Pushing a fastled release, the short version, last updated May 2024

1. Make sure release_notes.md opens with a FastLED X.Y.Z (Next Release) section holding the notes.
2. bash release prepare --pr (add minor or major for a bigger step; default is patch). It bumps every version string one step past the newest tag, makes the notes heading final, and opens a Rev X.Y.Z PR.
3. Review and merge that PR. Merging it is the release: the release workflow tags the merge commit, creates the GitHub release from the notes, and rebuilds the docs. The Arduino index picks up the tag; the package registry's crawler picks up the new version from master.
4. bash release status until every row shows the new version, then announce it on the subreddit.

The manual steps further down are what the automation replaces; they remain as a fallback.

bash release (see ci/release.py) uploads nothing itself:

• bash release check -- the version strings agree and match the newest tag. --releasing is the release-PR state: exactly one step ahead, notes heading final. bash lint runs this check.
• bash release prepare [patch|minor|major] [--pr] -- write the next version everywhere; with --pr, branch, commit, push and open the PR.
• bash release notes X.Y.Z -- print that version's section of release_notes.md.
• bash release status -- what the newest tag, GitHub Releases, the Arduino index and the package registry each have.

Why master must not run ahead of the newest tag: the package registry's crawler publishes whatever version library.json / library.properties show on the default branch. No tag or GitHub release triggers it; a tag named after the version only decides which tree it packages. So the version moves only in the release PR, and the workflow tags its merge commit immediately.

https://github.com/FastLED/FastLED/commit/4444758ffaf853ba4f8deb973532548c9c1ee231

Edit these files to update the version number

• library.json
• library.properties
• src/FastLED.h
• docs/Doxyfile
• RELEASE.md
  • This file: update instructions with the current release.

Edit this file with release notes and version number.

• release_notes.md

Release notes should list highlight changes (not necessarily all minor bug fixes) and thank people for their help.

Git commands to commit and tag release'

$ git commit -am "Rev 3.10.3"
$ git tag 3.10.3 master
$ git push
$ git push origin 3.10.3

Then use the GitHub UI to make a new “Release”:

https://github.com/FastLED/FastLED/releases/new

Announce new version on subreddit, highlighting major changes and thanking people for helping.

That's it.

Before starting the version update, ensure release_notes.md has an entry for the new version at the top of the file with:

• Version number as a header (e.g., FastLED 3.10.3)
• Major changes and fixes since the last release
• Each change should be well-documented with bullet points
• Include references to GitHub issues where applicable (e.g., #2067)
• Credit contributors when appropriate

Update the version number in the following files:

• Find the "version": field (around line 41)
• Update to the new version (e.g., "version": "3.10.3",)

• Find the version= line (line 2)
• Update to the new version (e.g., version=3.10.3)

Three places need updating:

• Line ~20: #define FASTLED_VERSION 3010003 (format: XYYYZZZZ where X=major, YYY=minor, ZZZ=patch)
• Line ~24: #pragma message "FastLED version 3.010.003"
• Line ~26: #warning FastLED version 3.010.003 (Not really a warning, just telling you here.)

• Find PROJECT_NUMBER (around line 51)
• Update to the new version (e.g., PROJECT_NUMBER = 3.10.3)

• Update the git commands in the example to show the new version number

$ git add -A
$ git commit -m "Rev 3.10.3"

$ git tag 3.10.3 master

At this point halt with the message to tell the user to do the following steps:

$ git push
$ git push origin 3.10.3

1. Go to https://github.com/FastLED/FastLED/releases/new
2. Select the tag you just created
3. Set release title to the version (e.g., "3.10.3")
4. Copy the release notes from release_notes.md for this version
5. Publish the release

Post on the FastLED subreddit (r/FastLED) with:

• Version number
• Highlights of major changes
• Thanks to contributors
• Link to the GitHub release