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+# Hello Minecraft! Launcher Release Schedule
+
+<!-- #BEGIN LANGUAGE_SWITCHER -->
+**English** | [中文](ReleaseSchedule_zh.md)
+<!-- #END LANGUAGE_SWITCHER -->
+
+This document describes the HMCL version release schedule starting from October 2025.
+
+## Versioning Rules
+
+### Version Branches
+
+HMCL has multiple **version branches**, each named in the format `<major>.<minor>` (e.g., `3.7`).
+
+The major version is incremented only when there are significant architectural changes in HMCL,
+while the minor version is incremented regularly according to the release schedule.
+
+### Version Types
+
+HMCL has two types of versions: **Stable** and **Development**.
+
+#### Stable Version
+
+The HMCL stable version is suitable for users who prioritize software stability.
+New features are merged into the stable version only after thorough testing.
+
+The stable version number follows the naming rule `<version branch>.<build number>` (e.g., `3.7.1`).
+The build number is calculated independently for each version branch.
+
+#### Development Version
+
+The HMCL development version is suitable for users who want to experience new features first.
+The development version includes the latest features and bug fixes,
+but may also have more issues due to insufficient testing.
+
+The development version follows the naming rule `<version branch>.0.<build number>` (e.g., `3.7.0.300`).
+The build number is shared globally across all version branches.
+
+## Release Channels
+
+HMCL has two main release channels: **Stable Channel** and **Development Channel**.
+They are used to release the HMCL stable and development versions, respectively.
+
+To test HMCL versions before official release, we will push updates to some users in advance.
+Users can enable the "Preview HMCL versions in advance" option on the "Settings > General" page to receive preview updates from the corresponding channel.
+
+## Release Model
+
+```mermaid
+gantt
+    title HMCL Version Lifecycle (Example)
+    section 3.9
+        Development Phase: a1, 2025-11-15, 30d
+        Preview Phase: a2, after a1, 16d
+        Stable Release: milestone, after a2, 0d
+        Maintenance Phase: a3, after a2, 31d
+    section 3.10
+        Development Phase: b1, after a1, 31d
+        Preview Phase: b2, after b1, 16d
+        Stable Release: milestone, after b2, 0d
+        Maintenance Phase: b3, after b2, 31d
+    section 3.11
+        Development Phase: c1, after b1, 31d
+        Preview Phase: c2, after c1, 16d
+        Stable Release: milestone, after c2, 0d
+        Maintenance Phase: c3, after c2, 30d
+```
+
+In general, we release a new version branch every month,
+and each version branch `x.y` has a lifecycle of two and a half months.
+
+The lifecycle of each version branch is divided into the following stages:
+
+1. **Development Phase** (Mid-month M ~ Mid-month M+1)
+
+   During this phase, the version is developed in the Git branch `main`.
+
+   Typically, we release a development version `x.y.0.<build number>` based on this branch every week,
+   which includes all features and bug fixes merged during the week.
+
+2. **Preview Phase** (Mid-month M+1 ~ End of month M+1)
+
+   In mid-month M+1, we fork the `main` branch to create the `release/x.y` branch,
+   which corresponds to the fixed version branch `x.y`.
+
+   At the same time, the version branch corresponding to the `main` branch is incremented to `x.y♯`,
+   entering the development phase of the next version branch.
+
+   After the fork, no new features will be added to this version branch;
+   only bug fixes and data updates will be made.
+
+   Within a few days, we will release a stable preview version `x.y.1` and
+   push it to users in the stable channel who have enabled preview updates.
+
+   Before the end of month M+1, the stable version corresponding to version branch `x.y` will remain in preview status.
+   If issues are found during the preview, we will release and push new stable preview versions (such as `x.y.2`, `x.y.3`, etc.) after fixing them.
+
+3. **Stable Release** (End of month M+1)
+
+   At the end of month M+1, if there are no unexpected issues, we will promote the latest stable preview `x.y.z` to the official release and push it to all users in the stable channel.
+
+4. **Maintenance Phase** (Month M+2)
+
+   In month M+2, version branch `x.y` enters the maintenance phase.
+   We will release stable updates irregularly based on the number and severity of issues fixed,
+   and push them to all users in the stable channel.
+
+   At the end of month M+2, after the official release of the stable version corresponding to version branch `x.y♯`, the lifecycle of version branch `x.y` ends, the Git branch `release/x.y` is
+   archived, and no longer receives updates.
+
+## Long-Term Support Version Branches
+
+Some special version branches are selected as Long-Term Support (LTS) branches.
+Their lifecycle does not end with the official release of the next version branch's stable version.
+We will continue to backport necessary patches to these branches for a longer period.
