PEP: 101
Title: Doing Python Releases 101
Author: Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org>, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org>
Status: Active
Type: Informational
Created: 22-Aug-2001
Post-History:
Replaces: 102

.. highlight:: shell

Abstract
========

Making a Python release is a thrilling and crazy process.  You've heard
the expression "herding cats"?  Imagine trying to also saddle those
purring little creatures up, and ride them into town, with some of their
buddies firmly attached to your bare back, anchored by newly sharpened
claws.  At least they're cute, you remind yourself.

Actually, no, that's a slight exaggeration 😉  The Python release
process has steadily improved over the years and now, with the help of our
amazing community, is really not too difficult.  This PEP attempts to
collect, in one place, all the steps needed to make a Python release.
Most of the steps are now automated or guided by automation, so manually
following this list is no longer necessary.

Things You'll Need
==================

As a release manager there are a lot of resources you'll need to access.
Here's a hopefully-complete list.

* A GPG key.

  Python releases before 3.14 are digitally signed with GPG; for these you'll
  need a key, which hopefully will be on the "web of trust" with at least one of
  the other release managers.

  .. note:: GPG instructions in this PEP can be ignored for Python 3.14 and
            later. See :pep:`761` for details.

* A bunch of software:

  * A checkout of the `python/release-tools`_ repo.
    It contains a `requirements.txt
    <https://github.com/python/release-tools/blob/master/requirements.txt>`_
    file that you need to install
    dependencies from first. Afterwards, you can fire up scripts in the
    repo, covered later in this PEP.

  * `blurb <https://github.com/python/blurb>`__, the
    `Misc/NEWS <https://github.com/python/cpython/tree/main/Misc/NEWS.d>`_
    management tool. You can pip install it.

* Access to servers where you will upload files:

  * ``downloads.nyc1.psf.io``, the server that hosts download files; and
  * ``docs.nyc1.psf.io``, the server that hosts the documentation.

* Administrator access to `python/cpython`_ and membership of the `Release
  Managers team <https://github.com/orgs/python/teams/release-managers>`__.

* An administrator account on `www.python.org`_, including an "API key".

* Write access to the `python/peps`_ repository.

  If you're reading this, you probably already have this--the first
  task of any release manager is to draft the release schedule.  But
  in case you just signed up... sucker!  I mean, uh, congratulations!

* A subscription to the super secret release manager mailing list, which may
  or may not be called ``python-cabal``. Bug Barry about this.

* A ``@python.org`` email address that you will use to sign your releases
  with. Ask ``postmaster@`` for an address; you can either get a full
  account, or a redirecting alias + SMTP credentials to send email from
  this address that looks legit to major email providers.

* Be added to the `Python Security Response Team
  <https://www.python.org/dev/security/>`__.

Types of Releases
=================

There are several types of releases you will need to make.  These include:

* ``alpha``
* ``begin beta``, also known as ``beta 1``, also known as ``new branch``
* ``beta 2+``
* ``release candidate 1``
* ``release candidate 2+``
* ``final``
* ``new branch``
* ``begin bugfix mode``
* ``begin security-only mode``
* ``end-of-life``

Some of these release types actually involve more than
one release branch. In particular, a **new branch** is that point in the
release cycle when a new feature release cycle begins.  Under the current
organization of the CPython Git repository, the *main* branch is always
the target for new features.  At some point in the release cycle of the
next feature release, a **new branch** release is made which creates a
new separate branch for stabilization and later maintenance of the
current in-progress feature release (``3.n.0``) and the *main* branch is modified
to build a new version (which will eventually be released as ``3.n+1.0``).
While the **new branch** release step could occur at one of several points
in the release cycle, current practice is for it to occur at feature code
cutoff for the release which is scheduled for the first beta release.

In the descriptions that follow, steps specific to release types are
labeled accordingly, for now, **new branch** and **final**.

