The API Release Process describes the creation of (pre-)releases of API versions throughout the API lifecycle, and for a given meta-release.
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Technically, a (pre-)release is created using the GitHub features and require:
- A GitHub issue for the release.
- A "pre-release PR" or "release PR" associated to this issue.
- If required (see table below), a GitHub release package (zip file of the whole API
Sub Projectrepository). - A GitHub release tag with the release number "rx.y" (see below).
Example of the use of the API release process
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- copy the API-Readiness-Checklist.md file(s) to the API Sub Project repository in the home/code folder.
- rename the file to include the prefix <API name> plus a dash ("-") e.g. quality-on-demand-API-Readiness-Checklist.md
- provide each release asset as indicated in the column corresponding to the release type
- for an available asset
- update the Status column with "Y" (yes) if the release asset is available or fulfilled in the current release, or "N" (no) otherwise. Example: an intermediate pre-release may not yet provide all mandatory release assets for the release type.
- update the Comments column with the link to the asset (if applicable), and any other additional comments as needed
- update the Status column with "Y" (yes) if the release asset is available or fulfilled in the current release, or "N" (no) otherwise. Example: an intermediate pre-release may not yet provide all mandatory release assets for the release type.
- NOTE: the checklists of the latest pre-release and the checklist of a subsequent release are the same, while additional release assets are required for a subsequent release of the public API version.
Checklist explanation
The following table explains each of the release assets expected to be delivered in the API release.
Nr | API release assets | Explanation |
1 | API definition | This is the OAS API definition file (following the https://spec.openapis.org/oas/v3.0.3 format). It shall be present in the home/code/API_definition folders of the API Sub Project and validated using the linting rules in point 6. |
2 | Design guidelines from Commonalities applied | This refers to the guidelines in the API-Design-Guidelines.md document. A subset of these design guidelines have been mapped to corresponding linting rules provided by Commonalities, that can be executed against the OAS API definition file if linting is enabled for the Sub Project. For the design guidelines that cannot (yet) be verified by linting rules, the API Sub Project team shall ensure coverage manually. Ideally, a checklist of such guidelines would be provided by the Commonalities team. In particular, API Sub Project shall verify data type alignment to the Commonalities/artifacts/CAMARA_common.yaml |
3 | Guidelines from ICM applied | This refers to the guidelines described in the documents available in the IdentityAndConsentManagement / documents folder corresponds to a set of linting rules provided by ICM that are successfully executed against the OAS API definition file. Other guidelines that cannot be verified by linting rules shall be covered manually by the API Sub project team. Ideally, a checklist of such guidelines would be provided by the ICM team. |
| 4 | API versioning convention applied | This shall be checked through a linting rule added to the Commonalities rule set on the format of the version field in the OAS API definition file. API versioning is described in the API-Design-Guidelines.md document. |
5 | API documentation | The API specification shall include all the needed documentation. It shall include the section on security as described in the API Design Guidelines API documentation beyond the one embedded in the API definition file, shall be located in the home/documentation/API_documentation folder of the API Sub Project. It shall follow the Commonalities/documentation/API-DocumentationTemplate.md |
6 | User Stories | User Stories (it is recommended to have at least 2) need to be documented by the API Sub Project team. User Stories shall follow the template: Userstory-template.md and be located in the home/documentation/API_documentation folder of the API Sub Project. Please note that User Stories shall be provided when an API is first submitted to the CAMARA API backlog. |
7 | Basic API test cases & documentation | At least one Gherkin feature file is provided for the API in the Test_definitions folder of the API Sub Project covering sunny day scenarios and main error cases (of course you may provide more if available). Details can be found in the API Testing Guidelines (in Commonalities GitHub). Basic tests are sufficient for an initial public-release. |
8 | Enhanced API test cases & documentation | Gherkin feature files are provided for the API in the Test_definitions folder of the API Sub Project covering sunny and rainy day scenarios. Details can be found in the API Testing Guidelines (in Commonalities GitHub). Enhanced tests are required for a stable public-release. |
9 | Test result statement | A statement in a discussion issue of the API Sub Project by at least one of the API Sub Project members that the Gherkin feature files have been successfully executed against their (lab) API implementation. |
10 | API release numbering conventions applied | This is verified using the information on the release tracker page. The API release numbering is described here: |
11 | Change log updated | Change log need to be provided following the template and are located here: link tbd . |
12 | Previous public release was certified | The previous public API version had at least 1 certified implementation. Reference to at least 1 certification of the API is provided on the GSMA API market launch and certification page. |
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Note 2: the addition of a Security review release asset beyond the Commonalities linting rules is for further study.
