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doc: update lts description in the collaborator guide #3668

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84 changes: 68 additions & 16 deletions COLLABORATOR_GUIDE.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -240,29 +240,81 @@ You can find more information [in the full LTS plan](https://github.com/nodejs/l

#### How does LTS work?

Once a stable branch enters LTS, no new features may be added to that release. Changes are
limited to bug fixes, security updates, possible npm updates, documentation updates, and certain
performance improvements that can be demonstrated to not break existing applications.
Semver-minor changes are only permitted if required for bug fixes. Semver-major changes are only
permitted if required for critical security and bug fixes.

Once a stable branch moves into Maintenance mode, only **critical** bugs, **critical** security fixes,
and documentation updates will be permitted.
Once a stable branch enters LTS, changes in that branch are limited to bug
fixes, security updates, possible npm updates, documentation updates, and
certain performance improvements that can be demonstrated to not break existing
applications. Semver-minor changes are only permitted if required for bug fixes
and then only on a case-by-case basis with LTS WG and possibly Core Technical
Committee (CTC) review. Semver-major changes are permitted only if required for
security related fixes.

Once a stable branch moves into Maintenance mode, only **critical** bugs,
**critical** security fixes, and documentation updates will be permitted.

#### Landing semver-minor commits in LTS

The default policy is to not land semver-minor or higher commits in any LTS
branch. However, the LTS WG or CTC can evaluate any individual semver-minor
commit and decide whether a special exception ought to be made. It is
expected that such exceptions would be evaluated, in part, on the scope
and impact of the changes on the code, the risk to ecosystem stability
incurred by accepting the change, and the expected benefit that landing the
commit will have for the ecosystem.

Any collaborator who feels a semver-minor commit should be landed in an LTS
branch should attach the `lts-agenda` label to the pull request. The LTS WG
will discuss the issue and, if necessary, will escalate the issue up to the
CTC for further discussion.

#### How are LTS Branches Managed?

There are currently three LTS branches: `v4.x`, `v0.10`, and `v0.12`. Each
of these is paired with a "staging" branch: `v4.x-staging`, `v0.10-staging`,
and `v0.12-staging`.

As commits land in `master`, they are cherry-picked back to each staging
branch as appropriate. If the commit applies only to the LTS branch, the
PR must be opened against the *staging* branch. Commits are selectively
pulled from the staging branch into the LTS branch only when a release is
being prepared and may be pulled into the LTS branch in a different order
than they were landed in staging.

Any collaborator may land commits into a staging branch, but only the release
team should land commits into the LTS branch while preparing a new
LTS release.

#### How can I help?

When you send your pull request, consider including information about
whether your change is breaking. If you think your patch can be backported,
please feel free to include that information in the PR thread.

#### Who is doing the backporting?

The current plan is for commits to cherry pick into a staging branch (e.g. v4.x-staging),
which can be done by anyone. The preference would be for the individual landing the commit
on master to backport to staging branches if it is appropriate.
Several LTS related issue and PR labels have been provided:

* `lts-watch-v4.x` - tells the LTS WG that the issue/PR needs to be considered
for landing in the `v4.x-staging` branch.
* `lts-watch-v0.10` - tells the LTS WG that the issue/PR needs to be considered
for landing in the `v0.10-staging` branch.
* `lts-watch-v0.12` - tells the LTS WG that the issue/PR needs to be considered
for landing in the `v0.12-staging` branch.
* `land-on-v4.x` - tells the release team that the commit should be landed
in a future v4.x release
* `land-on-v0.10` - tells the release team that the commit should be landed
in a future v0.10 release
* `land-on-v0.12` - tells the release team that the commit should be landed
in a future v0.12 release

Any collaborator can attach these labels to any PR/issue. As commits are

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I created new labels v0.10.x, v0.12.x, v4.x, v5.x and master to identify issues (only issues) that are confirmed on these respective versions. Are some of them duplicates of lts-watch-v4.x? I wouldn't think so, since lts-watch-v4.x seems to mean "consider landing this" instead of "this issue can be reproduced on this releases line", but I would like to avoid the use of too many labels that overlap each other.

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Yeah, I was stewing over that one a bit. Let's see how things shake out in real use then document the practice that emerges.

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Sounds good.

landed into the staging branches, the `lts-watch-` label will be removed.
Likewise, as commits are landed in a LTS release, the `land-on-` label will
be removed.

Collaborators are encouraged to help the LTS WG by attaching the appropriate
`lts-watch-` label to any PR that may impact an LTS release.

#### How is an LTS release cut?

When the LTS working group determines that a new LTS release is required, selected commits
will be picked from the staging branch to be included in the release. This process of making
a release will be a collaboration between the LTS working group and the Release team.
When the LTS working group determines that a new LTS release is required,
selected commits will be picked from the staging branch to be included in the
release. This process of making a release will be a collaboration between the
LTS working group and the Release team.