How To Make A Release
=====================

Here are the steps taken to make a Python release.  Some steps are more
fuzzy than others because there's little that can be automated (e.g.
writing the NEWS entries).  Where a step is usually performed by An
Expert, the role of that expert is given.  Otherwise, assume the step is
done by the Release Manager (RM), the designated person performing the
release.  The roles and their current experts are:

* RM = Release Manager

  - Savannah Ostrowski <savannah@python.org> (US)
  - Hugo van Kemenade <hugo@python.org> (FI)
  - Thomas Wouters <thomas@python.org> (NL)
  - Pablo Galindo Salgado <pablogsal@python.org> (UK)

* WE = Windows - Steve Dower <steve.dower@python.org>
* ME = Mac - Ned Deily <nad@python.org> (US)

.. note:: It is highly recommended that the RM contact the Experts the day
  before the release.  Because the world is round and everyone lives
  in different timezones, the RM must ensure that the release tag is
  created in enough time for the Experts to cut binary releases.

  You should not make the release public (by updating the website and
  sending announcements) before all experts have updated their bits.
  In rare cases where the expert for Windows or Mac is MIA, you may add
  a message "(Platform) binaries will be provided shortly" and proceed.

We use the following conventions in the examples below.  Where a release
number is given, it is of the form ``3.X.YaN``, e.g. 3.13.0a3 for Python 3.13.0
alpha 3, where "a" == alpha, "b" == beta, "rc" == release candidate.

Release tags are named ``v3.X.YaN``.  The branch name for minor release
maintenance branches is ``3.X``.

As much as possible, the release is automated and guided by the
``run_release.py`` script, which is available in a separate repository:
`python/release-tools`_. This helps by automating many of the following steps,
and guides you to perform some manual steps.

- Log into Discord and join the Python Core Devs server. Ask another
  RM for an invite.

  You probably need to coordinate with other people around the world.
  This communication channel is where we've arranged to meet.

- Check to see if there are any showstopper bugs.

  Go to https://github.com/python/cpython/issues and look for any open
  bugs that can block this release.  You're looking at two relevant labels:

  `release-blocker`_
      Stops the release dead in its tracks.  You may not
      make any release with any open release blocker bugs.

  `deferred-blocker`_
      Doesn't block this release, but it will block a
      future release.  You may not make a final or
      candidate release with any open deferred blocker
      bugs.

  Review the release blockers and either resolve them, bump them down to
  deferred, or stop the release and ask for community assistance.  If
  you're making a final or candidate release, do the same with any open
  deferred.

- Check the stable buildbots.

  Go to https://buildbot.python.org/all/#/release_status

  Look at the buildbots for the release
  you're making.  Ignore any that are offline (or inform the community so
  they can be restarted).  If what remains are (mostly) green buildbots,
  you're good to go.  If you have non-offline red buildbots, you may want
  to hold up the release until they are fixed.  Review the problems and
  use your judgement, taking into account whether you are making an alpha,
  beta, or final release.

- Make a release clone.

  On a fork of the CPython repository on GitHub, create a release branch
  within it (called the "release clone" from now on).  You can use the same
  GitHub fork you use for CPython development.  Using the standard setup
  recommended in the `Python Developer's Guide <https://devguide.python.org/>`__,
  your fork would be referred
  to as ``origin`` and the standard CPython repo as ``upstream``.  You will
  use the branch on your fork to do the release engineering work, including
  tagging the release, and you will use it to share with the other experts
  for making the binaries.

  For a **final** or **release candidate 2+** release, if you are going
  to cherry-pick a subset of changes for the next rc or final from all those
  merged since the last rc, you should create a release
  engineering branch starting from the most recent release candidate tag,
  i.e. ``v3.8.0rc1``. You will then cherry-pick changes from the standard
  release branch as necessary into the release engineering branch and
  then proceed as usual.  If you are going to take all of the changes
  since the previous rc, you can proceed as normal.

- Make sure the current branch of your release clone is the branch you
  want to release from (``git status``).

- Run ``blurb release <version>`` specifying the version number
  (e.g. ``blurb release 3.4.7rc1``).  This merges all the recent news
  blurbs into a single file marked with this release's version number.

- Regenerate ``Lib/pydoc-topics.py``.

  While still in the ``Doc`` directory, run::

    make pydoc-topics
    cp build/pydoc-topics/topics.py ../Lib/pydoc_data/topics.py

- Commit your changes to ``pydoc_topics.py``
  (and any fixes you made in the docs).

