1. Software Packaging and Releasing
William Cohen
NCSU CSC 591W
March 24, 2008

2. Why Package? Make it clear what is in the software
Want to have easy to install software
Want to avoid the rough edges software in development version of software
Code repository constantly changing

3. Software Release Process
Create release branch
Stabilize release branch
Packaging
Testing

4. Creating Release Branch
Want to allow developers to continue to work
Make separate branch to separate development from stabilization
Tag showing what the release version is based on
Usually some change in code with release number before and after tagging

5. Release Numbers Release number uniquely identifies version
Group of digits separated by dots (“.”)
Numbering:
Major number, before “.”:
Indicates major new features or changes
Minor number, after “.”
Indicates bug fixes or minor changes
Linux distributions may have additional build numbers due to multiple builds (adding patches)
Numbering ordered

6. Multiple Branches With mature projects multiple versions in use
With multiple branches able to maintain multiple version concurrently

7. Stabilizing Release Branch
Making sure that existing code works in release
Not adding new features during stabilization
Have some criteria saying that the release is good:
New features works
Old bugs fixed
Ideally, little work require to stabilize the code from code repository

8. Source Packaging Open Source Software packages released as source code
Have a tarball or zip file that contains the various pieces of source
Source package
Create single directory with contents
Name of package should match created directory, e.g. oprofile tar.gz should create a directory oprofile-0.9.3

9. Files in Source Packaging
The source for the software
COPYING/License file:
Describe how the software can be copied and used
Release notes describing package:
New Features
Fixed Bugs
INSTALL file:
List other packages needed to build software
How to install the software
README file:
Information on the software
Contact information
NEWS file:

10. Testing Check that software works
Do more that simple visual inspection of source
Make sure that instructions are accurate
Build from scratch
Install resulting build
Run test suites to check everything works
Check build in multiple machines:
32- and 64-bit machine
Little- and big-endian machines

11. Binary/Installable Packages
For convenience some software projects produce binary or installable packages
May build for some common platforms
Often binary/installable packaging performed by distributions
Need to make sure that source code for binary/installable package available:
Original source tarball
Any patches or modification of original source code

12. Candidate Release
Put out version of source that wider audience can try out
Testing on unusual machines
Use in unusual situations, e.g. stress testing
Use feedback to determine whether additional changes required

13. Security Release Only fixes security issue, no other issues
Release process not as public because software already in use with security issue
May use additional “.” number for release to avoid changing release numbering

14. Announcing Release Want people to know about the new release
Places to post:
Project webpage
Freshmeat.net
Explain what is new and what has changed
Information to make sure people can check obtained correct download, MD5/SHA1 checksum

15. Further Reading
Producing Opens Source Software by Karl Fogel