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Bug 1833175 - Update the Pocket Guide to include release notes info. r=RyanVM DONTBUILD

Browse source 
Added info about release notes, added links to fxtrains,
updated the glossary, and add info about Android.

Differential Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D178181
This commit is contained in:
donal meehan 2023-05-19 17:35:01 +00:00
parent 157c3857ce
commit 6b0acb8052
1 changed files with 105 additions and 27 deletions
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132
docs/contributing/pocket-guide-shipping-firefox.rst
View file

@ -15,13 +15,6 @@ shipping Firefox to our users. Often this document will introduce a
concept, explain how it fits into the process, and then provide a link
to learn more if interested.
.. note::
This does not contain an overview of how we
ship :ref:`Fenix <fenix>` (Our Android browser) as
that product is largely uncoupled from how we ship to desktop and the
process we've historically followed.
Repositories & Channels
-----------------------
@ -32,19 +25,24 @@ updated within a defined cadence and built into one of our Firefox
products which are released through what is commonly referred to as
:ref:`Channels <channels>`: Firefox Nightly, Firefox Beta, and Firefox Release.
**Firefox Nightly** offers access to the latest cutting edge features
`Firefox Nightly <https://whattrainisitnow.com/release/?version=nightly>`__ offers access to the latest cutting edge features
still under active development. Released every 12 hours with all the
changes that have :ref:`landed <landing>` on mozilla-central.
changes that have :ref:`landed <landing>` on mozilla-central for Desktop and on
`main in firefox-android <https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-android/tree/main>`__ for Android.
Every `4 weeks <https://wiki.mozilla.org/RapidRelease/Calendar>`__, we
Every `4 weeks <https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar/>`__, we
:ref:`merge <merge>` the code from mozilla-central to our
mozilla-beta branch. New code or features can be added to mozilla-beta
mozilla-beta branch.
For Android, we branch from main on firefox-android to a release branch.
New code or features can be added to mozilla-beta
outside of this 4 week cadence but will be required to land in
mozilla-central and then be :ref:`uplifted <uplift>` into
mozilla-beta.
Similarly for Android, uplifts are required to land in main on firefox-android before
backporting to the firefox-android release branch.
**Firefox Beta** is for developers and early adopters who want to see
and test what’s coming next in Firefox. We release a new Beta version
`Firefox Beta <https://whattrainisitnow.com/release/?version=beta>`__ is for developers and early adopters who want to see
and test what’s coming next in Firefox. We release a new Desktop/Android Beta version
three times a week.
.. note::
@ -55,14 +53,15 @@ three times a week.
Each Beta cycle lasts a total of 4 weeks where a final build is
validated by our QA and tagged for release into the mozilla-release
branch.
branch for Desktop. On Android we release from the same release branch
used during the Beta cycle.
.. note::
**Firefox Developer Edition** *is a separate product based on
the mozilla-beta repo and is specifically tailored for Web Developers.*
**Firefox Release** is released every 4 weeks and is the end result
`Firefox Release <https://whattrainisitnow.com/release/?version=release>`__ is released every 4 weeks and is the end result
of our Beta cycle. This is our primary product shipping to hundreds of
millions of users. While a release is live, interim updates (dot releases)
are used to ship important bug fixes to users prior to the next major release.
@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ weeks after the initial go-live for less-critical fixes and other
:ref:`ride-along fixes <ride alongs>` deemed low-risk enough to include.
.. note::
**Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release)** *is a separate
`Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) <https://whattrainisitnow.com/release/?version=esr>`__ *is a separate
product intended for Enterprise use. Major updates are rolled out once
per year to maintain stability and predictability. ESR also
contains a number of policy options not available in the standard
@ -83,10 +82,12 @@ weeks after the initial go-live for less-critical fixes and other
Further Reading/Useful links:
- `Firefox
Trains <https://whattrainisitnow.com/>`__
- `Release
Calendar <https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar/>`__
- `Firefox Release
Process <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Release_Process>`__
- `Release
Calendar <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Calendar>`__
- `Firefox Delivery
dashboard <https://mozilla.github.io/delivery-dashboard/>`__
@ -117,8 +118,8 @@ eventually become the next version of Firefox.
Further Reading/Useful links:
- `Phabricator and why we use it <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Phabricator>`__
- `Firefox Trello <https://trello.com/b/8k1hT2vh/firefox>`__ (Distilled
list of critical features riding the trains)
- `Firefox Release Notes Process <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Release_Notes>`__
- `Firefox Release Notes Nomination <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Release_Notes_Nomination>`__
An exception to this process...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@ -138,6 +139,8 @@ Further Reading/Useful links:
- `Patch uplifting
rules <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Uplift_rules>`__
- `Requesting an
uplift <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Requesting_an_Uplift>`__
Ensuring build stability
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@ -200,7 +203,7 @@ Further Reading/Useful links:
- `Regression Engineering