- Consider running ``autoconf`` using the currently accepted standard version
  in case ``configure`` or other Autoconf-generated files were last
  committed with a newer or older version and may contain spurious or
  harmful differences.  Currently, Autoconf 2.71 is our de facto standard.
  if there are differences, commit them.

- Make sure the ``SOURCE_URI`` in ``Doc/tools/extensions/pyspecific.py``
  points to the right branch in the Git repository (``main`` or ``3.X``).
  For a **new branch** release, change the branch in the file from ``main``
  to the new release branch you are about to create (``3.X``).

- Bump version numbers via the release script::

      .../release-tools/release.py --bump 3.X.YaN

  Reminder: ``X``, ``Y``, and ``N`` should be integers.
  ``a`` should be one of ``a``, ``b``, or ``rc`` (e.g. ``3.4.3rc1``).
  For **final** releases omit the ``aN`` (``3.4.3``).  For the first
  release of a new version ``Y`` should be ``0`` (``3.6.0``).

  This automates updating various release numbers, but you will have to
  modify a few files manually.  If your ``$EDITOR`` environment variable is
  set up correctly, ``release.py`` will pop up editor windows with the files
  you need to edit.

  Review the blurb-generated ``Misc/NEWS`` file and edit as necessary.

- Make sure all changes have been committed.  (``release.py --bump``
  doesn't check in its changes for you.)

- For a **final** major release, edit the first paragraph of
  ``Doc/whatsnew/3.X.rst`` to include the actual release date; e.g. "Python
  2.5 was released on August 1, 2003."  There's no need to edit this for
  alpha or beta releases.

- Do a ``git status`` in this directory.

  You should not see any files, i.e., you better not have any uncommitted
  changes in your working directory.

- Tag the release for ``3.X.YaN``::

    .../release-tools/release.py --tag 3.X.YaN

  This executes a ``git tag`` command with the ``-s`` option so that the
  release tag in the repo is signed with your GPG key.  When prompted
  choose the private key you use for signing release tarballs etc.

- For **begin security-only mode** and **end-of-life** releases, review the
  two files and update the versions accordingly in all active branches.

- Push your commits to the remote release branch in your GitHub fork::

    # Do a dry run first.
    git push --dry-run --tags origin
    # Make sure you are pushing to your GitHub fork,
    # *not* to the main python/cpython repo!
    git push --tags origin

- In `python/release-tools`_, go to the `build-release
  <https://github.com/python/release-tools/actions/workflows/build-release.yml>`__
  workflow, select "Run workflow", and enter the details of the tag you just
  created. This will perform the following steps:

  - Create the source gzip and xz tarballs.
  - Create the documentation tar and zip files.
  - Check the source tarball to make sure a completely clean, virgin build
    passes the regression test.
  - Build and test the binaries for platforms which don't require an expert.

  The resulting artifacts will be attached to the summary page of the GitHub
  workflow. Once the source tarball is available, download and unpack it to make
  sure things look reasonable, there are no stray .pyc files, etc.

  If the tests pass, then you can feel good that the tarball is
  fine.  If some of the tests fail, or anything else about the
  freshly unpacked directory looks weird, you better stop now and
  figure out what the problem is.

- Notify the experts that they can start building binaries.

.. warning::

  **STOP**: at this point you must receive the "green light" from other experts
  in order to create the release.  There are things you can do while you wait
  though, so keep reading until you hit the next STOP.

- The WE generates and publishes the Windows files using the Azure
  Pipelines build scripts in ``.azure-pipelines/windows-release/``,
  currently set up at https://dev.azure.com/Python/cpython/_build?definitionId=21.

  The build process runs in multiple stages, with each stage's output being
  available as a downloadable artifact. The stages are:

  - Compile all variants of binaries (32-bit, 64-bit, debug/release),
    including running profile-guided optimization.

  - Codesign all the binaries with the PSF's certificate.

  - Create packages for python.org, nuget.org, the embeddable distro and
    the Windows Store.

  - Perform basic verification of the installers.

  - Upload packages to python.org and nuget.org, purge download caches and
    run a test download.

