Platform-releng-avoid-build-breakage

How to avoid breaking the Eclipse and RT Equinox build

• Run JUnit tests locally before submitting to the build
• Initiate a test build in hudson to ensure that your build submission plays well with others (no compile errors etc).
• If you need to coordinate releasing a patch with another team, please don't just open a bug and ask them to release it. They may not do this in time for the build. Contact them and coordinate when they can release the patch together.
• Remember to release your submission for the integration builds. See the build schedule for details on build times.
• Always use the releng tool to do the submission (never move tags). [deleted since does not apply to Git/Tycho builds]
• Install the releng tool and set the preference for "POM Version Tool" to "Error".
• Really verify your fixes. No compile errors or test failures are not enough. Verify that your fix works as expected.

Milestone week

Milestone week usually works as follows

1. Monday - builds toward test candidate
2. Tuesday - Test day
3. Wednesday/Thursday - Builds toward milestone candidate
4. Friday - sign off and declare

By convention, we only submit fixes on the Wednesday and Thursday builds to fix issues that we have found during the test day. We don't release any changes for new functionality or new bundles in the middle of the milestone week.

If you want major new functionality in a milestone, please plan accordingly and submit it to the build in middle of the milestone, or at the very least, in the integration build before milestone week. Releasing major changes in milestone week destabilizes the code base, it makes it difficult for us to have a good build to release on Friday.