--- weight: 30 title: Release process guidance menu: docs: parent: 'victoriametrics' weight: 30 aliases: - /Release-Guide.html --- ## Pre-reqs 1. Make sure you have enterprise remote configured ``` git remote add enterprise ``` 1. Make sure you have singing key configured 1. Make sure you have github token with at least `read:org, repo, write:packages` permissions exported under `GITHUB_TOKEN` env variable. You can create token [here](https://github.com/settings/tokens) 1. Make sure you're [authorized](https://hub.docker.com/orgs/victoriametrics/settings/enforce-sign-in/windows) for pushing docker images ### For MacOS users Make sure you have GNU version of utilities `zip`, `tar`, `sha256sum`. To install them run the following commands: ```sh brew install coreutils brew install gnu-tar export PATH="/usr/local/opt/coreutils/libexec/gnubin:$PATH" ``` Docker may need additional configuration changes: ```sh docker buildx create --use --name=qemu docker buildx inspect --bootstrap ``` By default, docker on MacOS has limited amount of resources (CPU, mem) to use. Bumping the limits may significantly improve build speed. ## Release version and Docker images 1. Make sure all the changes are documented in [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/blob/master/docs/CHANGELOG.md). Ideally, every change must be documented in the commit with the change. Alternatively, the change must be documented immediately after the commit, which adds the change. 1. Run `make vmui-update` and `make vmui-logs-update` commands to re-build static files for `vmui`. See [commit example](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/commit/9dde5b8ee3fdc9d4cd495c8118e04ff4ee32e650). 1. Make sure all the changes are synced between `master`, `cluster`, `enterprise-single-node` and `enterprise-cluster` branches. Changes in these branches must be synced immediately after they are committed in at least a single branch. 1. Make sure that the release branches have no security issues. 1. Update release versions if needed in [SECURITY.md](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/blob/master/SECURITY.md). 1. Add `(available starting from v1.xx.y)` line to feature docs introduced in the upcoming release. 1. Cut new version in [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/blob/master/docs/CHANGELOG.md) and make it merged. See example in this [commit](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/commit/b771152039d23b5ccd637a23ea748bc44a9511a7). 1. Cherry-pick bug fixes relevant for [LTS releases](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/lts-releases/). 1. Make sure you get all changes fetched `git fetch --all`. 1. Create the following release tags: * `git tag -s v1.xx.y` in `master` branch * `git tag -s v1.xx.y-cluster` in `cluster` branch * `git tag -s v1.xx.y-enterprise` in `enterprise-single-node` branch * `git tag -s v1.xx.y-enterprise-cluster` in `enterprise-cluster` branch 1. Run `TAG=v1.xx.y make publish-release`. This command performs the following tasks: a) Build and package binaries in `*.tar.gz` release archives with the corresponding `_checksums.txt` files inside `bin` directory. This step can be run manually with the command `make release` from the needed git tag. b) Build and publish [multi-platform Docker images](https://docs.docker.com/build/buildx/multiplatform-images/) for the given `TAG`, `TAG-cluster`, `TAG-enterprise` and `TAG-enterprise-cluster`. The multi-platform Docker image is built for the following platforms: * linux/amd64 * linux/arm64 * linux/arm * linux/ppc64le * linux/386 This step can be run manually with the command `make publish` from the needed git tag. 1. Verify that created images are stable and don't introduce regressions on [test environment](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics-enterprise/blob/master/Release-Guide.md#testing-releases). 1. Push the tags `v1.xx.y` and `v1.xx.y-cluster` created at previous steps to public GitHub repository at https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics. Push the tags `v1.xx.y`, `v1.xx.y-cluster`, `v1.xx.y-enterprise` and `v1.xx.y-enterprise-cluster` to the corresponding branches in private repository. **Important note:** do not push enterprise tags to public GitHub repository - they must be pushed only to private repository. 1. Run `TAG=v1.xx.y make github-create-release github-upload-assets`. This command performs the following tasks: a) Create draft GitHub release with the name `TAG`. This step can be run manually with the command `TAG=v1.xx.y make github-create-release`. The release id is stored at `/tmp/vm-github-release` file. b) Upload all the binaries and checksums created at step `9a` to that release. This step can be run manually with the command `make github-upload-assets`. It is expected that the needed release id is stored at `/tmp/vm-github-release` file, which must be created at the step `a`. If the upload process is interrupted by any reason, then the following recovery steps must be performed: - To delete the created draft release by running the command `make github-delete-release`. This command expects that the id of the release to delete is located at `/tmp/vm-github-release` file created at the step `a`. - To run the command `TAG=v1.xx.y make github-create-release github-upload-assets`, so new release is created and all the needed assets are re-uploaded to it. 1. Test new images on [sandbox](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics-enterprise/blob/master/Release-Guide.md#testing-releases). 1. Go to and verify that draft release with the name `TAG` has been created and this release contains all the needed binaries and checksums. 