Owners <https://wiki.mozilla.org/Platform#Regression_Engineering_Owner_.28REO.29>`__
- `Commonly used Bugzilla queries for all
Channels <https://pascalc.net/rm_queries/>`__
Channels <https://trainqueries.herokuapp.com/>`__
Enabling/Disabling code (Prefs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@ -296,15 +299,30 @@ Further Reading/Useful links:
Definitions
-----------
.. _approval flag:
**Approval Flag** - A flag that represents a security approval or uplift
request on a patch.
.. _bugzilla:
**Bugzilla** - Web-based general purpose bug tracking system and testing
tool
tool.
.. _channel:
**Channel** - Development channels producing concurrent releases of
Firefox for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android
Firefox for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.
.. _chemspill:
**Chemspill** - Short for Chemical Spill. A chemspill is a rapid
security-driven or critical stsbility dot release of our product.
.. _channel meeting:
**Channel Meeting** - A twice weekly time to check in on the status
of the active releases with the release team.
.. _dot release drivers:
@ -312,6 +330,11 @@ Firefox for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android
warrant a minor dot release to the Firefox Release Channel. Usually to
fix a stability (top-crash) or Security (Chemspill) issue.
.. _early beta:
**Early Beta** - Beta releases with the features gated by EARLY_BETA_OR_EARLIER
enabled. The first 2 weeks of Beta releases during the cycle are early beta releases.
.. _feature owner:
**Feature Owner** - The person who is ultimately responsible for
@ -328,6 +351,12 @@ Android based on GeckoView and Android Components
**Github** - Web-based version control and collaboration platform for
software developers
.. _gtb:
**GTB** - Acronym for Go to build. Mostly used in the release schedule
communication ("Go to build on March 18"), this means that we initiate the
building of a specific release.
.. _landing:
**Landing** - A general term used for when code is merged into a
@ -350,12 +379,24 @@ locally and share their changes with others. It is also called hg.
**Merge** - General term used to describe the process of integrating and
reconciling file changes within the mozilla repositories
.. _nightly soft code freeze:
**Nightly Soft Code Freeze** - Last week of the nightly cycle on mozilla-central
just before the merge to beta during which landing risky or experimental code
in the repository is discouraged.
.. _normandy:
**Normandy** - Normandy is a collection of servers, workflows, and
Firefox components that enables Mozilla to remotely control Firefox
clients in the wild based on precise criteria
.. _nucleus:
**Nucleus** - Name of the internal application used by release managers
to prepare and publish release notes. The data in this application is
fetched by mozilla.org.
.. _orange_factor:
**Orange** - Also called flaky or intermittent tests. Describes a state
@ -386,6 +427,11 @@ Firefox profile on disk (in prefs.js).
**Release Candidate** - Beta version with potential to be a final
product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge.
.. _rc week:
**RC Week** - The week prior to release go-live is known as RC week.
During this week an RC is produced and tested.
.. _release cycle:
**Release Cycle** - The sum of stages of development and maturity for
@ -396,24 +442,29 @@ the Firefox Release Product.
**Regression Engineering Owner** - A partner for release management
assigned to each release. They both keep a mental state of how we are
doing and ensure a decision is made about each regression reported in
the release
the release. AKA *REO*.
.. _release engineering:
**Release engineering** - Team primarily responsible for maintaining
the build pipeline, the signature mechanisms, the update servers, etc.
the build pipeline, the signature mechanisms, the update servers, etc. aka *releng*
.. _release management:
**Release Management** - Team primarily responsible for the process of
managing, planning, scheduling and controlling a software build through
different stages and environments
different stages and environments. aka *relman*.
.. _relnotes:
**Relnotes** - Short for release notes. Firefox Nightly, Beta, and Release each ship
with release notes.
.. _Repository:
**Repository** - a collection of stored data from existing databases
merged into one so that it may be shared, analyzed or updated throughout
an organization
an organization.
.. _ride alongs:
@ -421,6 +472,21 @@ an organization
considered severe enough to ship without an identified dot release
driver.
.. _rollout:
**Rollout** - Shipping a release to a percentage of the release population.
.. _status flags:
**Status Flags** - A flag that represents the status of the bug with
respect to a Firefox release.
.. _string freeze:
**String Freeze** - Period during which the introduction, modification, or
deletion of strings exposed to the end-users is not allowed so as to allow our
localizers to translate our product.
.. _taskcluster:
**taskcluster** - Our execution framework to build, run tests on multiple
@ -438,6 +504,18 @@ information is used by Mozilla to improve Firefox.
of distinct series of versioned software releases are released as a
number of different "trains" on a regular schedule.
.. _tracking flags:
**Tracking Flags** - A Bugzilla flag that shows whether a bug is being investigated
for possible resolution in a Firefox release. Bugs marked tracking-Firefox XX are
bugs that must be resolved one way or another before a particular release ship.
.. _throttle unthrottle:
**Throttle/Unthrottle a rollout** - Throttle is restricting a release rollout to 0%
of the release population, users can still choose to update but are not updated
automatically. Unthrottle is removing the release rollout restriction.
.. _uplift:
**Uplift** - the action of taking parts from a newer version of a