- Update translations see translation_process.md.
- Update manpages, see gen-manpages.sh.
- Update release candidate version in
configure.ac
(CLIENT_VERSION_RC
).
- Update bips.md to account for changes since the last release (don't forget to bump the version number on the first line).
- Update version in
configure.ac
(don't forget to setCLIENT_VERSION_RC
to0
). - Write release notes (see "Write the release notes" below).
- On both the master branch and the new release branch:
- update
CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR
inconfigure.ac
- update
CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR
,PACKAGE_VERSION
, andPACKAGE_STRING
inbuild_msvc/bitcoin_config.h
- update
- On the new release branch in
configure.ac
andbuild_msvc/bitcoin_config.h
(see this commit):- set
CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR
to0
- set
CLIENT_VERSION_BUILD
to0
- set
CLIENT_VERSION_IS_RELEASE
totrue
- set
- Update hardcoded seeds, see this pull request for an example.
- Update
src/chainparams.cpp
m_assumed_blockchain_size and m_assumed_chain_state_size with the current size plus some overhead (see this for information on how to calculate them). - Update
src/chainparams.cpp
chainTxData with statistics about the transaction count and rate. Use the output of thegetchaintxstats
RPC, see this pull request for an example. Reviewers can verify the results by runninggetchaintxstats <window_block_count> <window_final_block_hash>
with thewindow_block_count
andwindow_final_block_hash
from your output. - Update
src/chainparams.cpp
nMinimumChainWork and defaultAssumeValid (and the block height comment) with information from thegetblockheader
(andgetblockhash
) RPCs.- The selected value must not be orphaned so it may be useful to set the value two blocks back from the tip.
- Testnet should be set some tens of thousands back from the tip due to reorgs there.
- This update should be reviewed with a reindex-chainstate with assumevalid=0 to catch any defect that causes rejection of blocks in the past history.
- Clear the release notes and move them to the wiki (see "Write the release notes" below).
- Update the version of
contrib/gitian-descriptors/*.yml
.
- Update the versions.
- Create a pinned meta-issue for testing the release candidate (see this issue for an example) and provide a link to it in the release announcements where useful.
- Merge the release notes from the wiki into the branch.
- Ensure the "Needs release note" label is removed from all relevant pull requests and issues.
To tag the version (or release candidate) in git, use the make-tag.py
script from bitcoin-maintainer-tools. From the root of the repository run:
../bitcoin-maintainer-tools/make-tag.py v(new version, e.g. 0.20.0)
This will perform a few last-minute consistency checks in the build system files, and if they pass, create a signed tag.
If you're using the automated script (found in contrib/gitian-build.py), then at this point you should run it with the "--setup" command. Otherwise ignore this.
Check out the source code in the following directory hierarchy.
cd /path/to/your/toplevel/build
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin-core/gitian.sigs.git
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoin-detached-sigs.git
git clone https://github.com/devrandom/gitian-builder.git
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin.git
Open a draft of the release notes for collaborative editing at https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoin-devwiki/wiki.
For the period during which the notes are being edited on the wiki, the version on the branch should be wiped and replaced with a link to the wiki which should be used for all announcements until -final
.
Generate the change log. As this is a huge amount of work to do manually, there is the list-pulls
script to do a pre-sorting step based on github PR metadata. See the documentation in the README.md.
Generate list of authors:
git log --format='- %aN' v(current version, e.g. 0.20.0)..v(new version, e.g. 0.20.1) | sort -fiu
If you're using the automated script (found in contrib/gitian-build.py), then at this point you should run it with the "--build" command. Otherwise ignore this.
Setup Gitian descriptors:
pushd ./bitcoin
export SIGNER="(your Gitian key, ie bluematt, sipa, etc)"
export VERSION=(new version, e.g. 0.20.0)
git fetch
git checkout v${VERSION}
popd
Ensure your gitian.sigs are up-to-date if you wish to gverify your builds against other Gitian signatures.
pushd ./gitian.sigs
git pull
popd
Ensure gitian-builder is up-to-date:
pushd ./gitian-builder
git pull
popd
pushd ./gitian-builder
mkdir -p inputs
wget -O inputs/osslsigncode-2.0.tar.gz https://github.com/mtrojnar/osslsigncode/archive/2.0.tar.gz
echo '5a60e0a4b3e0b4d655317b2f12a810211c50242138322b16e7e01c6fbb89d92f inputs/osslsigncode-2.0.tar.gz' | sha256sum -c
popd
Create the macOS SDK tarball, see the macdeploy instructions for details, and copy it into the inputs directory.
