The Release Management process targets the creation of public releases of API versions, aligned with the Commonalities and ICM release in a given meta-release.
...
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
release | The release of an API version consists in the creation of a GitHub release of the API's repository, with a release tag and (optionally for alpha) a release package. A release can be created for any alpha, release-candidate or public API version. No releases can be created for wip API versions. |
pre-release | The term pre-release is used to refer to the release of any of the alpha or release-candidate API versions. NOTE: all pre-releases are publicly available in the CAMARA GitHub and can be used AT THE USER'S OWN RISK, as changes may happen to such API versions without notice. |
alpha release | The term alpha release is used to refer to the release of an alpha API version. |
release candidate | The term release candidate is used to refer to the release of a release-candidate API version. |
public release | The term public release is used to refer to the release of a public API version. It can have the status initial or stable. |
initial public-release | An initial public release only exists for new APIs. It concerns the release of public APIs versions with x = 0 (0.y.z without version extension). A public release is called "initial" to indicate that the API version has not yet reached full maturity, but is considered stable enough to be proposed for use in commercial applications. However, the user shall be informed that subsequent API versions may require code changes to their applications. Initial public releases can be
|
stable public-release | A stable public release concerns an API version released after its stability has been demonstrated through
Stable public releases concern the API versions recommended for use in commercial applications. The user can expect that subsequent public API versions will be backward-compatible with the one they are using, unless explicitly announced otherwise. |
meta-release | A meta-release is a set of public of API versions released at a given point in time (Spring and Fall). All API versions of a given meta-release shall be aligned to the public releases of the Commonalities and Identity and Consent Management (ICM) documentation included in that same meta-release. |
maintenance release | The term maintenance release is used to refer to the release of a patch update of a released public API version. |
release tag | A release tag is a GitHub tag placed on the main or a maintenance branch that identifies a release of the API version's repository. |
| release package | A release package is a zip file of the repository created using the GitHub release mechanism together with the release tag. It contains a snapshot of the full API Sub Project repository with the content indicated by the release tag. |
| API release tracker | An API release tracker is a page that provides the visibility on the progress of the release of a given API version. Each API version under release by an API Sub Project shall have its tracker under their API Sub Project's API Release Tracking page. |
API releases
| progress of the release of a given API version. Each API version under release by an API Sub Project shall have its tracker under their API Sub Project's API Release Tracking page. |
API releases
To prepare the release of a public API version, at least two intermediate API versions must be (pre-)released as follows:
- M3: the first release-candidate API version implementing the defined API scope for the release (achieved through one or more alpha releases), agreed stable for functional testing and aligned to the Commonalities and ICM (M1) alpha releases.
- M4: the final release-candidate API version ready for meta-release approval, aligned to the Commonalities and ICM (M2) final release candidates, input to subsequent public release.
Additional pre-releases can be created by an API Sub Project as they see fit.
In preparation of the release of a public API a public API version, an API Sub Project can create as many wip, alpha and release-candidate API versions as needed for API development and testing. The API versioning is done as described in the API versioning guidelines here: API versioning.
...
Technically, an API release is created using GitHub features and requires:
- A GitHub issue for the release
- A "release PR" associated to this issue
- If required (see table below), a GitHub release package (zip file of the whole API Sub Project repository)
- A GitHub release tag with the release name rx.y
API release numbering
API release numbers are GitHub tags of the format "rx.y".
...
In case that an update to a public API version x.y.z is required, the patched public API version x.y.z+1 shall be created through a maintenance release on a separate branch referred to as a maintenance branch.
NOTE: a patch is the only case for which a separate branch is created and maintained in the API Sub Project (not counting working branches).
Create the release PR
To create an API release, first a "release PR" (linked to the associated PR issue) must be created to do a release of the API's repository:
...
- 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 (alpha, release-candidate, initial public release or stable public release)
- 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 alpha release or release candidate 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 alpha release or release candidate may not yet provide all mandatory release assets for the release type.
- NOTE: the checklists of a (final) release candidate of an API version and the checklist of its subsequent public release are the same, while additional release assets are required for a subsequent stable public release of the API version.
Explanations
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: Commonalities/documentation/SupportingDocuments/CHANGELOG_TEMPLATE.md . |
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. |
...
Note 2: the addition of a Security review release asset beyond the Commonalities linting rules is for further study.
Release checklist
...
The following table indicates the assets of the API readiness checklist that need to be provided for the release of an API version depending on
...