+
+List of Long-Term Support Version Branches:
+
+| Version Branch | Official Release Date | End of Lifecycle | Current Support Status | Notes                                                                                                                                |
+|----------------|:---------------------:|:----------------:|:----------------------:|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| 3.6            |   November 23, 2024   |       TBD        |       Supported        | This is the last version branch that supports running on Java 8.<br>It is suitable for users on legacy platforms such as Windows XP. |

docs/ReleaseSchedule_zh.md

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+# Hello Minecraft! Launcher 发布计划
+
+<!-- #BEGIN LANGUAGE_SWITCHER -->
+[English](ReleaseSchedule.md) | **中文**
+<!-- #END LANGUAGE_SWITCHER -->
+
+本文介绍了自 2025 年 10 月起的 HMCL 版本发布计划。
+
+## 版本规则
+
+### 版本分支
+
+HMCL 存在多个**版本分支**，每个版本分支都以 `<主版本号>.<次版本号>` 的形式命名 (例如 `3.7`)。
+
+其中，主版本号仅在 HMCL 发生重大架构变化时递增，次版本号会根据发布计划定时递增。
+
+### 版本类型
+
+HMCL 具有两种版本类型: **稳定版**和**开发版**。
+
+#### 稳定版
+
+HMCL 稳定版适合优先追求软件稳定性的用户使用。新功能在经过充分测试后才会被合并到稳定版中。
+
+HMCL 稳定版版本号遵循 `<版本分支>.<构建号>` 的命名规则 (例如 `3.7.1`)。其中构建号对每个版本分支独立计算。
+
+#### 开发版
+
+HMCL 开发版适合希望优先体验新功能的用户使用。开发版会包含最新功能和 BUG 修复，但因为未经过充分测试，也可能会存在更多问题。
+
+HMCL 开发版遵循 `<版本分支>.0.<构建号>` 的命名规则 (例如 `3.7.0.300`)。其中构建号对所有版本分支全局共享。
+
+## 发布通道
+
+HMCL 具有两个主要发布通道：**稳定版通道**和**开发版通道**。
+它们分别用于发布 HMCL 稳定版和开发版。
+
+为了在正式发布前测试 HMCL 版本，我们会向部分用户优先推送更新。
+用户可以在「设置 > 通用」页面中打开「提前预览 HMCL 版本」选项以接收到对应通道的预览更新。
+
+## 发布模型
+
+```mermaid
+gantt
+    title HMCL 版本生命周期 (示例)
+    section 3.9
+        开发阶段: a1, 2025-11-15, 30d
+        预览阶段: a2, after a1, 16d
+        稳定版发布: milestone, after a2, 0d
+        维护阶段: a3, after a2, 31d
+    section 3.10
+        开发阶段: b1, after a1, 31d
+        预览阶段: b2, after b1, 16d
+        稳定版发布: milestone, after b2, 0d
+        维护阶段: b3, after b2, 31d
+    section 3.11
+        开发阶段: c1, after b1, 31d
+        预览阶段: c2, after c1, 16d
+        稳定版发布: milestone, after c2, 0d
+        维护阶段: c3, after c2, 30d
+```
+
+通常情况下，我们每个月发布一个版本分支，每个版本分支 `x.y` 生命周期为两个半月。
+
+每个版本分支生命周期分为以下阶段:
+
+1. **开发阶段** (M 月中旬 ~ M+1 月中旬)
+
+   在此阶段，该版本在 Git 分支 `main` 中进行开发。
+
+   通常情况下，我们每周都会基于该分支发布一个开发版 `x.y.0.<构建号>`，其中包含当周合并的所有功能和错误修复。
+
+2. **预览阶段** (M+1 月中旬 ~ M+1 月底)
+
+   在 M+1 月中旬，我们会基于 Git 分支 `main` 分叉出分支 `release/x.y`，其对应的版本分支固定为 `x.y`。
+
+   与此同时，Git 分支 `main` 对应的版本分支递增至 `x.y♯`，进入下一个版本分支的开发版阶段。
+
+   在完成分叉后，该版本分支不会新增更多功能，只会进行错误修复和数据更新。
+
+   我们会在数日内发布稳定版预览 `x.y.1`，并将其推送给稳定版通道且接受预览更新的用户。
+
+   在 M+1 月底前，版本分支 `x.y` 对应的稳定版将一直保持预览状态。
+   若在预览过程中发现问题，我们会在修复后发布并推送新稳定版预览 (如 `x.y.2`、`x.y.3` 等)。
+
+3. **稳定版发布** (M+1 月底)
+
+   在 M+1 月底，如果没有意外情况，我们会将最新的稳定版预览 `x.y.z` 提升为正式版本，推送给稳定版通道的全部用户。
+
+4. **维护阶段** (M+2 月)
+
+   在 M+2 月，版本分支 `x.y` 进入维护阶段。我们会根据修复的问题数量和严重程度不定期地发布稳定版更新，并推送给稳定版通道的全部用户。
+
+   在 M+2 月底，版本分支 `x.y♯` 对应的稳定版正式发布后，版本分支 `x.y` 生命周期结束，Git 分支 `release/x.y` 被存档，不再接受更新。
+
+## 长期支持版本分支
+
+部分特殊版本分支会被我们选择为长期支持 (LTS) 版本分支，
+其生命周期不会因为下一个版本分支对应的稳定版正式发布而结束。
+我们会在更长的时间中继续为这些分支移植必要的补丁。
+
+长期支持版本分支列表：
+
+| 版本分支 |      正式发布日期      | 生命周期结束日期 | 当前受支持状态 | 备注                                                       |
+|------|:----------------:|:--------:|:-------:|:---------------------------------------------------------|
+| 3.6  | 2024 年 11 月 23 日 |    未定    |   支持中   | 这是最后一个支持使用 Java 8 运行的版本分支，<br>该版本分支适用于 Windows XP 等旧平台用户 |