  After the uploads are complete, the WE copies the generated hashes from
  the build logs and emails them to the RM. The Windows Store packages are
  uploaded manually to https://partner.microsoft.com/dashboard/home by the
  WE.

- The ME builds Mac installer packages and uploads them to
  downloads.nyc1.psf.io together with GPG signature files.

- ``scp`` or ``rsync`` all the files built by the build-release workflow
  to your home directory on ``downloads.nyc1.psf.io``, along with any
  signatures, SBOMs, etc.

  While you're waiting for the files to finish uploading, you can continue
  on with the remaining tasks.  You can also ask folks on Discord
  and/or `discuss.python.org`_ to download the files as they finish uploading
  so that they can test them on their platforms as well.

- Now you need to go to ``downloads.nyc1.psf.io`` and move all the files in place
  over there.  Our policy is that every Python version gets its own
  directory, but each directory contains all releases of that version.

  - On ``downloads.nyc1.psf.io``, ``cd /srv/www.python.org/ftp/python/3.X.Y``
    creating it if necessary.  Make sure it is owned by group ``downloads``
    and group-writable.

  - Take the files you uploaded to your home directory above, and move them
    into the release directory. The Win/Mac binaries are usually put there
    by the experts themselves.

    Make sure they are world readable.  They should also be group
    writable, and group-owned by ``downloads``.

  - Use ``gpg --verify`` to make sure they got uploaded intact.

  - If this is a **final** or rc release: Move the doc zips and tarballs to
    ``/srv/www.python.org/ftp/python/doc/3.X.Y[rcA]``, creating the directory
    if necessary, and adapt the "current" symlink in ``.../doc`` to point to
    that directory.  Note though that if you're releasing a maintenance
    release for an older version, don't change the current link.

  - If this is a **final** or rc release (even a maintenance release), also
    unpack the HTML docs to ``/srv/docs.python.org/release/3.X.Y[rcA]`` on
    ``docs.nyc1.psf.io``. Make sure the files are in group ``docs`` and are
    group-writeable.

  - Note both the documentation and downloads are behind a caching CDN. If
    you change archives after downloading them through the website, you'll
    need to purge the stale data in the CDN like this::

      curl -X PURGE https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.0/Python-3.12.0.tar.xz

    You should always purge the cache of the directory listing as people
    use that to browse the release files::

      curl -X PURGE https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.0/

- For the extra paranoid, do a completely clean test of the release.
  This includes downloading the tarball from `www.python.org`_.

  Make sure the md5 checksums match.  Then unpack the tarball,
  and do a clean make test::

    make distclean
    ./configure
    make test

  To ensure that the regression test suite passes.  If not, you
  screwed up somewhere!

.. warning::

   **STOP** and confirm:

   - Have you gotten the green light from the WE?

   - Have you gotten the green light from the ME?

If green, it's time to merge the release engineering branch back into
the main repo.

- In order to push your changes to GitHub, you'll have to temporarily
  disable branch protection for administrators.  Go to the
  ``Settings | Branches`` page:

  https://github.com/python/cpython/settings/branches

  "Edit" the settings for the branch you're releasing on.
  This will load the settings page for that branch.
  Uncheck the "Include administrators" box and press the
  "Save changes" button at the bottom.

- Merge your release clone into the main development repo::

    # Pristine copy of the upstream repo branch
    git clone git@github.com:python/cpython.git merge
    cd merge

    # Checkout the correct branch:
    # 1. For feature pre-releases up to and including a
    #    **new branch** release, i.e. alphas and first beta
    #   do a checkout of the main branch
    git checkout main

    # 2. Else, for all other releases, checkout the
    #       appropriate release branch.
    git checkout 3.X

    # Fetch the newly created and signed tag from your clone repo
    git fetch --tags git@github.com:your-github-id/cpython.git v3.X.YaN
    # Merge the temporary release engineering branch back into
    git merge --no-squash v3.X.YaN
    git commit -m 'Merge release engineering branch'

- If this is a **new branch** release, i.e. first beta,
  now create the new release branch::

    git checkout -b 3.X

  Do any steps needed to setup the new release branch, including:

  * In ``README.rst``, change all references from ``main`` to
    the new branch, in particular, GitHub repo URLs.