Readiness checklist per API version
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Nr | API release assets | alpha | release- candidate | initial public stable public (v0.y.z) | stable public (vx.y.z, x>=1) | Status | Comments |
1 | API definition | M | M | M | M | link | |
2 | Design guidelines from Commonalities applied | O | M | M | M | ||
3 | Guidelines from ICM applied | O | M | M | M | ||
| 4 | API versioning convention applied | M | M | M | M | ||
5 | API documentation | M | M | M | M | link | |
6 | Basic API test cases & documentation | O | M | M | M | link | |
7 | Enhanced API test cases & documentation | O | O | O | M | link | |
8 | Test result statement | O | O | O | M | link | |
9 | API release numbering convention applied | M | M | M | M | ||
10 | Change log updated | M | M | M | M | link | |
11 | Previous public-release was certified | O | O | O | M |
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- Create a GitHub issue defining the scope of the API version targeted to be released. Descriptive information in this issue can be reused in the changelog/release notes.
- Create the API release tracker for the API version as describer here: API release trackers.
- On the main branch, develop the API version scope in a "work-in-progress mode" (API version = wip and version in URL is vwip).
- pre-releases for one or more alpha API versions may be created between M1 and M3
- For M3, the pre-release PR is created which contains the first release-candidate API version (see details in section Create the (pre-)release PR below)
- pre-releases for one or more release-candidate API versions may be created between M3 and M4
- For M4, the release PR is created which contains the first public API version (see details in section Create the (pre-)release PR below)
- During above development (M1-M3) and test (M3-M4), make sure to create and record the required release assets according to the API-Readiness-Checklist.
- Manage the "release PR" approval, merge the approved "release PR" and create the release.
- The supporting GitHub release is created using the GitHub release feature.
- The release tag shall be named with the next release number and shall have the following format: rx.y
- The x.y number shall follow the release numbering scheme as defined in the above section on Release Numbering.
- Outside the project, the release shall be referred to by the API repository name (for definition see the section on API versioning) followed by the release number e.g. quality-on-demand rx.y
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To create a (pre-)release of teh API's repository, first a "(pre-)release PR" (linked to the associated PR issue) must be created to do a (pre-)release of the API's repository:
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A “(pre-)release PR” does not change the content of what is in the repository
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. Hence a “(pre-)release PR” provides (only) the following changes:
- the update of the version information in the API OAS definition file(s) within the repository
- for a release PR, no API in the repository shall contain “wip” within the version field in the API OAS definition file
- at least the version of one API will be changed with respect to the previous release (otherwise there is no sense in doing a release)
- the update of the <API name>-API-Readiness-Checklist.md which confirms the availability of all release assets required for the (pre-)release. For details, see the explanations on the API readiness checklist above.
- the update of the Changelog.md in the repository with new content on all APIs at the top for the most recent release:
- for an alpha API version, the delta with respect to the previous release
- for the first release-candidate, all changes since the release of the previous public API version
- for a subsequent release-candidate, the delta with respect to the previous release
- for a public API version, the consolidated changes since the release of the previous public API version
- the update of the README.md (as necessary)
Manage the release PR approval
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