Create releasing guidelines

README.md

@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ Godog is a community driven Open Source Project within the Cucumber organization
 
 See the [contributing guide] for more detail on how to get started.
 
+See the [releasing guide] for release flow details.
+
 ## Getting help
 
 We have a [community Slack] where you can chat with other users, developers, and BDD practitioners.
@@ -595,4 +597,5 @@ A simple example can be [found here](/_examples/custom-formatter).
 [cucumber]: https://cucumber.io/ "Behavior driven development framework"
 [license]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_License "The MIT license"
 [contributing guide]: https://github.com/cucumber/godog/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md
+[releasing guide]: https://github.com/cucumber/godog/blob/main/RELEASING.md
 [community Slack]: https://cucumber.io/community#slack

RELEASING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Releasing Guidelines for Cucumber Godog
+
+This document provides guidelines for releasing new versions of Cucumber Godog. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth and consistent release process.
+
+## Versioning
+
+Cucumber Godog follows [Semantic Versioning]. Version numbers are in the format `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`.
+
+- **MAJOR**: Incompatible API changes.
+- **MINOR**: Backward-compatible new features.
+- **PATCH**: Backward-compatible bug fixes.
+
+## Release Process
+
+1. **Update Changelog:**
+    - Open `CHANGELOG.md` and add an entry for the upcoming release formatting according to the principles of [Keep A CHANGELOG].
+    - Include details about new features, enhancements, and bug fixes.
+
+2. **Run Tests:**
+    - Run the test suite to ensure all existing features are working as expected.
+
+3. **Manual Testing for Backwards Compatibility:**
+    - Manually test the new release with external libraries that depend on Cucumber Godog.
+    - Look for any potential backwards compatibility issues, especially with widely-used libraries.
+    - Address any identified issues before proceeding.
+
+4. **Tagging:**
+    - Create a new annotated tag for the release.
+      ```
+      git tag -a vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH -m "Version MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH"
+      ```
+
+5. **Push Changes:**
+    - Push the new tag to the GitHub repository.
+      ```
+      git push origin vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
+      ```
+
+6. **Create Release on GitHub:**
+    - Go to the [Releases] page on GitHub.
+    - Click on "Draft a new release."
+    - Tag version should be set to the newly created tag.
+    - Title the release using the version number (e.g., "vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH").
+    - Click 'Generate release notes'
+
+7. **Publish Release:**
+    - Click "Publish release" to make the release public.
+
+8. **Announce the Release:**
+    - Make an announcement on relevant communication channels (e.g., [community Slack]) about the new release.
+
+## Additional Considerations
+
+- **Documentation:**
+    - Update the project documentation on the [website], if applicable.
+
+- **Deprecation Notices:**
+    - If any features are deprecated, clearly document them in the release notes and provide guidance on migration.
+
+- **Compatibility:**
+    - Clearly state any compatibility requirements or changes in the release notes.
+
+- **Feedback:**
+    - Encourage users to provide feedback and report any issues with the new release.
+
+Following these guidelines, including manual testing with external libraries, will help ensure a thorough release process for Cucumber Godog, allowing detection and resolution of potential backwards compatibility issues before tagging the release.
+
+[community Slack]: https://cucumber.io/community#slack
+[website]: https://cucumber.github.io/godog/
+[Releases]: https://github.com/cucumber/godog/releases
+[Semantic Versioning]: http://semver.org
+[Keep A CHANGELOG]: http://keepachangelog.com