Release Roadmap

A bit of planning ahead...

What are these release numbers?

  Version number scheme:
   * first number: major release number
   * secondary number: minor release number (stable/development indicator)
   * third number: revision 
 
  Using this scheme, version numbers have a very clear meaning:
   * new revision == bugs have been fixed, go grab it and install it.
   * new minor == new features are available, source compatibility _and_ binary 
         compatibility for existing applications are garanteed
   * new major == beware! Old (ugly) libraries have been dropped. Database 
         compatibility may be broken, you have to migrate your database to 
         the new formats and adjust your custom scripts (next is GRASS 7)
 
  It is important to regularly release stable versions to get them included into
  the major software distributions.
 
  Motivation: release often - try 1-2 stable releases per year

What are branches and tags?

• see Working with SVN

Testing

• please take a look at Testing GRASS software

GRASS 5.4.x

 Note: 5.4.x is a release branch, separated from HEAD. It's frozen.
 Only critical bugs are fixed in the 5.5-CVS repository "grass", HEAD
 (note: grass6/ is a separate repository).

• GRASS 5.4.0 released 5 Nov 2004
• GRASS 5.4.1 released 26 Jul 2007 (announcement) - Courtesy release containing several bug fixes for legacy users
  • supports GRASS 6 WIND files (3D region settings don't cause an error)
• Post-5.4.1 (CVS, yet unreleased):
  • Fix definition of US survey foot
  • more precise conversions to feet, square miles and acres

GRASS 6.0.x

  Note: 6.0.x is a release branch, separated from HEAD. It's frozen and closed.

• GRASS 6.0.0 released 10 Mar 2005
• GRASS 6.0.1 released 22 Aug 2005
• GRASS 6.0.2 released 22 Feb 2006
• no longer actively maintained since 6.2.0 was published

GRASS 6.1.x

  Note: 6.1.x is a release branch (tag: "releasebranch_6_1"), separated from HEAD.
  It's frozen and closed.

• GRASS 6.1 Feature Plan
• GRASS 6.1.0 released 11 Aug 2006

GRASS 6.2.x

  Note: 6.2.x is a release branch (tag: "releasebranch_6_2"), separated from HEAD.
  It's frozen, only critical bugs will be fixed.

• GRASS 6.2 Feature Plan
• 6.2.0beta1 released 28 August 2006
• 6.2.0beta2 released 30 August 2006
• 6.2.0beta3 released 18 September 2006
• 6.2.0RC1 released 26 September 2006
• 6.2.0RC2 released 6 October 2006
• 6.2.0RC3 released 24 October 2006
• 6.2.0 released 31 October 2006
• 6.2.1 released 12 December 2006
• 6.2.2RC1 released 29 May 2007
• 6.2.2 release 16 June 2007
• 6.2.3RC1 released 21 Oct 2007
• 6.2.3 released 27 Nov 2007

• Will no longer be actively maintained after 6.4.0 is published

GRASS 6.3.x

Note: 6.3.0 "development preview" is a release branch (tag: "releasebranch_6_3"),
separated from HEAD. It's frozen and closed.

• GRASS 6.3 Feature Plan
• open to enhancements which do not break backwards compatibility with 6.x

• 6.3.0RC1 released 24 Oct 2007
• 6.3.0RC2 released 20 Nov 2007
• 6.3.0RC3 released 30 Nov 2007
• 6.3.0RC4 released 9 Jan 2008
• 6.3.0RC5 released 19 Feb 2008
• 6.3.0RC6 released 21 Mar 2008
• 6.3.0 final released 23 April 2008

GRASS 6.4.x

Note: 6.4.x is a release branch (tag: "releasebranch_6_4"), separated
from develbranch_6.  It's frozen, only important bugs will be fixed.

Since GRASS 7 development has started the 6.x line now works towards stability in advance of the final 6.4.0 stable release (in the releasebranch_6_4 branch). Major new development should now happen in GRASS 7 SVN (trunk). The 6.4 release branch is now only open to bug fixes and critical enhancements. It is unknown at this time if there will be a 6.5 or 6.6 release.

• Open to bug fixes which do not break backwards compatibility with 6.x.

• It is now closed to most feature enhancements (frozen Dec 2008).

• 6.4.0 includes the new wxPython GUI but otherwise be very similar to 6.3.x.

• 6.4 is the first stable version of GRASS to build natively for MS Windows.

• See the GRASS 6 planning for discussion and details.

• See the trac development wiki for (pre)release history.

GRASS 6.5.x and beyond

Since GRASS 7 development has started the 6.x line works towards stability. Major new development should now happen in GRASS 7 SVN (trunk). What is now the 6.5 branch (develbranch_6) should be kept in sync with the 6.4 bug fixes, but is also available as a testing ground for bug fixes before backport to the stable branch and important backports from GRASS 7.

It is unknown at this time if there will be a 6.5 or 6.6 release, it mostly depends on how long a final GRASS 7.0 release takes and what important development comes along which is too radical for the 6.4 stable branch but too important to wait for a final 7.0 release. Thus, it is not planned at this time, but may be possible as an interim measure.

• Open to bug fixes and non-structural enhancements which do not break backwards compatibility with 6.x

• Available only in source code form by way of a direct SVN checkout.

• It is strongly encouraged that new development happens in the GRASS 7 branch.

• Mainly geared at extreme power-users (aka casual developers) who need the stability of GRASS 6 for production use tasks, but can't live without some of the newer gadgets. Users are expected to report and help fix any bugs they discover.

GRASS 7.x

• Open to major enhancements which do break backward compatibility with 6.x.
• See the GRASS 7 ideas collection
• Planning is continued in the Trac integrated development wiki: http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/Grass7Planning

• Released

GRASS 8.x

• Open to major enhancements which do break backward compatibility with 7.x.

... and so on.