🚀 Release Process

Automated Process

This is the automated release process. The steps listed here will also appear in the automatically generated pull request as checklists.

1. Run release workflow

• Navigate to the release.yaml workflow
• Select Run workflow
• Enter the version number for the release in the box (e.g. 0.7.2, 1.2.5, etc.)
• Wait for pipeline to finish

2. Complete pre-release checklist

The aforementioned workflow will create a pull request with the version changes and some checklists.

• Complete all the steps in the pre-release checklist and make any changes to the pull request as needed.

3. Submit package to CRAN

• Update cram-comments.md
• Run `devtools::release()
• Perform CRAN release steps, usually received via the maintainer's email
• If CRAN requires changes, make the changes on the pull request's branch, add them to the pull request, and resubmit.

4. Complete post-release checklist

In the pull request created for the release, complete all items in the post-release checklist.

5. Merge the Pull Request

If the release goes well and all items are checked off, merge the pull request.

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Manual Steps

⚠️ These steps should only be followed if the automated workflow is not working for some reason.

These are the manual steps to follow when releasing a new version of the package to CRAN:

(these steps also apply to the usmapdata package)

1. Create release branch

• git checkout -b release/x.x.x where x.x.x is the new version number

2. Run other platform checks

• devtools::check_rhub()
• devtools::check_win_devel()

3. Check reverse dependencies

• > revdepcheck::revdep_reset()
• > revdepcheck::revdep_check()

4. Update cran-comments.md

• Update version numbers (ubuntu, R, etc)
• Update reverse dependencies list
• Update R CMD check results
• Add any important things for CRAN to consider when reviewing the package (if necessary)
• Add explanations for WARNINGS or NOTES (if necessary)

5. Update NEWS.md

• Ensure all release notes are included and accurate (with associated GitHub issue linked if applicable)
• Update version number

6. Update DESCRIPTION

• Update version number
• Ensure description and metadata is accurate

7. Spellcheck

• > devtools::spell_check()
• Fix any misspelled words (note some results may be false positives and can be ignored)

8. Commit all changes for release

• Commit message should be Prepare for x.x.x release
• Push branch and open pull request git push -u origin release/x.x.x
• Ensure all GitHub Actions workflows pass

9. Release package

• > devtools::release()
• Follow all release steps
• If any issues are encountered make and commit appropriate changes and re-run devtools::release()

10. Post-approval Items

After the package is accepted and published on CRAN:

• > git tag vx.x.x where x.x.x is the new version
• > git push --tags
• Update DESCRIPTION and NEWS.md versions to x.x.x.9999
• Add release date of latest version to NEWS.md
  • Example Released Monday, February 31, 2020.
• Commit changes with message Prepare for next release
• Merge release/x.x.x to master
• > usethis::use_github_release()