1. Update the release description with the content of [CHANGELOG](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/blob/master/docs/CHANGELOG.md) for this release. 1. Publish release by pressing "Publish release" green button in GitHub's UI. 1. Update GitHub tickets related to the new release. Usually, such tickets have label [waiting for release](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22waiting+for+release%22). Close such tickets by mentioning which release they were included into, and remove the label. See example [here](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/6637#issuecomment-2390729511). 1. Bump VictoriaMetrics version at `deployment/docker/docker-compose.yml` and at `deployment/docker/docker-compose-cluster.yml`. 1. Bump VictoriaMetrics version mentioned in [docs](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/7388). 1. Follow the instructions in [release follow-up](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics-enterprise/blob/master/Release-Guide.md). ### Public Announcement * Publish message in Slack at * Post at X (Twitter) at * Post in Reddit at * Post in LinkedIn at * Publish message in Telegram at and ## Operator The operator repository [https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/operator/](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/operator/) ### Bump the version of images - Bump `Version` field in [file `internal/config/config.go`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/operator/blob/master/internal/config/config.go) with new release version for: - `vmalert` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMAlertDefault.Version`, - `vmagent` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMAgentDefault.Version`, - `vmsingle` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMSingleDefault.Version`, - `vmselect` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMClusterDefault.VMSelectDefault.Version`, - `vmstorage` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMClusterDefault.VMStorageDefault.Version`, - `vminsert` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMClusterDefault.VMInsertDefault.Version`, - `vmbackupmanager` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMBackup.Version` (should be enterprise version), - `vmauth` in `BaseOperatorConf.VMAuthDefault.Version`. - Run `make operator-conf`. - Rename "Next release" section in `docs/CHANGELOG.md` to the *new release version* and create new empty "Next release" section. - Commit and push changes to `master`. - Create and push a new tag with the *new release version*. - Create github release from this tag with "Release notes" from `docs/CHANGELOG.md` for this version in description. ## Helm Charts The helm chart repository [https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/) ### Bump the version of images Bump `tag` field in `values.yaml` with new release version. Bump `appVersion` field in `Chart.yaml` with new release version. Add new line to "Next release" section in `CHANGELOG.md` about version update (the line must always start with "`-`"). Do **NOT** change headers in `CHANGELOG.md`. Bump `version` field in `Chart.yaml` with incremental semver version (based on the `CHANGELOG.md` analysis). Do these updates to the following charts: 1. Update `vmagent` chart version in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-agent/values.yaml) and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-agent/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `vmalert` chart version in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-alert/values.yaml) and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-alert/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `vmauth` chart version in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-auth/values.yaml) and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-auth/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `cluster` chart versions in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-cluster/values.yaml), bump version for `vmselect`, `vminsert` and `vmstorage` and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-cluster/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `k8s-stack` chart versions in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-k8s-stack/values.yaml), bump version for `vmselect`, `vminsert`, `vmstorage`, `vmsingle`, `vmalert`, `vmagent` and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-k8s-stack/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `single-node` chart version in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-single/values.yaml) and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-single/Chart.yaml) 1. Update `vmgateway` chart version in [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-gateway/values.yaml) and [`Chart.yaml`](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/helm-charts/blob/master/charts/victoria-metrics-gateway/Chart.yaml) Once updated, run the following commands: 1. Commit and push changes to `master`. 1. Run "Release" action on Github: ![release helm charts](Release-Guide_helm-release.webp) 1. Merge new PRs *"Automatic update CHANGELOGs and READMEs"* and *"Synchronize docs"* after pipelines are complete. ## Ansible Roles 1. Update the version of VictoriaMetrics components at [https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/ansible-playbooks](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/ansible-playbooks). 1. Commit changes. 1. Create a new tag with `git tag -sm `. 1. Push the changes with the new tag. This automatically publishes the new versions to galaxy.ansible.com.