Release schedule for 22.0 #20851

1. 
   laanwj commented at 4:42 pm on January 4, 2021: member

   Here is a proposed release schedule for 22.0, the next major release of Bitcoin Core. Like for previous major releases I’ve aimed for a release 6 months after the last (#18947).

   It is based on the projected release date for 0.21.0, so it is possible these move forward if there is slippage.

   There was a rename from 0.22.0 to 22.0; see #20223.

   2021-06-01 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Open Transifex translations for 22
   • Soft translation string freeze (no large or unnecessary string changes until release)
   • Finalize and close translations for 0.20

   2021-06-15 :heavy_check_mark:

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

   2021-07-01 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Split off 22 branch from master
   • Start RC cycle, tag and release 22.0rc1
   • Start merging for 23 on master branch

   2021-09-13 :heavy_check_mark:

   • Release 22.0 final

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

2. laanwj added the label Build system on Jan 4, 2021
3. laanwj added this to the milestone 22.0 on Jan 4, 2021
4. laanwj pinned this on Jan 4, 2021
5. 
   ajtowns commented at 2:36 am on January 11, 2021: member

   Updated dates to 2021. March 2020 will be over soon, for sure.
6. 
   MarcoFalke commented at 8:11 am on January 11, 2021: member

   Not sure if it is worth it to adjust the schedule. By moving back everything by one month, the 23.0 release will have it’s bugfix and branch-off period exactly over the year-end+new-year-holidays. I’d say to either keep the current fixed schedule or move it forward by a month (to avoid collisions with the holiday season). Or even backward by 3 months to align the schedule with Ubuntu’s, which nicely seems to avoid any major holiday seasons (April, October).

   Edit: Even if the schedule is kept as is, we should keep this in mind for the 23.0 schedule to avoid hitting December with the branch-off day.

7. 
   decryp2kanon commented at 5:54 pm on January 19, 2021: contributor

   BTW, when taproot activation?
8. awesome-doge referenced this in commit cef4fbf95a on Jan 28, 2021
9. 
   RandyMcMillan commented at 8:13 pm on April 19, 2021: contributor

   @MarcoFalke - Think this is a great idea for release cadence…
10. 
    laanwj commented at 7:42 am on April 20, 2021: member

    I really don’t want to change the schedule now, release cadence isn’t 100% deterministic anyhow, there is always some slippage.
11. adamjonas deleted a comment on May 17, 2021
12. laanwj referenced this in commit e3d644a127 on Jun 2, 2021
13. hebasto referenced this in commit 56baeba2f3 on Jun 2, 2021
14. laanwj referenced this in commit 8b5c83b4aa on Jun 2, 2021
15. adamjonas deleted a comment on Jun 13, 2021
16. 
    laanwj commented at 10:42 am on June 17, 2021: member

    I have a slight preference to postpone the feature freeze a bit. While we could certainly cut a release with what is in the branch now, there is still quite a lot in progress (e.g. taproot descriptors support) that is almost done and would make sense to have in.
17. hebasto referenced this in commit 091d35c70e on Jul 1, 2021
18. 
    laanwj commented at 2:02 pm on August 5, 2021: member

    Now that binaries have been uploaded I’ve opened a github issue for testing: #22634.
19. 
    laanwj commented at 7:16 am on September 14, 2021: member

    22.0 final was released 2021-09-13.
20. laanwj closed this on Sep 14, 2021

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21. fanquake unpinned this on Sep 14, 2021
22. DrahtBot locked this on Oct 30, 2022

Contributors
laanwj ajtowns MarcoFalke decryp2kanon RandyMcMillan

Labels
Build system

Milestone
22.0