Beta Merge Policy

Introduction

These branches/release merge policies cover the period between when a beta ships and the final release. They are intended to ensure quality, yet avoid requiring developers get permission for totally routine commits.

Policy

The criteria and procedures for merges to branches/release during a beta period are based upon the specifics of the problem being addressed:

• Showstoppers. Criteria: Bugs or other problems so serious that the release is seriously compromised if not fixed. Procedure: After discussion on the developers list, release managers will specify how the problem is to be attacked, and what effect it will have on schedule.

• Documentation and other minor fixes not affecting code. Criteria: Changes not requiring regression testing and unlikely to impact other libraries. Procedure: Merges to branches/release are OK, after fix applied to trunk, and do not require a release manager's permission.

• Minor code fixes. Criteria: Changes believed to have limited risk and that have already been made to trunk and are stable on trunk regression testing. Procedure: Merges to branches/release after fix stable on trunk tests do not require a release manager's permission.

• Questionable code fixes. Criteria: Any code changes not meeting the "Minor code fix" criteria, such as a change with a lot of possible ripple effect on other libraries. Procedure: Ask release managers for permission.

• Tools changes and fixes. Code changes to bjam, Boost.Build, Boost.Test, the doc build process, and other tools are discouraged late in release cycles in general and between beta and release in particular. Ask release managers for permission if you really think the change is warranted for this release.

• New features, breaking changes, major reworks, new libraries. These are not suitable for merging between beta and release. Wait until the next release.

Acknowledgments

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Copyright Beman Dawes 2008

Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)