NOTE: Gitian is sometimes unable to download files. If you have errors, try the step below.
By default, Gitian will fetch source files as needed. To cache them ahead of time, make sure you have checked out the tag you want to build in bitcoin, then:
pushd ./gitian-builder
make -C ../bitcoin/depends download SOURCES_PATH=`pwd`/cache/common
popd
Only missing files will be fetched, so this is safe to re-run for each build.
NOTE: Offline builds must use the --url flag to ensure Gitian fetches only from local URLs. For example:
pushd ./gitian-builder
./bin/gbuild --url bitcoin=/path/to/bitcoin,signature=/path/to/sigs {rest of arguments}
popd
The gbuild invocations below DO NOT DO THIS by default.
pushd ./gitian-builder
./bin/gbuild --num-make 2 --memory 3000 --commit bitcoin=v${VERSION} ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
./bin/gsign --signer "$SIGNER" --release ${VERSION}-linux --destination ../gitian.sigs/ ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
mv build/out/bitcoin-*.tar.gz build/out/src/bitcoin-*.tar.gz ../
./bin/gbuild --num-make 2 --memory 3000 --commit bitcoin=v${VERSION} ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win.yml
./bin/gsign --signer "$SIGNER" --release ${VERSION}-win-unsigned --destination ../gitian.sigs/ ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win.yml
mv build/out/bitcoin-*-win-unsigned.tar.gz inputs/bitcoin-win-unsigned.tar.gz
mv build/out/bitcoin-*.zip build/out/bitcoin-*.exe ../
./bin/gbuild --num-make 2 --memory 3000 --commit bitcoin=v${VERSION} ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx.yml
./bin/gsign --signer "$SIGNER" --release ${VERSION}-osx-unsigned --destination ../gitian.sigs/ ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx.yml
mv build/out/bitcoin-*-osx-unsigned.tar.gz inputs/bitcoin-osx-unsigned.tar.gz
mv build/out/bitcoin-*.tar.gz build/out/bitcoin-*.dmg ../
popd
Build output expected:
- source tarball (
bitcoin-${VERSION}.tar.gz
) - linux 32-bit and 64-bit dist tarballs (
bitcoin-${VERSION}-linux[32|64].tar.gz
) - windows 32-bit and 64-bit unsigned installers and dist zips (
bitcoin-${VERSION}-win[32|64]-setup-unsigned.exe
,bitcoin-${VERSION}-win[32|64].zip
) - macOS unsigned installer and dist tarball (
bitcoin-${VERSION}-osx-unsigned.dmg
,bitcoin-${VERSION}-osx64.tar.gz
) - Gitian signatures (in
gitian.sigs/${VERSION}-<linux|{win,osx}-unsigned>/(your Gitian key)/
)
Add other gitian builders keys to your gpg keyring, and/or refresh keys: See ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-keys/README.md
.
Verify the signatures
pushd ./gitian-builder
./bin/gverify -v -d ../gitian.sigs/ -r ${VERSION}-linux ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
./bin/gverify -v -d ../gitian.sigs/ -r ${VERSION}-win-unsigned ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win.yml
./bin/gverify -v -d ../gitian.sigs/ -r ${VERSION}-osx-unsigned ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx.yml
popd
Commit your signature to gitian.sigs:
pushd gitian.sigs
git add ${VERSION}-linux/"${SIGNER}"
git add ${VERSION}-win-unsigned/"${SIGNER}"
git add ${VERSION}-osx-unsigned/"${SIGNER}"
git commit -m "Add ${VERSION} unsigned sigs for ${SIGNER}"
git push # Assuming you can push to the gitian.sigs tree
popd
Codesigner only: Create Windows/macOS detached signatures:
- Only one person handles codesigning. Everyone else should skip to the next step.
