# Release Management

## Release Strategy

Ariadne follows a **predictable, quality-focused release strategy** — every release is deterministic, well-tested, and thoroughly documented.

## Versioning

We use [Semantic Versioning (SemVer)](https://semver.org/) with the format `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`:

- **MAJOR** (X.0.0): Breaking changes, major architectural updates
- **MINOR** (1.X.0): New features, backend additions, performance improvements
- **PATCH** (1.1.X): Bug fixes, security updates, documentation improvements

### Pre-release Versions
- **Alpha** (1.2.0-alpha.1): Early development, major features incomplete
- **Beta** (1.2.0-beta.1): Feature complete, testing phase
- **Release Candidate** (1.2.0-rc.1): Final testing before stable release

## Release Schedule

### Regular Release Cycle
- **Major Releases**: Every 6-12 months
- **Minor Releases**: Every 6-8 weeks
- **Patch Releases**: As needed (security/critical bugs)
- **Security Releases**: Within 48 hours of confirmed vulnerability

### Special Releases
- **LTS (Long Term Support)**: Every 18 months, supported for 2 years
- **Hardware Support**: Aligned with major platform releases (new Apple Silicon, CUDA versions)
- **Backend Integration**: When major quantum computing frameworks release

## Release Process

### 1. Planning Phase (2-3 weeks before release)

**Release Manager Assignment**
- Core maintainer designated as release manager
- Responsible for coordinating entire release process
- Creates release tracking issue with checklist

**Feature Freeze**
- All features for release must be merged
- No new features accepted after freeze date
- Focus shifts to bug fixes and stabilization

**Documentation Review**
- Update all documentation for new features
- Review and update API documentation
- Ensure examples work with new version
- Update benchmark results if applicable

### 2. Pre-Release Phase (1-2 weeks)

**Quality Assurance**
```bash
# Run comprehensive test suite
make test-all

# Performance regression testing
python benchmarks/run_all_benchmarks.py --baseline previous-version

# Cross-platform testing
make test-platforms  # Linux, macOS, Windows

# Backend compatibility testing
make test-backends   # All supported quantum backends
```

**Security Audit**
- Dependency vulnerability scan
- Static code analysis
- Security review of new features
- Update security documentation if needed

**Pre-release Publishing**
```bash
# Create pre-release
git tag 1.2.0-rc.1
python -m build
twine upload dist/* --repository testpypi

# Community testing period
# Announce on GitHub Discussions
# Request feedback from key users
```

### 3. Release Phase

**Final Preparations**
- Update version numbers in all files
- Generate comprehensive changelog
- Update README with new features/benchmarks
- Prepare release notes

**Release Checklist**
- [ ] All CI/CD checks pass
- [ ] Performance benchmarks meet standards
- [ ] Documentation is complete and accurate
- [ ] Security scan clean
- [ ] Changelog updated
- [ ] Migration guide prepared (if breaking changes)
- [ ] Community feedback addressed
- [ ] Release notes drafted

**Publishing**
```bash
# Create release tag
git tag v1.2.0
git push origin v1.2.0

# Build and publish to PyPI
python -m build
twine check dist/*
twine upload dist/*

# Create GitHub Release
# Upload artifacts, release notes
# Mark as latest release
```

**Announcement**
- GitHub Release with detailed notes
- Update project README
- Social media announcement
- Notify key stakeholders
- Update documentation website

### 4. Post-Release Phase

**Monitoring**
- Monitor PyPI download statistics
- Watch for user-reported issues
- Track performance metrics
- Monitor CI/CD for any failures

**Support**
- Respond to bug reports promptly
- Provide migration assistance
- Update documentation based on user feedback
- Plan hotfix releases if critical issues found

## Release Types

### Major Releases (X.0.0)

**Characteristics:**
- Breaking API changes allowed
- Major architectural improvements
- Significant new capabilities
- Extensive beta testing period

**Example: 2.0.0**
- New universal backend interface
- Redesigned routing algorithms
- Updated minimum Python version
- Enhanced Apple Silicon support

**Timeline:**
- 8 weeks development
- 2 weeks alpha testing
- 4 weeks beta testing
- 2 weeks release candidate

### Minor Releases (1.X.0)

**Characteristics:**
- New features and capabilities
- New backend integrations
- Performance improvements
- Backward compatible changes

**Example: 1.3.0**
- Add IBM Qiskit Runtime backend
- Improve Clifford circuit detection
- Enhanced error handling
- New configuration options

