The release pull request has been created! This checklist is a guide to follow for the remainder of the patch release process. You can check off each item in this list once completed.
- [ ] Run `npm run package-plugin:deploy`. This will create a zip of the current branch build locally.
- [ ] Create the testing notes for the release.
- [ ] For each pull request that belongs to the current release, grab the `User Facing Testing` notes from the PR's description. Be sure that the `Do not include in the Testing Notes is not flagged` checkbox is unchecked.
- [ ] Add the notes to `docs/internal-developers/testing/releases`
- [ ] Update the `docs/internal-developers/testing/releases/README.md` file index.
- [ ] Copy a link to the release zip you created earlier into the testing notes. To generate the link you can upload the zip as an attachment in a GitHub comment and then just copy the path (without publishing the comment).
- [ ] Commit and push the testing docs to the release branch.
- [ ] Smoke test built release zip using the testing instructions you created:
- Test in a clean environment, e.g. Jurassic.Ninja site.
- Test existing WooCommerce Blocks content works correctly after update (no block validation errors).
- Test to confirm blocks are available and work correctly in oldest supported WordPress version (e.g. 5.3).
- Confidence check - check blocks are available and function.
- Test to confirm new features/fixes are working correctly.
- Test any UI changes in mobile and desktop views.
- Smoke test – test a cross section of core functionality.
- [ ] Ask the porters of Rubik and Kirigami to smoke test the built release zip as well and to approve the PR if everything looks good.
Each porter is responsible for testing the PRs that fall under the focus of their own team. Shared functionality should be tested by both porters. This means that the Rubik porter will mostly test checkout blocks and Store API endpoints, while the Kirigami porter will test the product related blocks and Store API endpoints.
- If all PRs are testing as expected, continue with the release.
- If one or more PRs are not testing as expected: ping the PR authors and the porter of the relevant team and ask them if the change is a release blocker or not (you can also ping the team lead if any of them is not available). In general, if it's not a regression or there is no product/marketing reason why that PR is a blocker, all other PRs should default to not being blockers.
- If there are blockers: stop the release and ask the PR author to fix them. If the PR author is AFK, ping the porter of their team.
- If some PRs are not testing as expected but they are not blockers: revert the relevant commits, remove the changes from testing steps and changelog, open an issue (or reopen the original one) and proceed with the release.
- If minor issues are discovered during the testing, each team is responsible for logging them in Github.
- [ ] Go through the description of the release pull request and edit it to update all the sections and checklist instructions there.
- [ ] Execute `npm run deploy`
-**ALERT**: This script will ask you if this release will be deployed to WordPress.org. You should only answer yes for this release **if it's the latest release and you want to deploy to WordPress.org**. Otherwise, answer no. If you answer yes, you will get asked additional verification by the `npm run deploy` script about deploying a patch release to WordPress.org.
- [ ] An email confirmation is required before the new version will be released, so check your email in order to confirm the release.
- [ ] Edit the [GitHub release](https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce-gutenberg-products-block/releases) and copy changelog into the release notes.
- [ ] The `#woo-blocks-repo` slack instance will be notified about the progress with the WordPress.org deploy. Watch for that. If anything goes wrong, an error will be reported and you can followup via the GitHub actions tab and the log for that workflow.
- [ ] After the wp.org workflow completes, confirm the following
- [ ] Confirm svn tag is correct, e.g. [{{version}}](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/woo-gutenberg-products-block/tags/{{version}}/)
- [ ] Confirm [WooCommerce.com plugin page](https://woocommerce.com/products/woocommerce-gutenberg-products-block/) is updated. Note: this can take several hours, feel free to check it the following day.
- [ ] Merge this branch back into the base branch.
- If the base branch was `trunk`, and this release was deployed to WordPress.org, then merge the branch into `trunk`.
- If the base branch is the release branch this patch release is for, then merge branch into release branch and then merge the release branch back to `trunk` if the patch release is the latest released version. Otherwise just merge back into the release branch.
- [ ] If you merged the branch to `trunk`, then update version on the `trunk` branch to be for the next version of the plugin and include the `dev` suffix (e.g. something like [`2.6-dev`](https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce-gutenberg-products-block/commit/e27f053e7be0bf7c1d376f5bdb9d9999190ce158)) for the next version.
- [ ] Update the schedules p2 with the shipped date for the release (PdToLP-K-p2).
- [ ] Edit the GitHub milestone of the release you just shipped and add the current date as the due date (this is used to track ship date as well).
This only needs done if the patch release needs to be included in WooCommerce Core. Reviewing and merging the PR is your team's responsibility, except in the case of `Fix Release Request`. In this case, the WooCommerce release manager reviews and merges the PR.
- [ ] Run `pnpm --filter=woocommerce changelog add` to create a new changelog file similar to this one [plugins/woocommerce/changelog/update-woocommerce-blocks-7.4.1](https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/blob/5040a10d01896bcf40fd0ac538f2b7bc584ffe0a/plugins/woocommerce/changelog/update-woocommerce-blocks-7.4.1). The file will be auto-generated with your answers. For the _Significance_ entry we’ll always use `patch` for WC Blocks patch releases:
- The PR description can follow [this example](https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/pull/32627).
- It lists all the WooCommerce Blocks versions that are being included since the last version that you edited in `plugins/woocommerce/composer.json`. Each version should have a link for the `Release PR`, `Testing instructions` and `Release post` (if available).
- The changelog should be aggregated from all the releases included in the package bump and grouped per type: `Enhancements`, `Bug Fixes`, `Various` etc. This changelog will be used in the release notes for the WooCommerce release. That's why it should only list the PRs that have WooCoomerce Core in the WooCommerce Visibility section of their description. Don't include changes available in the feature plugin or development builds.
- Run through the testing checklist to ensure everything works in that branch for that package bump. **Note:** Testing should ensure any features/new blocks that are supposed to be behind feature gating for the core merge of this package update are working as expected.
- Testing should include completing the [Smoke testing checklist](https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce-gutenberg-products-block/blob/trunk/docs/internal-developers/testing/smoke-testing.md). It's up to you to verify that those tests have been done.
- [ ] Verify and make any additional edits to the pull request description for things like: Changelog to be included with WooCommerce core, additional communication that might be needed elsewhere, additional marketing communication notes that may be needed, etc.
- [ ] Assign the corresponding WC version milestone to the PR
- [ ] After the checklist is complete and the testing is done, select the porter of your team to review the PR. Once approved, make sure you merge the PR.
- [ ] Make sure you join the `#woo-core-releases` Slack channel to represent Woo Blocks for the release of WooCommerce core this version is included in.
You only need to post public release announcements and update relevant public facing docs if this patch release is deployed to WP.org. Otherwise, you can skip this section.
- [ ] Post release announcement on [WooCommerce Developer Blog](https://developer.woocommerce.com/category/release-post/woocommerce-blocks-release-notes/).
- Ping porters from each team to know which changelog entries need to be highlighted. Ask them to write a short text and optionally provide a screenshot. They can use previous posts for inspiration, we usually try to highlight new features or API changes.
- Ensure the release notes are included in the post verbatim.
- Don't forget to use category `WooCommerce Blocks Release Notes` for the post.
- [ ] Announce the release internally (`#woo-announcements` slack).