- For *all* releases, do the guided post-release steps with the
  release script::

    .../release-tools/release.py --done 3.X.YaN

- For a **final** or **release candidate 2+** release, you may need to
  do some post-merge cleanup.  Check the top-level ``README.rst``
  and ``include/patchlevel.h`` files to ensure they now reflect
  the desired post-release values for on-going development.
  The patchlevel should be the release tag with a ``+dev``.
  Also, if you cherry-picked changes from the standard release
  branch into the release engineering branch for this release,
  you will now need to manually remove each blurb entry from
  the ``Misc/NEWS.d/next`` directory that was cherry-picked
  into the release you are working on since that blurb entry
  is now captured in the merged ``x.y.z.rst`` file for the new
  release.  Otherwise, the blurb entry will appear twice in
  the ``changelog.html`` file, once under ``Python next`` and again
  under ``x.y.z``.

- Review and commit these changes::

    git commit -m 'Post release updates'

- If this is a **new branch** release (e.g. the first beta),
  update the ``main`` branch to start development for the
  following feature release.  When finished, the ``main``
  branch will now build Python ``X.Y+1``.

  - First, set ``main`` up to be the next release, i.e. X.Y+1.a0::

      git checkout main
      .../release-tools/release.py --bump 3.9.0a0

  - Edit all version references in ``README.rst``

  - Edit ``Doc/tutorial/interpreter.rst`` (two references to '[Pp]ython3x',
    one to 'Python 3.x', also make the date in the banner consistent).

  - Edit ``Doc/tutorial/stdlib.rst`` and ``Doc/tutorial/stdlib2.rst``, which
    have each one reference to '[Pp]ython3x'.

  - Add a new ``whatsnew/3.x.rst`` file (with the comment near the top
    and the toplevel sections copied from the previous file) and
    add it to the toctree in ``whatsnew/index.rst``.  But beware that
    the initial ``whatsnew/3.x.rst`` checkin from previous releases
    may be incorrect due to the initial midstream change to ``blurb``
    that propagates from release to release!  Help break the cycle: if
    necessary make the following change:

    .. code-block:: diff

        -For full details, see the :source:`Misc/NEWS` file.
        +For full details, see the :ref:`changelog <changelog>`.

  - Update the version number in ``configure.ac`` and re-run ``autoconf``.

  - Make sure the ``SOURCE_URI`` in ``Doc/tools/extensions/pyspecific.py``
    points to ``main``.

  - Update the version numbers for the Windows builds
    which have references to ``python38``::

        ls PC/pyconfig.h.in PCbuild/rt.bat | xargs sed -i 's/python3\(\.\?\)[0-9]\+/python3\19/g'

  - Edit the ``bug.yml`` and ``crash.yml`` issue templates in
    ``.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`` to add the new branch to the
    "versions" dropdown.

  - Commit these changes to the main branch::

        git status
        git add ...
        git commit -m 'Bump to 3.9.0a0'

- Do another ``git status`` in this directory.

  You should not see any files, i.e., you better not have any uncommitted
  changes in your working directory.

- Commit and push to the main repo::

    # Do a dry run first.

    # For feature pre-releases prior to a **new branch** release,
    #   i.e. a feature alpha release:
    git push --dry-run --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git main
    # If it looks OK, take the plunge.  There's no going back!
    git push --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git main

    # For a **new branch** release, i.e. first beta:
    git push --dry-run --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git 3.X
    git push --dry-run --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git main
    # If it looks OK, take the plunge.  There's no going back!
    git push --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git 3.X
    git push --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git main

    # For all other releases:
    git push --dry-run --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git 3.X
    # If it looks OK, take the plunge.  There's no going back!
    git push --tags  git@github.com:python/cpython.git 3.X

- If this is a **new branch** release, add a ``Branch protection rule``
  for the newly created branch (3.X).  Look at the values for the previous
  release branch (3.X-1) and use them as a template.
  https://github.com/python/cpython/settings/branches

  Also, add ``3.x`` and ``needs backport to 3.X`` labels to the GitHub repo.
  https://github.com/python/cpython/labels

- You can now re-enable enforcement of branch settings against administrators
  on GitHub.  Go back to the ``Settings | Branch`` page:

  https://github.com/python/cpython/settings/branches

  "Edit" the settings for the branch you're releasing on.
  Re-check the "Include administrators" box and press the
  "Save changes" button at the bottom.

