Principle:Apache Kafka Release Branch Preparation
| Knowledge Sources | |
|---|---|
| Domains | Release_Engineering, Version_Control |
| Last Updated | 2026-02-09 12:00 GMT |
Overview
A version control process that isolates release artifacts by creating a dedicated branch and updating version identifiers.
Description
Release Branch Preparation is the process of creating a git branch specifically for a release, bumping version numbers in build configuration files, and creating annotated tags. This isolates release work from ongoing development, ensuring that the release is built from a known, stable state. Version files such as gradle.properties are updated to reflect the release version, replacing development snapshot versions.
Usage
Use this principle when transitioning from development to release mode. It should be applied after prerequisite verification and before building artifacts, to ensure all builds target the correct version.
Theoretical Basis
The process follows a standard release branching pattern:
- Branch Creation: Create a new branch from the development branch to isolate release changes.
- Version Bump: Update version identifiers in build files (e.g., gradle.properties) using pattern-based text replacement.
- Tag Creation: Create an annotated git tag marking the exact commit that constitutes the release candidate.
This pattern prevents release-specific changes (version bumps, changelog updates) from polluting the main development branch.