This page describes the process of creating stdcxx release branches, and merging changes between them.

  1. Each release branch reflects the minor version of the library and contains changes for all micro releases for that minor version. The name of the branch is branches/<major>.<minor>.x where <major> and <minor> and the major and minor version numbers, respectively, for the release. The letter x denotes all micro versions. For example, branches/4.2.x is a branch for all of 4.2.0, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, and so on. Similarly, branches/4.3.x is a branch for all of 4.3.0, 4.3.1, etc.
  2. trunk corresponds to the next major version in development. When it comes time to start the release process for the next major version, a new branch for the version is created. The name of the branch follows the naming convention listed above. For example, when it comes time to release version 5.0.0, branches/5.0.x will be created off of trunk. At that point, trunk becomes the future 6.0.0.
  3. Changes are first committed to the branch for the lowest appropriate version number and then merged upward. Specifically, given the two branches, 4.2.x and 4.3.x, and trunk, changes that are both backward and forward compatible are first made on branches/4.2.x and then merged to branches/4.3.x and then to trunk. Changes that are forward but not backward binary compatible are first made on branches/4.3.x and then merged to trunk. Incompatible changes are made only on trunk.
  4. Merges between branches are done often, no less frequently than once a month, to minimize the tedium involved and the risk of introducing mistakes or missing important changes.
  5. The Change{{`Log for each merge must mention the revision numbers of all changes merged and contain the corresponding Change}}Log entry for each. An example of a such a Change`Log entry is this commit.
  6. When merging a change that itself resulted from a merge from another branch, only the original revision number and Change{{`Log entry should be mentioned in the new Change}}`Log entry.
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