**Timeline:**
- 6 weeks development
- 1 week beta testing
- 1 week release candidate

### Patch Releases (1.1.X)

**Characteristics:**
- Bug fixes only
- Security updates
- Documentation corrections
- No new features

**Example: 1.1.3**
- Fix memory leak in Metal backend
- Update dependency versions
- Correct documentation examples
- Improve error messages

**Timeline:**
- 1-2 weeks development
- Few days testing
- Immediate release for security issues

## Quality Gates

### Automated Checks
- **Code Quality**: Linting, type checking, formatting
- **Test Coverage**: Minimum 85% coverage maintained
- **Performance**: No regressions >5% without justification
- **Security**: Vulnerability scanning, dependency audit
- **Documentation**: Link checking, example validation

### Manual Reviews
- **Architecture Review**: For major changes
- **Performance Review**: Benchmark validation
- **Documentation Review**: Technical writing quality
- **Security Review**: For security-sensitive changes

### Community Validation
- **Beta Testing**: Key users test pre-releases
- **Feedback Integration**: Address community concerns
- **Migration Testing**: Validate upgrade paths
- **Platform Testing**: Multi-platform validation

## Branch Strategy

### Main Branches
- **main**: Stable, production-ready code
- **develop**: Integration branch for next release
- **release/X.Y.Z**: Release preparation branches

### Supporting Branches
- **feature/**: New feature development
- **hotfix/**: Critical bug fixes
- **docs/**: Documentation improvements

### Protection Rules
- **main**: Requires PR review, all checks pass
- **develop**: Requires PR review, core functionality tests
- **release/***: Requires maintainer approval

## Release Communication

### Internal Communication
- Release planning meetings
- Progress updates in maintainer channels
- Risk assessment and mitigation planning
- Cross-team coordination

### External Communication
- **GitHub Discussions**: Release planning transparency
- **Issue Updates**: Link issues to target releases
- **Documentation**: Release timeline in project docs
- **Community Calls**: Major release discussions

### Release Notes Format

```markdown
# Ariadne v1.2.0 - \"Intelligent Routing\"

## 🚀 New Features
- Added support for IBM Qiskit Runtime backend
- Enhanced Clifford circuit detection algorithm
- New configuration system for advanced users

## ⚡ Performance Improvements
- 15% faster routing decisions for small circuits
- Optimized Metal backend memory usage
- Reduced startup time by 200ms

## 🐛 Bug Fixes
- Fixed memory leak in long-running simulations
- Corrected error handling for malformed circuits
- Resolved compatibility issue with latest Qiskit

## 📚 Documentation
- Added comprehensive backend integration guide
- Updated performance benchmarks
- New tutorials for enterprise users

## ⚠️ Breaking Changes
- None in this release

## 🛠️ Technical Details
- Updated minimum Python version to 3.11
- Added support for NumPy 1.25+
- Enhanced type annotations throughout codebase

## 📊 Benchmarks
[Include relevant performance data]

## 🤝 Contributors
[List all contributors to this release]
```

## Support Policy

### Version Support
- **Current Major**: Full support (bug fixes, security updates, new features)
- **Previous Major**: Maintenance mode (critical bugs, security updates only)
- **LTS Versions**: Extended support for 24 months
- **EOL Versions**: No support, upgrade recommended

### Security Updates
- **Critical**: Within 24 hours
- **High**: Within 1 week
- **Medium**: Next scheduled release
- **Low**: Next minor release

## Release Artifacts

### Distribution
- **PyPI Package**: Primary distribution method
- **GitHub Releases**: Source code and release notes
- **Docker Images**: Official container images
- **Conda Packages**: For conda-forge distribution

### Documentation
- **API Documentation**: Auto-generated from code
- **User Guides**: Comprehensive usage documentation
- **Migration Guides**: For breaking changes
- **Release Notes**: Detailed change documentation

---

## Emergency Procedures

### Critical Bug Process
1. **Assessment**: Determine severity and impact
2. **Hotfix Development**: Create fix on hotfix branch
3. **Testing**: Rapid but thorough testing process
4. **Release**: Expedited release process
5. **Communication**: Immediate user notification

### Security Vulnerability Process
1. **Private Disclosure**: Handle security issues privately
2. **Assessment**: Evaluate impact and urgency
3. **Fix Development**: Develop and test security fix
4. **Coordinated Disclosure**: Public disclosure with fix
5. **User Notification**: Security advisory publication

---

*This release management process ensures that every Ariadne release maintains our standards of quality, transparency, and mathematical rigor.*
