To release the Free plugin, ensure you complete all the tasks below.
Pre-release Checklist
[x] Create the release branch as release-<version> from the development branch.
[x] Review and merge all relevant Pull Requests into the release branch.
[x] Update the version number to a beta version in the main plugin file as per tech documentation, and commit to the release branch.
[x] Start a dev-workspace session.
[x] Run composer update (updating root and lib vendors).
[x] Review updated packages and mention any production library updates in the changelog.
[x] Inspect GitHub’s Dependabot warnings or Pull Requests. Resolve any false positives, then fix and commit the remaining issues.
[x] If needed, build JS files for production using composer build:js and commit changes.
[x] Run a code quality check with composer check and fix the highlighted issues.
[x] Update the language files with composer gen:lang and note this in the changelog.
[x] For minor and patch releases, maintain backward compatibility (e.g., renamed or moved classes, namespaces, functions). Include deprecation comments and note this in the changelog. Major releases may remove deprecated code; always note this in the changelog.
[x] Update the changelog in /CHANGELOG.md with a user-friendly description and correct release date.
[x] Update the changelog in readme.txt, maintaining records of the last 4-5 releases only.
[x] Confirm there are no uncommitted changes.
[x] Build the zip package with composer build, creating a new beta package in the ./dist directory.
[x] Distribute the new package to the team for testing.
Deployment Checklist
[x] Update the version number to a stable version in the main plugin file and readme.txt as per tech documentation, and commit to the release branch.
[ ] If anything changed in the code after test package distribution, redo the pre-release checklist.
[ ] Build the final zip package with composer build, creating a new package in the ./dist directory.
[ ] Create and merge a Pull Request for the release branch into the main branch. Delete the release branch.
[ ] Establish the GitHub release on the main branch with the correct tag.
[ ] Merge the main branch into the develop branch.
[ ] Follow up with the deployment process on the GitHub Actions page.
[ ] Await WordPress's version number update and perform a final test by updating the plugin on a staging site.
To release the Free plugin, ensure you complete all the tasks below.
Pre-release Checklist
release-<version>from the development branch.composer update(updating root and lib vendors).composer build:jsand commit changes.composer checkand fix the highlighted issues.composer gen:langand note this in the changelog./CHANGELOG.mdwith a user-friendly description and correct release date.readme.txt, maintaining records of the last 4-5 releases only.composer build, creating a new beta package in the./distdirectory.Deployment Checklist
readme.txtas per tech documentation, and commit to the release branch.composer build, creating a new package in the./distdirectory.mainbranch. Delete the release branch.mainbranch with the correct tag.mainbranch into thedevelopbranch.