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Apache NetBeans is released quarterly according to the following schedule.

Date
20202021202220232024
January 15th

Feature freeze for next release.
Delivery and release branches created.
Weekly Release Candidate made available for testing.






February 7th - 15thVoting

In mid-2018 there was a decision to move towards a time-based, quarterly release schedule for Apache NetBeans releases.  This schedule brings that into affect, starting from Apache NetBeans 11.1, and retrospectively designates Apache NetBeans 11.0 as an LTS release.

Schedule

11.1 (in 2019)  1 (in 2020)September . Merge window closesRelease branch <version>.2 created and beta build(s) October NB <version>.2 voting October 112  (in 2019)2 (in 2020)December . Merge window closesRelease branch <version>.3 created and beta build(s) January NB <version>.3 voting January 113  (in 2020)3 (in 2021)February . Merge window closesRelease branch <version+1>.0 created and beta build(s) made available.
NetCAT test spec review starts.NB <version+1>.0 voting April LTS0  (in 2020) 13.0  (in 2021)
DateReleaseDescription
June 15thFeature freeze. Merge window closes. Only fixes intended for next release to be merged into master.
Release branch <version>.1 created and beta build(s) made available.  NetCAT lite???		July 7thNB <version>.1 voting candidate created and release vote commences.




July February 15th - 31st28th/29thApache NetBeans release.
NetBeans 12.NB <version>.1 released.
e.g., https://netbeans.apache.org/download/nb111/nb111.html		July 21stNB <version>.2 merge window opens.3NetBeans 13
NetBeans 17

NetBeans 21
Neil Smith 

April 15th

Feature freeze

for next release.
Delivery and release branches created.

Weekly Release Candidate made available for testing.






May 7th - 15thVoting candidate created and release vote commences.




May 15th - 31stApache NetBeans release.NetBeans 12.NB <version>.2 released.October 21stNB <version>.3 merge window opens.0NetBeans 12.4NetBeans 14
NetBeans 18

NetBeans 22
Eric Barboni 

July 15th

Feature freeze

for next release.
Delivery and release branches created.

Weekly Release Candidate made available for testing.






August 7th - 15thVoting candidate created and release vote commences.




August 15th - 31stApache NetBeans release.NetBeans 12.NB <version>.3 released. (Start NetCAT with this release here???)January 21st1NetBeans 12.5
NetBeans 15
NetBeans 19NetBeans 23
October NB <version+1>.0 merge window opens.
NetCAT announced and signups begin.		 15th

Feature freeze

for next release.
Delivery and release branches created.

February 21stNetCAT testing phase starts.March 21stNetCAT testing ends.
NetCAT community acceptance vote.

Weekly Release Candidate made available for testing.






November 7th - 15thVoting April 7th candidate created and release vote commences.




November 15th - 30thApache NetBeans release.NetBeans 12.2 NetBeans NB <version+1>.0 LTS released.April 21st

NB <version+1>.1 merge window opens.

GOTO 10

...

12.6NetBeans 16
NetBeans 20NetBeans 24

Key points

  • Four releases a year on known dates (within reason, weekends, blockers, etc.).Everything merged to master at all times is intended and ready to be included in the next scheduled release.  No or minimal cherry-picking to release branches.  Keep master releasable.
  • Each release has a fixed and well known feature-freeze date. Features may be targetted targeted for releases, but no promises are made of features being included unless they have been merged to master by that date.
  • Everything merged to master at all times prior to feature freeze is intended and ready to be included in the next scheduled release.  Keep master releasable!
  • Merging earlier rather than later in the merge window is to be encouraged!
  • After the feature freeze date only , fixes intended for the release should be merged to master delivery until the next feature window opens. Aside from any release-specific commits, the release The delivery branch will be kept in sync with mastermerged to both master and release branches on a weekly schedule.
  • All fixes merged to master delivery after the feature-freeze date should be made assessed and reviewed in accordance with the Bug Priority Guidelines
  • One release a year is designated a long-term / extended support version -
    • Only this release has a full NetCAT process, and subsequently a much shorter (month less) merge window to accommodate it (and because the emphasis for this release should be on fully stabilising features added in the previous 3 releases).
    • For 9 months of the year that means that people have a choice of two downloads (need to consider how to describe that, and what if any infrastructure concerns that brings?).  NetBeans 11.0 remains available until April 2020.
    • Minimal serious bug fixes might be backported to the LTS release and pushed via UC, taking into account the Bug Priority Guidelines (critical or blocker affecting significant users?) These should be done on the relevant release branch.
    • Users needing features should be encouraged on to the faster release train, and help test those features before next LTS.
    • Major version number is incremented for LTS.  So NetBeans 12.0 would be in April 2020.  Perhaps counter-intuitively the major version number would be increased for the versions with least new features. (Consider NetBeans 11.1 equivalent to NetBeans 11 feature update 1?)

History

In 2019 there was a decision to move towards a time-based, quarterly release schedule for Apache NetBeans releases.  This started from Apache NetBeans 11.1, and retrospectively designated Apache NetBeans 11.0 as an LTS release.

At the end of 2019 the schedule was shifted back by one month, to avoid the end of year period. At the end of 2020, master freezing was replaced by a move to a delivery and release branch mechanism.

In early 2021, a decision was made to review the process and requirements for LTS releases, and in October 2021 a decision was made to concentrate solely on quarterly releases, changing the numbering scheme accordingly. No further LTS release will be made.

Further details, notes, and discussions : Details, notes, and discussions: Notes and Discussions on the Release Schedule

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