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+[[!meta title="Releasing Core Buildsystem Components"]]
+[[!meta author="VincentSanders"]]
+[[!meta date="2020-05-23T10:15:07Z"]]
+
+# Release process for projects using buildsystem
+
+We perform all releases from git simply by pushing a
+release/\<version number\> tag
+
+Before creating the tag you should do some basic checks
+
+check the COMPONENT\_VERSION in the root Makefile matches the version
+number you are releasing, if not change it and commit it so it does.
+
+Any files that should not be put in the distribution archive must be
+placed in the .gitattributes file, as a minimum it should contain
+attributes for the .gitignore and gitattributes files e.g.
+
+    .gitignore export-ignore
+    .gitattributes export-ignore
+
+in your clone do
+
+    git branch -vv
+
+ensure the top commit looks right and is what you want to tag, for extra
+paranoia check the .git/config to ensure the origin is the correct
+server. You do **not** have to tag from master, for example if this is a
+maintenance release of an old edition and you are tagging from a branch
+etc. just **ensure** you are where you want the release to be.
+
+Create the tag with
+
+    git tag -s -m 'Official Release' release/<version number>
+
+Ensure the version number in the tag matches the component version.
+
+Now run
+
+    make dist
+
+if you get
+
+    Makefile:45: \*\*\* Component Version "1.0" and GIT tag version "1.1" do not match. Stop.
+
+you did not get the tag and version numbers lined up, go back, remove
+your local tag with
+
+    git tag -d release/<bad version>
+
+and try again
+
+when you get a buildsystem-1.0.tar.gz (with appropriate version number)
+well done
+
+Check the contents of the tar are what you intended to release and
+adjust if not (obviously you will need to remove your local tag and
+start over with fresh commits.
+
+Next do a dry run push
+
+    git push -n --tags
+
+ensure this shown the correct repo and the release tag something like
+
+    [gitano] Welcome to the NetSurf Gitano instance.
+    Counting objects: 1, done.
+    Writing objects: 100% (1/1), 800 bytes | 0 bytes/s, done.
+    Total 1 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
+    To ssh://nsgit@git.netsurf-browser.org/libutf8proc.git
+     * [new tag]         release/1.3.1-3 -> release/1.3.1-3
+
+If that verifies as correct
+
+    git push --tags
+    git push
+
+and the release tag is pushed, too late now so be careful and check!