- Only once the Windows/macOS builds each have 3 matching signatures may they be signed with their respective release keys.
Codesigner only: Sign the macOS binary:
transfer bitcoin-osx-unsigned.tar.gz to macOS for signing
tar xf bitcoin-osx-unsigned.tar.gz
./detached-sig-create.sh -s "Key ID"
Enter the keychain password and authorize the signature
Move signature-osx.tar.gz back to the gitian host
Codesigner only: Sign the windows binaries:
tar xf bitcoin-win-unsigned.tar.gz
./detached-sig-create.sh -key /path/to/codesign.key
Enter the passphrase for the key when prompted
signature-win.tar.gz will be created
Codesigner only: Commit the detached codesign payloads:
cd ~/bitcoin-detached-sigs
checkout the appropriate branch for this release series
rm -rf *
tar xf signature-osx.tar.gz
tar xf signature-win.tar.gz
git add -A
git commit -m "point to ${VERSION}"
git tag -s v${VERSION} HEAD
git push the current branch and new tag
Non-codesigners: wait for Windows/macOS detached signatures:
- Once the Windows/macOS builds each have 3 matching signatures, they will be signed with their respective release keys.
- Detached signatures will then be committed to the bitcoin-detached-sigs repository, which can be combined with the unsigned apps to create signed binaries.
Create (and optionally verify) the signed macOS binary:
pushd ./gitian-builder
./bin/gbuild -i --commit signature=v${VERSION} ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx-signer.yml
./bin/gsign --signer "$SIGNER" --release ${VERSION}-osx-signed --destination ../gitian.sigs/ ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx-signer.yml
./bin/gverify -v -d ../gitian.sigs/ -r ${VERSION}-osx-signed ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-osx-signer.yml
mv build/out/bitcoin-osx-signed.dmg ../bitcoin-${VERSION}-osx.dmg
popd
Create (and optionally verify) the signed Windows binaries:
pushd ./gitian-builder
./bin/gbuild -i --commit signature=v${VERSION} ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win-signer.yml
./bin/gsign --signer "$SIGNER" --release ${VERSION}-win-signed --destination ../gitian.sigs/ ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win-signer.yml
./bin/gverify -v -d ../gitian.sigs/ -r ${VERSION}-win-signed ../bitcoin/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-win-signer.yml
mv build/out/bitcoin-*win64-setup.exe ../bitcoin-${VERSION}-win64-setup.exe
popd
Commit your signature for the signed macOS/Windows binaries:
pushd gitian.sigs
git add ${VERSION}-osx-signed/"${SIGNER}"
git add ${VERSION}-win-signed/"${SIGNER}"
git commit -m "Add ${SIGNER} ${VERSION} signed binaries signatures"
git push # Assuming you can push to the gitian.sigs tree
popd
- Create
SHA256SUMS.asc
for the builds, and GPG-sign it:
sha256sum * > SHA256SUMS
The list of files should be:
bitcoin-${VERSION}-aarch64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-arm-linux-gnueabihf.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-riscv64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-osx64.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-osx.dmg
bitcoin-${VERSION}.tar.gz
bitcoin-${VERSION}-win64-setup.exe
bitcoin-${VERSION}-win64.zip
The *-debug*
files generated by the gitian build contain debug symbols
for troubleshooting by developers. It is assumed that anyone that is interested
in debugging can run gitian to generate the files for themselves. To avoid
end-user confusion about which file to pick, as well as save storage
space do not upload these to the bitcoin.org server, nor put them in the torrent.
- GPG-sign it, delete the unsigned file:
gpg --digest-algo sha256 --clearsign SHA256SUMS # outputs SHA256SUMS.asc
rm SHA256SUMS
(the digest algorithm is forced to sha256 to avoid confusion of the Hash:
header that GPG adds with the SHA256 used for the files)
Note: check that SHA256SUMS itself doesn't end up in SHA256SUMS, which is a spurious/nonsensical entry.
