comaps/docs/RELEASE_MANAGEMENT.md

Release Management

Prepare release

A few days before the release

• start map generation
• raise release notes PR and ask for translations

Shortly before the release day

• merge a "[planet] Update map data to xxxxxx" PR with new countries.txt
• merge a meta-php PR with new maps data version
• make sure new maps files are on all CDN nodes
• smoke test map data for World and some regions
• merge (translated) release notes PR

Build a release for Android

Shortly before the release day

• update GP metadata (descriptions, screenshots..) some days before the release

On release day

• create a release branch release/2025.xx.yy

  • add a "[fdroid] Release version 2025.xx.yy-zz" commit
  • with a change to android/app/src/fdroid/play/version.yaml
  • take the version number from tools/unix/version.sh +1
  • e.g. with an added version bump commit it should match script's output

• tag the new release and push the tag to codeberg

  • the tag format is "v2025.08.13-4" (not the old "2025.08.13-4-android"!)
  • F-Droid will pickup the new tag (happens once a day)

• regenerate symbols

• regenerate drules

• update the world*.mwm

• build Google release bundle (./gradlew bundleGoogleRelease) - check the keys are Google upload / test (yes, they're the same at test keys)! upload to GP and submit for a review

• build Codeberg release (./gradlew -Parm32 -Parm64 assembleWebRelease, e.g. no x86) - check the keys are prod Codeberg / main!

• create a Codeberg release from the tag, upload the build, add relnotes

• Upload the release to Google and submit for review

• announce the release in TG channel, upload the build

Build a release for iOS

Shortly before the release day

• Add short iOS release notes to releases document
  • They should consist of the most important things in general, that will be new in this version
  • Those will be used for the App Store
  • They will be translated in a pull request together with the short Android release notes
• Add long iOS release notes to releases document
  • They should consist only of iOS-specific things, that will be new in this version
  • Include credits to the persons, who added those new things
• Add release with version number in App Store Connect
  • The version number should be the planned release date in yyyy.MM.dd format (like 2025.08.30)
• Update metadata in App Store Connect
  • Only include languages for which the App Store metadata has been completely translated

On release day

• Wait for the Android release to be prepared
• Pull the latest version form the repository
  • The same last commit like for the Android release should be used
• Edit versions and build number of the CoMaps and CoMapsWidgetExtension targets in Xcode
  • Use the same versions and build number of the Android release
• Select the build target Any iOS Device in Xcode
• Clean the build folder in Xcode
  • This can be done via Product / Clean Build Folder... in the menubar
• Manually regenerate the styles
  • ./tools/unix/generate_styles.sh
• Create the application archive in Xcode
  • This can be done via Product / Archive in the menubar
• Upload application to the App Store via the Xcode organizer
  • Choose the freshly created application archive, press Distribute App, select App Store Connect and follow the steps until the app is successfully uploaded
• Adjust the version in App Store Connect, if necessary
  • It should be the same version used in Xcode and for the Android release
• Add the short release notes in App Store Connect
  • The translations can be found in a translation pull request specific for that version
  • For the languages, which are fully translated for the App Store, but are missing translated release notes, use the English release notes
• Add the build to the release in App Store Connect
  • It might take a few minutes for the uploaded build to actually show up
• Submit the release to review
  • Don't forget the actual submission step after clicking on Add for Review
• Submit the same build to TestFlight review
• Wait for Apple approving the release and TestFlight build

After Apple's release approval

• Also release the build on TestFlight
• Notify everybody in the Zulip topic for that release about the App Store availability

Shortly after the release

Distribute to the French National library

• Build a google apk (with google flavord /web keys and only arm32/64 arches) for French National library
• Upload it to their sftp

Update json for TagInfo

• Run script to generate file
  • python tools/python/generate_taginfo.py
• Raise PR to add updated file
  • data/taginfo.json

Announcements

• Create a banner
• Upload banner to website news
• Announce the release to Telegram
• Create a post in social media
  • Reddit
  • Mastodon
  • etc.

Tools to upload metadata and screenshots on stores

Apple App Store

Upload metadata and screenshots to the App Store

Use Forgejo Actions.

Check metadata

Use Forgejo Actions.

Local check:

./tools/python/check_store_metadata.py ios

Downloading screenshots from the App Store

Get xcode/keys/appstore.json - App Store API Key.

Get screenshots/ - a repository with screenshots.

Download metadata:

cd xcode
./fastlane download_metadata

Download screenshots:

cd xcode
./fastlane download_screenshots

Google Play

Upload metadata and screenshots to Google Play

Use Forgejo Actions.

Checking metadata

Use Forgejo Actions.

Checking locally:

./tools/python/check_store_metadata.py android

Downloading metadata and screenshots from Google Play

Get android/google-play.json - Google Play API Key.

Get screenshots/ - a repository with screenshots.

Download metadata:

./tools/android/download_googleplay_metadata.sh