Running the Endgame

Each iteration closes with an endgame.

Duties of the endgame master

Proactive communication is key to a smooth and successful endgame.

• update iteration plan issue with the endgame schedule (see template below and potentially last month's schedule)
  • ensure each plan item is linked to a test item
• discuss the endgame schedule in Monday's planning call
  • find an endgame buddy in the other lab
  • determine the pool of testers and their availability
• ensure each test item has meaningful content
• assign test items to testers (usually platform specific); ensure fair distribution across testers (see this example)
• communicate test assignments in the release slack channel by posting the test item queries (example query)
• communicate end of day progress in the release slack by communicating
  • the number of issues filed
  • the number of test items not yet completed (example query)
  • number of issues to be verified
• assign owners to checklist items for each day (if not owned by the endgame master)
• track progress on test items and checklist items
• adjust schedule, particularly the publishing dates, based on defects found, fixes made, holidays, vacations, etc.

Schedule Template

• Month/Day Code freeze for the endgame
• Month/Day Endgame done

Monday

• Code freeze at 5pm PT
• Ensure we have a green build on all platforms
• All test items contain sufficiently comprehensive test descriptions by 6pm PT

Tuesday

• Test build starts at 7am CET / 10pm PT on Monday
• Test plan ready by 8am CET / 11pm PT on Monday
• Testing

Wednesday

• Testing
• Remind team members to assign issues that they intend to fix to the July milestone
• Fixing (self-assigned, milestone assigned)
• Verification

Thursday

• Fixing (scrutiny sets in - major bugs only - to be discussed in stand-up meeting, labeled as candidate)
• Verification
• Update release notes
  • release notes are collected in a file named Major_Minor.md in this repo directory
• Add/update shrink-wrap files for built-in extensions if needed (see instructions)
• Update OSSREADME.json for built-in extensions based on differences to generated npm-shrinkwrap.json files if needed
• Run OSS tool after merging shrink-wrap findings @owner
  • The LCA review of the ThirdPartyNotices.txt files is not needed anymore
• Check new OSS usage is entered into the OSS registry @owner

Friday

• Pause scheduled insider builds @zurich
• Satellite modules/npm packages ready, version updated, smoke tested
  • vscode @bpasero
  • yo generator @aeschli
  • vsce @joaomoreno
  • node debug @weinand
• Translation input - @dbaeumer
• All issues verified
• Fixing (only critical bugs - no string changes)
• Smoketest
  • Windows - @owner
  • OS X - @owner
  • Linux - @owner
• All release notes updated
  • release notes are collected in a file named Month_Year.md in this repo directory
• Acknowledge pull requests in release notes. We acknowledge PRs from outside the team. owner
• Mention notable fixes in the release notes @all
• When done fixing/verifying and there are changes since last build at the end of day PT
  • Trigger new insider build and publish it manually @owner

Friday/Monday

• Branch code to `release/<x.y> @zurich
• Announce master is open for business @zurich
• Polish release notes @redmond

Monday/Tuesday

• Publish Insider with hand-picked and reviewed candidate fixes @owner

Thursday/Friday

• Merge translations @zurich
• Rebuild for all platforms @owner
• Sanity check of installable bits
  • Windows
    • signed installer @owner
    • zip @owner
  • OS X - @owner
  • Linux
    • deb package 32-bit @owner
    • deb package 64-bit @owner
    • rpm package 64-bit @owner
    • rpm package 32-bit @owner
    • archives @owner
• Publish website @gregvanl
• Publish to stable @owner
• Add a git tag to HEAD of release/<x.y> in format x.y.z
• Enable scheduled insider builds @owner
• Twitter announcement @seanmcbreen

OS Test Availability

Name	GitHub Alias	Linux	Mac	Windows
Alex	@alexandrudima			x
Andre	@weinand	x	x	x
Ben	@bpasero	x	x	x
Brad	@bgashler1	x	x	x
Chris	@cdias	x	x	x
Christof	@chrmarti	x	x	x
Daniel	@tyriar	x	x	x
Dirk	@dbaeumer			x
Erich	@egamma			x
Greg	@gregvanl	x	x	x
Isidor	@isidorn	x	x	x
Joao	@joaomoreno	x	x	x
Johannes	@jrieken	x	x	x
Kai	@kieferrm	x	x	x
Martin	@aeschli	x	x	x
Peng	@rebornix	x	x	x
Pine	@octref	x	x	x
Ramya	@ramya-rao-a	x	x	x
Rob	@roblourens	x	x	x
Sandeep	@sandy081	x	x	x
Sean	@seanmcbreen	x	x	x
Steven	@stevencl			x
Wade	@waderyan	x	x	x

Dev Matrix

[ ] @alexandrudima	[ ] @weinand	[ ] @bpasero	[ ] @chrmarti
[ ] @tyriar	[ ] @dbaeumer	[ ] @egamma	[ ] @isidorn
[ ] @joaomoreno	[ ] @jrieken	[ ] @kieferrm	[ ] @aeschli
[ ] @rebornix	[ ] @octref	[ ] @ramya-rao-a	[ ] @roblourens
[ ] @sandy081