Release Process for v22.1.0

[PastaPastaPasta]

Release Process

• Ensure future Release Process issues are created from the template

• Update translations, see translation_process.md.
• Update manpages, see gen-manpages.sh. (https://github.com/dashpay/dash/pull/6554/files)

Before every minor and major release:

• Update Security.md (@kwvg)
• Update DIPs with any changes introduced by this release (see this pull request for an example) (@kwvg)
• Update version in configure.ac (don't forget to set CLIENT_VERSION_IS_RELEASE to true) (@PastaPastaPasta)
• Write release notes (@PastaPastaPasta)
• Update src/chainparams.cpp nMinimumChainWork with information from the getblockchaininfo rpc. (@PastaPastaPasta) (chore: update nMinimumChainWork, defaultAssumeValid, checkpointData, chainTxData for mainnet and testnet #6411)
• Update src/chainparams.cpp defaultAssumeValid with information from the getblockhash rpc. (@PastaPastaPasta) (chore: update nMinimumChainWork, defaultAssumeValid, checkpointData, chainTxData for mainnet and testnet #6411)
  • This update should be reviewed with a reindex-chainstate with assumevalid=0 to catch any defect
    that causes rejection of blocks in the past history.
• Verify Insight works (@ktechmidas/infra) (https://insight.testnet.networks.dash.org:3002/insight/status working)
• Ensure that governance is functional (@knst)
• Verify p2pool works (unmaintained; no responsible party)
• Tag version and push (@PastaPastaPasta )
• Validate that CI passes
• Notify mobile team of new protocol version, if applicable

After 3 or more people have guix-built and their results match:

• Create windows / macOS detached signatures and commit

• Combine the all.SHA256SUMS.asc file from all signers into SHA256SUMS.asc:
• GPG sign each download / binary
• Upload zips and installers, as well as SHA256SUMS.asc from last step, to GitHub as GitHub draft release.
• Validate SHA256SUMS.asc and all binaries attached to GitHub draft release are correct
• Notarize macOS binaries
• Publish release on GitHub
• Fast-forward master branch on GitHub
• Update the dash.org download links
• Ensure that docker hub images are up to date
• Update Flatpak version

• Test Docker build runs without errors in Dashmate

Announce the release:

• Release on Dash forum: https://www.dash.org/forum/topic/official-announcements.54/ (necessary so we have a permalink to use on twitter, reddit, etc.)
• Prepare product brief (major versions only)
• Prepare a release announcement tweet
• Follow-up tweets with any important block heights for consensus changes
• Post on Reddit
• Celebrate

After the release:

• Submit patches to BTCPay to ensure they use latest / compatible version see Release Schedule for v18.0.0 #4211 (comment)
• Update Core and User docs (docs.dash.org)
• Test Docker build runs without error in Dashmate
• Add new Release Process items to repo Release Process document
• Merge master branch back into develop so that master could be fast-forwarded on next release again