-
Upload zips and installers, as well as
SHA256SUMS.asc
from last step, to the bitcoin.org server into/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION}
-
A
.torrent
will appear in the directory after a few minutes. Optionally help seed this torrent. To get themagnet:
URI use:
transmission-show -m <torrent file>
Insert the magnet URI into the announcement sent to mailing lists. This permits
people without access to bitcoin.org
to download the binary distribution.
Also put it into the optional_magnetlink:
slot in the YAML file for
bitcoin.org (see below for bitcoin.org update instructions).
-
Update bitcoin.org version
-
First, check to see if the Bitcoin.org maintainers have prepared a release: https://github.com/bitcoin-dot-org/bitcoin.org/labels/Core
- If they have, it will have previously failed their CI checks because the final release files weren't uploaded. Trigger a CI rebuild---if it passes, merge.
-
If they have not prepared a release, follow the Bitcoin.org release instructions: https://github.com/bitcoin-dot-org/bitcoin.org/blob/master/docs/adding-events-release-notes-and-alerts.md#release-notes
-
After the pull request is merged, the website will automatically show the newest version within 15 minutes, as well as update the OS download links.
-
-
Update other repositories and websites for new version
-
bitcoincore.org blog post
-
bitcoincore.org maintained versions update: table
-
bitcoincore.org RPC documentation update
-
Install golang
-
Install the new Bitcoin Core release
-
Run bitcoind on regtest
-
Clone the bitcoincore.org repository
-
Run:
go run generate.go
while being incontrib/doc-gen
folder, and with bitcoin-cli in PATH -
Add the generated files to git
-
-
Update packaging repo
-
Push the flatpak to flathub, e.g. flathub/org.bitcoincore.bitcoin-qt#2
-
Push the latest version to master (if applicable), e.g. bitcoin-core/packaging#32
-
Create a new branch for the major release "0.xx" from master (used to build the snap package) and request the track (if applicable), e.g. https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/track-request-for-bitcoin-core-snap/10112/7
-
Notify MarcoFalke so that he can start building the snap package
- https://code.launchpad.net/~bitcoin-core/bitcoin-core-snap/+git/packaging (Click "Import Now" to fetch the branch)
- https://code.launchpad.net/~bitcoin-core/bitcoin-core-snap/+git/packaging/+ref/0.xx (Click "Create snap package")
- Name it "bitcoin-core-snap-0.xx"
- Leave owner and series as-is
- Select architectures that are compiled via gitian
- Leave "automatically build when branch changes" unticked
- Tick "automatically upload to store"
- Put "bitcoin-core" in the registered store package name field
- Tick the "edge" box
- Put "0.xx" in the track field
- Click "create snap package"
- Click "Request builds" for every new release on this branch (after updating the snapcraft.yml in the branch to reflect the latest gitian results)
- Promote release on https://snapcraft.io/bitcoin-core/releases if it passes sanity checks
-
-
This repo
-
Archive the release notes for the new version to
doc/release-notes/
(branchmaster
and branch of the release) -
Create a new GitHub release with a link to the archived release notes
-
-
-
Announce the release:
-
bitcoin-dev and bitcoin-core-dev mailing list
-
Bitcoin Core announcements list https://bitcoincore.org/en/list/announcements/join/
-
Update title of #bitcoin on Freenode IRC
-
Optionally twitter, reddit /r/Bitcoin, ... but this will usually sort out itself
-
Celebrate
-
Both variables are used as a guideline for how much space the user needs on their drive in total, not just strictly for the blockchain. Note that all values should be taken from a fully synced node and have an overhead of 5-10% added on top of its base value.
To calculate m_assumed_blockchain_size
:
- For
mainnet
-> Take the size of the data directory, excluding/regtest
and/testnet3
directories. - For
testnet
-> Take the size of the/testnet3
directory.
To calculate m_assumed_chain_state_size
:
- For
mainnet
-> Take the size of the/chainstate
directory. - For
testnet
-> Take the size of the/testnet3/chainstate
directory.
Notes:
- When taking the size for
m_assumed_blockchain_size
, there's no need to exclude the/chainstate
directory since it's a guideline value and an overhead will be added anyway. - The expected overhead for growth may change over time, so it may not be the same value as last release; pay attention to that when changing the variables.