Now it's time to twiddle the website.  Almost none of this is automated, sorry.

To do these steps, you must have the permission to edit the website.  If you
don't have that, ask someone on pydotorg@python.org for the proper
permissions.

- Log in to https://www.python.org/admin

- Create a new "release" for the release.  Currently "Releases" are
  sorted under "Downloads".

  The easiest thing is probably to copy fields from an existing
  Python release "page", editing as you go.

  You can use `Markdown <https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax>`_ or
  `reStructured Text <https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/user/rst/quickref.html>`_
  to describe your release.  The former is less verbose, while the latter has nifty
  integration for things like referencing PEPs.

  Leave the "Release page" field on the form empty.

- "Save" the release.

- Populate the release with the downloadable files.

  Your friend and mine, Georg Brandl, made a lovely tool
  called ``add_to_pydotorg.py``.  You can find it in the
  `python/release-tools`_ repo (next to ``release.py``).  You run the
  tool on ``downloads.nyc1.psf.io``, like this::

      AUTH_INFO=<username>:<python.org-api-key> python add_to_pydotorg.py <version>

  This walks the correct download directory for ``<version>``,
  looks for files marked with ``<version>``, and populates
  the "Release Files" for the correct "release" on the web
  site with these files.  Note that clears the "Release Files"
  for the relevant version each time it's run.  You may run
  it from any directory you like, and you can run it as
  many times as you like if the files happen to change.
  Keep a copy in your home directory on dl-files and
  keep it fresh.

  If new types of files are added to the release, someone will need to
  update ``add_to_pydotorg.py`` so it recognizes these new files.
  (It's best to update ``add_to_pydotorg.py`` when file types
  are removed, too.)

  The script will also sign any remaining files that were not
  signed with Sigstore until this point. Again, if this happens,
  do use your ``@python.org`` address for this process. More info:
  https://www.python.org/downloads/metadata/sigstore/

- In case the CDN already cached a version of the Downloads page
  without the files present, you can invalidate the cache using::

      curl -X PURGE https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-XXX/

- Write the announcement on `discuss.python.org`_.  This is the
  fuzzy bit because not much can be automated.  You can use an earlier
  announcement as a template, but edit it for content!

- Also post the announcement to the
  `Python Insider blog <https://blog.python.org>`_.
  To add a new entry, go to `python/python-insider-blog
  <https://github.com/python/python-insider-blog>`__.

- Update `release PEPs <https://peps.python.org/topic/release/>`__
  (e.g. 719) with the release dates.

- Update the labels on https://github.com/python/cpython/issues:

  - Flip all the `deferred-blocker`_ issues back to `release-blocker`_
    for the next release.

  - Review open issues, as this might find lurking showstopper bugs,
    besides reminding people to fix the easy ones they forgot about.

- You can delete the remote release clone branch from your repo clone.

- If this is a **new branch** release, you will need to ensure various
  pieces of the development infrastructure are updated for the new branch.
  These include:

  - Update the `issue tracker`_ for the new branch:
    add the new version to the versions list.

  - Update python-releases.toml_ to reflect the new branches and versions.

  - Create a PR to update the supported releases table on the
    `downloads page <https://www.python.org/downloads/>`__ (see
    `python/pythondotorg#1302 <https://github.com/python/pythondotorg/issues/1302>`__).

  - Ensure buildbots are defined for the new branch (contact Łukasz
    or Zach Ware).

  - Ensure the various GitHub bots are updated, as needed, for the
    new branch. In particular, make sure backporting to the new
    branch works (contact the `core-workflow team
    <https://github.com/python/core-workflow/issues>`__).

  - Review the most recent commit history for the ``main`` and new release
    branches to identify and backport any merges that might have been made
    to the ``main`` branch during the release engineering phase and that
    should be in the release branch.

  - Verify that CI is working for new PRs for the ``main`` and new release
    branches and that the release branch is properly protected (no direct
    pushes, etc).

