Release schedule for 0.18.0 #14438

1. 
   MarcoFalke commented at 4:13 am on October 9, 2018: member

   Here is a proposed release schedule for 0.18.0, the next major release of Bitcoin Core. Like for previous major releases I’ve aimed for a release 6 months after the last (#12624).

   2019-02-01 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Open Transifex translations for 0.18
   • Soft translation string freeze (no large or unnecessary string changes until release)
   • Finalize and close translations for 0.16

   2019-02-15 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Feature freeze (bug fixes only until release)
   • Translation string freeze (no more source language changes until release)

   2019-03-01 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Split off 0.18 branch from master
   • Start RC cycle, tag and release 0.18.0rc1
   • Start merging for 0.19 on master branch

   2019-04-03 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Release 0.18.0 final (aim)

   If any specific dates or timeframes are a problem for you, let me know.

2. fanquake added this to the milestone 0.18.0 on Oct 9, 2018
3. 
   laanwj commented at 8:03 am on October 9, 2018: member

   Like for previous major releases I’ve aimed for a release 6 months after the last

   There was some slippage there due to various well-known issues; the official release date for 0.17.0 is 2018-10-03, adding 6 months, shouldn’t 2018-04-03 be the aim. Say, move it all a month forward? edit: this was done

4. meshcollider added the label good first issue on Oct 12, 2018
5. fanquake pinned this on Dec 14, 2018
6. 
   dongcarl commented at 3:28 pm on January 3, 2019: member

   If #12255 gets merged before this next release, distro package maintainers should be notified of the correction of the default data directory.
7. 
   MarcoFalke commented at 5:56 pm on January 25, 2019: member

   There should probably be a 0.17.2 release before the 0.18.0 release
8. 
   laanwj commented at 7:56 pm on January 31, 2019: member

   There should probably be a 0.17.2 release before the 0.18.0 release

   What’s the primary motivation for 0.17.2?

9. 
   MarcoFalke commented at 8:01 pm on January 31, 2019: member

   There have been some minor fixes, but I see that that might not be enough motivation to do it before 0.18.0
10. fanquake unpinned this on Feb 6, 2019
11. fanquake pinned this on Feb 6, 2019
12. 
    fanquake commented at 7:45 am on February 15, 2019: member

    ☃️Feature freeze is today / tomorrow depending on where you are.
13. 
    laanwj commented at 3:59 pm on February 17, 2019: member

    Feature freeze is now in effect, we’ll only merge bugfixes until the 0.18 split-off.
14. 
    fanquake commented at 2:29 am on March 1, 2019: member

    🌱 The 0.18 branch off should be happening today.
15. 
    fanquake commented at 1:49 pm on March 2, 2019: member

    0.18 has been branched 🎉.
16. 
    laanwj commented at 2:24 pm on March 4, 2019: member

    Release notes for 0.18.0 can be edited on the wiki now, as usual for major versions in RC-phase: https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoin-devwiki/wiki/0.18.0-Release-Notes-Draft
17. 
    fanquake commented at 10:48 pm on March 4, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc1 has been tagged 🏷.
18. 
    fanquake commented at 12:18 pm on March 7, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc1 test binaries are now available.
19. 
    Sjors commented at 2:29 pm on March 7, 2019: member

    Testing feedback can go here: #15555
20. 
    fanquake commented at 8:18 am on March 15, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc2 has been tagged 🏷.
21. 
    fanquake commented at 11:53 am on March 18, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc2 test binaries are now available.
22. 
    fanquake commented at 8:31 am on April 5, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc3 test binaries are now available.
23. 
    fanquake commented at 5:10 am on April 21, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc4 has been tagged 🏷. The changes since rc3 are here.
24. 
    fanquake commented at 11:02 pm on April 22, 2019: member

    0.18.0rc4 test binaries are now available.
25. 
    fanquake commented at 12:47 pm on April 30, 2019: member

    v0.18.0 has been tagged 🏷. The changes since rc4 are here.
26. 
    MarcoFalke commented at 12:59 pm on April 30, 2019: member

    :rocket:
27. MarcoFalke closed this on Apr 30, 2019

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28. fanquake unpinned this on Apr 30, 2019
29. MarcoFalke locked this on May 2, 2020
30. MarcoFalke deleted a comment on May 2, 2020
31. MarcoFalke deleted a comment on May 2, 2020

Contributors
MarcoFalke laanwj dongcarl fanquake Sjors

Labels
good first issue

Milestone
0.18.0