Backdrop 1.30.0-preview Release checklist

[jenlampton]

Scheduled for January 3rd, 2025 12-2pm PT

Pre-release tasks

• Update the end year in the "All Backdrop code is Copyright..." section towards the bottom of the README.md file. @quicksketch (Issue #6804: Updating copyright for 2025. backdrop#4975)
• Merge commits @quicksketch
• Create a new minor release milestone @jenlampton
• Move all unfinished issues to the next minor release milestone @jenlampton
• Review all closed issues in milestone: @jenlampton
  • Issue titles should include a complete, but very brief summary of the problem.
  • Bug issue titles should start with Fix or Fixed,
  • New feature issue titles should start with Add or Added.
  • Each issue should have accurate labels, especially the "type - " labels.
• Draft Release notes @jenlampton
  • Include a short, descriptive summary of the release, for example:
    • This is the preview release of Backdrop 1.16.0. Please use this version if you would like to help us test the features in the new version of Backdrop prior to the official release on January/May/September 15th, 20xx.
  • Include a section heading **Notes for updating**
    • Note if any changes were made to files outside the core directory, for example:
      • - No changes have been made to the `.htaccess`, `robots.txt` or default `settings.php` files in this release. Updating customized versions of those files is not necessary.
      • See this example for updates to .htaccess
      • See this example or this example for updates to settings.php
    • Note if updates (update.php) needs to be run, for example:
      • Use the text The database update script does **not** need to be run.
      • or **It will be necessary to run the update script** (located at /core/update.php) for this release.
      • Note: you can use this command to see if any install files were changed:
        ls -1 core/modules/*/*.install | while read filename; do echo "$(git log -1 --pretty="format:%ad %f" --date=format:"%F %R" -- $filename)" $filename; done|sort
  • Include a section heading **Changes since version 1.xx.x** are listed below.
    • navigate to Actions
    • Select the most recent time "Release Notes Generator" has been run.
    • Download the release-notes artifact attached to the generator.
    • Unzip the file, and copy/pate contents into release notes draft.
    • Re-word issue titles to indicate that the problems have been fixed.

Pre-release Publicity + documentation tasks

• Review issues for new features @jenlampton
  • Add a conclusion suitable for blog post + release notes
  • Add Documentation label if the feature needs to be documented (or needs docs to be updated)
  • Add Needs change record label if the the issue contains an API change.
  • Add Needs translation label if the the issue contains string translations.
• Draft blog post for release on the 15th @cellear or @ProfessorGram?
• Draft roadmap updates for backdropcms.org @klonos
• Update list of modules included in backdrop core
• Update list of modules included in backdrop_upgrade_status module @jenlampton
• Create new forum topic for feedback on the release @stpaultim

Release tasks

• Update bootstrap.inc with version number (e.g. 1.10.0-preview) @quicksketch
• Tag for release, and push tag to GitHub @quicksketch
  * Note: New incremented branch for development is usually created on release day
• Revert version number back on 1.x branch with the same minor number (e.g. 1.10.x-dev) @quicksketch
• Create release notes on GitHub Important: Check "This is a pre-release" checkbox when creating release @jenlampton

Website updates (optional)

• beta.backdropcms.org @bugfolder

Post-release Publicity + documentation tasks

• Tweet / toot / skeet that a preview release is out @stpaultim (Mastodon and Bluesky)
• Publish roadmap updates for backdropcms.org @klonos

See Also

• Minor Release Checklist (coming soon)

[quicksketch]

Release notes draft:

---

This is the preview release of Backdrop 1.30.0. Please use this version if you would like to help us test the features in the new version of Backdrop prior to the official release on January 15th, 2025.

Notes for updating

• The settings.php file has been modified in this release to add $settings['backup_directory']. See the creating backups documentation for more information. Adding this setting is optional.
• Changes have been made to the .htaccess file. No changes have been made to the robots.txt file in this release. Updating customized version of the .htaccess file is necessary.
• The database update script at /core/update.php does need to be run.

Changes since version 1.29.2 are listed below.

New features

• Add basic backup and restore functionality to update.php #2409
• Streamline login pages with options for no-tabs and simplified layout #6570
• Replace the token browser with the Fast Token Browser from contrib #6143 (see change record)
• Add a new SVG image for hero block in Basis #6752
• Add a preview of the background image to Hero block configuration forms #6736
• Add parent menu selector to menu add/edit link form #6390
• Add support for supplemental CSS selectors in Basis #4782
• Allow the "Book outline" vertical tab in the content create/edit form to be hidden #3638
• Convert "Recent content" block to a View #146

API improvements

• Switch to a simplified array syntax for database connection information in settings.php #2231 (see change record)
• Make the link_field Form API element reusable within custom forms #6693
• Make position of #description (help text) configurable in Form API #1403
• Add ability to track active CKEditor 5 instance #6770
• Allow tableselect element options to be disabled #6730
• Renamed hook_layout_info() to hook_layout_template_info() #6628

Miscellaneous changes

• Allow both front-end and back-end themes to use the new simplified login pages #6799
• Update CKEditor 5 to v44.1.0 #6695
• Increase minimum MySQL version to 5.5 #6724 (see change record)
• Update Block module label and description (in UI) #6781
• Cleanup OpenSans webfonts and update to latest version #6728
• Remove workaround for old MySQL bugs from schema.inc #6466
• Improve performance in node access query building #3775
• Add back "Maximize" button to Basic text format at install time #6382

Bug fixes

• Remove unused parameter $config_name from config_uninstall_config() #6175 (see change record)
• File installer.project_list.js uses deprecated ajaxComplete method #6785

The below address issues from 1.30.0-preview before it was released.

• Fixed "Backups are not available" message is not visible in update script.#6801
• Fixed error if $settings['backup_directory'] is commented out #6800
• Add #states property to link_field form element #6783
• Fixed Fast Token Browser Update hook name #6761

[jenlampton]

I have made a few changes to the notes, including:

moved No changes have been made to the .htaccess or robots.txt files in this release. Updating customized versions of those files is not necessary. into a separate bullet so that it is not lost.

Added the path core/update.php to the update script line.

Moved Update CKEditor 5 to v44.1.0 #6695 under MISC

Reworded a few issues.

[quicksketch]

Release notes look good.

The tag is cut at https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop/releases/tag/1.30.0-preview and ready for release.

[herbdool]

Actually .htaccess was changed so I've reworded that section.

[quicksketch]

Oh thank you @herbdool, you're right, we added the core/restore.php redirect. I updated https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop/releases/tag/1.30.0-preview

[izmeez]

The documentation page linked to on core update backups is very good, https://docs.backdropcms.org/documentation/creating-backups. Only one paragraph caused me to stumble:

Backdrop core updates are an convenient and simple tool for creating backups, and they put the backup process right where you need it most: when updating your site.

It might flow better as:

Backdrop core update backups are a convenient and simple tool to create backups, when you need it most: when updating your site.

[quicksketch]

Thanks @izmeez, updated!