  - Verify that the `online docs <https://docs.python.org/>`__ are building
    properly (this may take up to 24 hours for a complete build on the website).


What Next?
==========

* Verify!  Pretend you're a user: download the files from `www.python.org`_, and
  make Python from it. This step is too easy to overlook, and on several
  occasions we've had useless release files.  Once a general server problem
  caused mysterious corruption of all files; once the source tarball got
  built incorrectly; more than once the file upload process on SF truncated
  files; and so on.

* Rejoice.  Drink.  Be Merry.  Write a PEP like this one.  Or be
  like unto Guido and take A Vacation.

You've just made a Python release!


Moving to End-of-life
=====================

Under current policy, a release branch normally reaches end-of-life status
five years after its initial release.  The policy is discussed in more detail
in the `Python Developer's Guide
<https://devguide.python.org/developer-workflow/development-cycle/index.html>`_.
When end-of-life is reached, there are a number of tasks that need to be
performed either directly by you as release manager or by ensuring someone
else does them.  Some of those tasks include:

- Optionally making a final release to publish any remaining unreleased
  changes.

- Freeze the state of the release branch by creating a tag of its current HEAD
  and then deleting the branch from the CPython repo.  The current HEAD should
  be at or beyond the final security release for the branch::

        git fetch upstream
        git tag --sign -m 'Final head of the former 3.3 branch' 3.3 upstream/3.3
        git push upstream refs/tags/3.3

- If all looks good, delete the branch.  This may require the assistance of
  someone with repo administrator privileges::

        git push upstream --delete 3.3  # or perform from GitHub Settings page

- In python-releases.toml_, set the branch status to end-of-life.

- Update or remove references to the branch in the `developer's guide
  <https://github.com/python/devguide/>`__.

- Retire the release from the `issue tracker`_. Tasks include:

  * update issues from this version to the next supported version

  * remove version label from list of versions

  * remove the ``needs backport to`` label for the retired version

  * review and dispose of open issues marked for this branch

- Run a final build of the online docs to add the end-of-life banner

- Announce the branch retirement in the usual places:

  * `discuss.python.org`_

  * `Python Insider blog <https://blog.python.org>`_

- Enjoy your retirement and bask in the glow of a job well done!


Windows Notes
=============

Windows has a MSI installer, various flavors of Windows have
"special limitations", and the Windows installer also packs
precompiled "foreign" binaries (Tcl/Tk, expat, etc).

The installer is tested as part of the Azure Pipeline. In the past,
those steps were performed manually. We're keeping this for posterity.

Concurrent with uploading the installer, the WE installs Python
from it twice: once into the default directory suggested by the
installer, and later into a directory with embedded spaces in its
name.  For each installation, the WE runs the full regression suite
from a DOS box, and both with and without -0. For maintenance
release, the WE also tests whether upgrade installations succeed.

The WE also tries *every* shortcut created under Start -> Menu -> the
Python group.  When trying IDLE this way, you need to verify that
Help -> Python Documentation works.  When trying pydoc this way
(the "Module Docs" Start menu entry), make sure the "Start
Browser" button works, and make sure you can search for a random
module (like "random" <wink>) and then that the "go to selected"
button works.

It's amazing how much can go wrong here -- and even more amazing
how often last-second checkins break one of these things.  If
you're "the Windows geek", keep in mind that you're likely the
only person routinely testing on Windows, and that Windows is
simply a mess.

Repeat the testing for each target architecture.  Try both an
Admin and a plain User (not Power User) account.


Copyright
=========

This document has been placed in the public domain.

.. _blog.python.org: https://blog.python.org
.. _deferred-blocker: https://github.com/python/cpython/labels/deferred-blocker
.. _discuss.python.org: https://discuss.python.org
.. _issue tracker: https://github.com/python/cpython/issues
.. _python-releases.toml: https://github.com/python/peps/blob/HEAD/release_management/python-releases.toml
.. _python/cpython: https://github.com/python/cpython
.. _python/peps: https://github.com/python/peps
.. _python/release-tools: https://github.com/python/release-tools
.. _release-blocker: https://github.com/python/cpython/labels/release-blocker
.. _www.python.org: https://www.python.org
