Release 12.0.0

[LukasHirt]

Tasks

• drop deprecated code ([full-ci] feat!: drop deprecated code #12686)
• create new stable-12 branch
• move changelog ([full-ci] chore: prepare 12.0.0 release #12693)
• bump version ([full-ci] chore: prepare 12.0.0 release #12693)
• create tags (https://github.com/owncloud/web/tree/v12.0.0)
• update version in oCIS
• backport version & changelog back to master from stable-12
• update deprecations issue (Deprecations #7338)

[andres-dejesus]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I noticed there hasn’t been a new release in the usual bi-weekly cadence. Just wondering if you're currently working on a major refactor, moving into maintenance mode, or scaling down development?

My team relies on the project, so I wanted to check in and get a sense of the direction to decide if it's the right time to start working on it separately.

Thanks, and appreciate all the work you've put into it!

[dj4oC]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I noticed there hasn’t been a new release in the usual bi-weekly cadence. Just wondering if you're currently working on a major refactor, moving into maintenance mode, or scaling down development?

My team relies on the project, so I wanted to check in and get a sense of the direction to decide if it's the right time to start working on it separately.

Thanks, and appreciate all the work you've put into it!

Dear @pascuflow
thank you very much for your question. Every place is perfect where we can pick it up ;)

Let me introduce myself first. Hi, I'm David, Director Special Projects at Kiteworks and ownCloud is one of my very special projects ;)

We are in a strategic transition right now, so I cannot unveil all of it, but I will give you some insight and maybe I can motivate you make one of your awesome interactive learning courses for ownCloud Infinite Scale Community?

Semi-Annual Major Releases

Going forward, two major releases will be issued every year (typically every six months).
These releases will include new features, architectural improvements, and the results of accepted change requests.

Feature Suggestions, Discovery, and Community Contributions

ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) follows a roadmap-driven development approach. Which means we welcome suggestions for new features that align with our long-term product vision.
If you have a use case you’d like us to consider, we offer Product Discovery Workshops. These workshops help clarify requirements, assess feasibility, and explore if and how your ideas fit into our strategic development plans.
We also actively encourage and support community contributions. oCIS is open source, and we are happy to collaborate with you on development and onboarding if you or your organization wish to contribute features directly.
Please note that the journey from idea to potential inclusion in a release depends on roadmap alignment, technical fit, and available capacity. From experience, the process of maturing an idea into an actionable feature typically takes several months.

Roadmap Commitment and Development Freeze

Once a change request has been accepted and the development phase begins, the roadmap is locked.
No changes or additions will be possible once implementation starts. This ensures a stable and predictable delivery timeline for all stakeholders.
Any further enhancements or adjustments must be submitted as part of a new discovery and planning cycle for a subsequent release.

General Availability and Next Cycle Kick-off

When a new major version becomes generally available, the lifecycle immediately restarts with the discovery phase for the one after next release and the developemt of the next release.
We encourage you to align your strategic planning with this rhythm to avoid missing windows for contribution or integration planning.

Ongoing Support: Patch Releases and Maintenance

Each major release will enter a approx. 12-month supported back-port phase, during which:
We will provide monthly patch releases, typically every fourth week.
These include relevant security updates, bug fixes, and minor quality-of-life improvements.
If there are no applicable fixes, no patch will be issued that month — otherwise, the cadence is consistent and predictable.
We strongly emphasize that these patch releases must be applied as soon as they are published. Delays in applying patches introduce operational risk and may compromise supportability.
To stay informed, we highly recommend subscribing to GitHub release notifications for the oCIS repositories you depend on. This ensures you receive timely updates without delay.
https://github.blog/changelog/2018-11-26-watch-releases/

If you have any further questions @pascuflow please feel free to do so

[andres-dejesus]

@dj4oC Hey David, nice to meet you—and thanks for the detailed explanation! I’d be interested in joining one of the workshops further down the line, once we have a clearer picture of our needs.

Just a bit of context: we’re an edtech startup primarily using ownCloud to let instructors upload and share course materials, as well as grade learner submissions. Since it’s a public-facing site targeting individual consumers, I had to implement a few workarounds for authenticating users and creating accounts via OIDC flows between ownCloud and our platform.

I’d be happy to help develop a course. At the moment, my understanding is mostly high-level and aligns closely with what’s already covered in your documentation. That said, as we scale and our needs continue to evolve, I expect to deepen my knowledge of the product—and with your guidance, I could help create videos, diagrams, and a deep dive into scaling with AWS, using the oCIS Event System, and more. That could be a valuable course, especially for startups or developers in the US who might need an open source file sharing system.

[dj4oC]

Hi @pascuflow
Thank you very much for your initiative and using owncloud Infinite Scale.

I would be very interested in understanding your integration. I would be very happy to catch up with you after my PTO. Would you mind to send me a LinkedIn request https://www.linkedin.com/in/dj-walter ?

Thank you very much