Development Focus -----------------

We just passed feature freeze! Until release branches are cut, you should stop accepting featureful changes to deliverables following the cycle-with-rc release model, or to libraries. Exceptions should be discussed on separate threads on the mailing-list, and feature freeze exceptions approved by the team's PTL.

Focus should be on finding and fixing release-critical bugs, so that release candidates and final versions of the 2023.2 Bobcat deliverables can be proposed, well ahead of the final 2023.2 Bobcat release date.

General Information -------------------

We are still finishing up processing a few release requests, but the 2023.2 Bobcat release requirements are now frozen. If new library releases are needed to fix release-critical bugs in 2023.2 Bobcat, you must request a Requirements Freeze Exception (RFE) from the requirements team before we can do a new release to avoid having something released in 2023.2 Bobcat that is not actually usable. This is done by posting to the openstack-discuss mailing list with a subject line similar to:

[$PROJECT][requirements] RFE requested for $PROJECT_LIB

Include justification/reasoning for why a RFE is needed for this lib. If/when the requirements team OKs the post-freeze update, we can then process a new release.

A soft String freeze is now in effect, in order to let the I18N team do the translation work in good conditions. In Horizon and the various dashboard plugins, you should stop accepting changes that modify user-visible strings. Exceptions should be discussed on the mailing-list. By September 28th, 2023 this will become a hard string freeze, with no changes in user-visible strings allowed.

Actions -------

stable/2023.2 branches should be created soon for all not-already-branched libraries. You should expect 2-3 changes to be proposed for each: a .gitreview update, a reno update (skipped for projects not using reno), and a tox.ini constraints URL update. Please review those in priority so that the branch can be functional ASAP.

The Prelude section of reno release notes is rendered as the top level overview for the release. Any important overall messaging for 2023.2 Bobcat changes should be added there to make sure the consumers of your release notes see them.

Upcoming Deadlines & Dates --------------------------

RC1 deadline: September 14th, 2023 (R-3 week) Final RC deadline: September 28th, 2023 (R-1 week) Final 2023.2 Bobcat release: October 4th, 2023 2024.1 Caracal Virtual PTG - October 23-27, 2023

Előd Illés irc: elodilles @ #openstack-release