VM v5 Release Preparation and Process

[holgerd77]

Follow-up issue on #681, will close there since issue is over-used and gotten clustered over time, still valuable reference though.

We are closing in on the release of VM v5 and related libraries into the @ethereumjs/[LIBRARY_NAME] namespace with several major releases. This issue is to keep track on the last to be applied changes and follow up on the process.

Procedure

Suggested procedure is to do a beta release series mid or end next week (CW42), then collect feedback and either follow up with a second beta - eventually RCs (to be decided on the nature of the feedback received) and target the final releases for two weeks later (CW44).

• Beta Releases for CW42 (Oct 12-18)
• Final Releases for CW44 (Oct 26 - Nov 1)

Remaining TODOs

• The ethereumjs-config v2.0 update, Updates to ethereumjs-config v2.0.0 (old) #886 , @evertonfraga
• The block refactor, Block library refactoring #883 , @ryanio, eventually @jochem-brouwer
• Integrate the new Util.Account class from the work on Add Account class ethereumjs-util#275 by @ryanio, Replace account package with ethereumjs-util Account #911
  • Remove all remaining code dependencies from the monorepo, integrate new Util Account class, @ryanio
  • Remove the account package from packages, remove CI integrations, @ryanio
• Integrate new Util.Address class from the work on Introduce Address type ethereumjs-util#186 by @s1na and @ryanio, @ryanio
• Final defineProperties removal check, follow-up PRs (candidate to somewhat postpone release process), @ryanio
• Short exchange on the source map question would likely make sense, Sources for source-maps are missing in distributed packages #902 -> Decided to be optional respectively non-blocking for the release process (eventually integrate after dev releases)
• Integrate new build process (ES2017/browser builds) from Upgrade primary build target to ES2017, add browser build ethereumjs-config#28 (PR by @ryanio), @cgewecke, Add browser field to package.json's of modules with browser builds #921

Releases

Process Checklist

0. Work down package dependency graph on releases, start with Common
1. Update CHANGELOG on completeness adding missing PRs merged since latest release date
2. Bump version in package.json, bump monorepo versions of all dependencies and devDependencies to released versions, on final releases re-introduce caret ^ dependency range!
3. Update the respective README from package folder to match to be released version
4. Rebuild documentation
5. Run linting
6. Check diff
7. Commit everything
8. Take a breath. 🌿 🌻 🐹
9. Go to 0., repeat for all packages

=> Push. Review. Merge.

0. Work down package dependency graph on releases, start with Common
1. Build locally, one final test run, check package contents with npm pack
2. Release from package folders manually with npm publish [--tag beta] (latest tag replacement: on non-final releases (beta, rc,...), exception: first round of scoped package releases)
3. Check everything on the respective npm package site
4. Add release on GitHub:

• Tag e.g. @ethereumjs/common@2.0.0-beta.1 towards master
• Title e.g. @ethereumjs/common v2.0.0-beta.1
• CHANGELOG description from the raw CHANGELOG.md, add beta header
• Mark as pre-release!!!

8. Take a breath. 🌿 🌻 🐹
9. Go to 0., repeat for all packages

Release Checklist

Will take the current npm packages as main links.

• VM ethereumjs-vm v4.2.0 -> @ethereumjs/vm v5.0.0
  • v5.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • v5.0.0-beta.2 Release
  • v5.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v5.0.0 Release
• Block ethereumjs-block v2.2.2 -> @ethereumjs/block v3.0.0
  • v3.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • v3.0.0-beta.2 Release
  • v3.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v3.0.0 Release
• Blockchain ethereumjs-blockchain v4.0.4 -> @ethereumjs/blockchain v5.0.0
  • v5.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • v5.0.0-beta.2 Release
  • v5.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v5.0.0 Release
• Common ethereumjs-common v1.5.2 -> @ethereumjs/common v2.0.0
  • v2.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • v2.0.0-beta.2 Release
  • v2.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v2.0.0 Release
• Ethash ethashjs v0.0.8 -> @ethereumjs/ethash v1.0.0
  • v1.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • No beta.2 release planned
  • v1.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v1.0.0 Release
• Tx ethereumjs-tx v2.1.2 -> @ethereumjs/tx v3.0.0
  • v3.0.0-beta.1 Release
  • v3.0.0-beta.2 Release
  • v3.0.0-rc.1 Release
  • v3.0.0 Release

🍀

[holgerd77]

Closed by #962