained within [`fastlane/metadata`](metadata) and run the following CI job:

https://ci.status.im/job/status-mobile/job/tools/job/update-playstore-metadata/