Release Management
Introduction
Release management is the process of planning, scheduling, and controlling software releases through development and deployment. In the CD Model, release management spans Stage 8 (Start Release) and Stage 9 (Release Approval), bridging the gap between validated code and production deployment.
Key responsibilities:
- Document what's changing (release notes)
- Plan how to deploy (deployment runbook)
- Assess risks (risk assessment)
- Decide when to deploy (approval decision)
- Enable recovery (rollback procedures)
Release Management in the CD Model
Stage 8: Start Release:
- Create release candidate
- Generate release notes
- Prepare deployment documentation
- Package artifacts for deployment
Stage 9: Release Approval:
- Validate production readiness
- Review quality thresholds
- Assess business risk
- Make go/no-go decision (RA pattern) or automated approval (CDe pattern)
Why Release Management Matters
Without structured release management:
- ❌ Deployments lack documentation
- ❌ Rollback procedures missing or untested
- ❌ Stakeholders uninformed about changes
- ❌ Risk assessment missing
- ❌ Approval decisions inconsistent
With structured release management:
- ✅ Complete documentation before deployment
- ✅ Tested rollback procedures ready
- ✅ Stakeholders informed and prepared
- ✅ Risks identified and mitigated
- ✅ Approval criteria clear and consistent
RA vs CDe Pattern Differences
Release Approval (RA) Pattern:
- Manual approval at Stage 9 (release manager)
- Comprehensive documentation review
- Business-driven release timing
- Formal approval recorded
Continuous Deployment (CDe) Pattern:
- Automated approval at Stage 9
- Documentation auto-generated where possible
- Metrics-driven approval
- Approval happens by merging at Stage 3
In This Section
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Release Documentation | Comprehensive explanation of release notes, runbooks, and procedures |
| Release Approval Patterns | RA vs CDe approval workflows explained in depth |
| Release Notes | Template and guidelines for creating effective release notes |
Next Steps
- Release Documentation - Learn what documentation is required
- Release Approval Patterns - Understand approval workflows
- CD Model Stages 8-12 - See release management in context
- Release Quality Gates - Quality thresholds explained
Quick Reference
- Release Documentation Reference - Documentation checklist
- Release Quality Thresholds Reference - Threshold specifications
Tutorials | How-to Guides | Explanation | Reference
You are here: Explanation — understanding-oriented discussion that clarifies concepts.