Krow-workspace/RELEASE_INDEX.md

Release Documentation Index

🎯 Start here! This page helps you find the right document for your needs.

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🔍 Find What You Need

"I want to understand the release strategy"

1. Start: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (15 min read)
2. Visualize: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md (10 min read)
3. Deep dive: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md

"I need to perform a release right now"

1. Quick: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md (2 min scan)
2. Execute: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md (find your scenario)
3. Reference: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md (which files to edit)

"I'm setting up the release process for the first time"

1. Follow: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md (Phase by phase)
2. Configure: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md → GitHub section
3. Train: Use RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md for team

"I need to train my team"

1. Overview: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md
2. Visuals: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md (show diagrams)
3. Hands-on: Walk through RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md together
4. Reference: Give each RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md

"I'm doing a specific type of release"

Releasing Staff Mobile v0.2.0 (Single Product)

1. Steps: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → "Release a single product"
2. Files: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md → "Staff Mobile App"
3. Checklist: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → "Pre-tag checklist"

Coordinated Release All Products v1.0.0

1. Plan: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md → "Release Cadence"
2. Execute: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → "Multi-Product Coordinated"
3. Deploy: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → "Deployment Order"

Emergency Hotfix (Critical Bug)

1. Steps: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → "Hotfix Release"
2. Fast: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → "Common Tasks"
3. Order: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → "Hotfix Flow"

"I need to update version numbers"

→ VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md (Product-by-product guide)

"I need git commands"

→ RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → "Quick Commands"

"I'm troubleshooting an issue"

→ RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → "Troubleshoot"

"I need to communicate a release to stakeholders"

→ RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → "Status Page Template"

"I want to automate releases"

→ RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → "Automation Scripts"

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📚 Document Overview

RELEASE_STRATEGY.md

The Master Document

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Canonical strategy reference
Audience	Technical leads, architects
Length	~300 lines
Read Time	15-20 min
Key Topics	Versioning, naming, cadence, dependency order, rollback
Use When	Making strategic decisions

Sections:

• Semantic Versioning strategy
• Tag naming convention
• Release cadence (dev/staging/prod)
• Product dependencies
• Release checklist
• Protected tags setup
• Rollback procedures

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RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md

The Execution Guide

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Step-by-step release instructions
Audience	Developers, release engineers
Length	~400 lines
Read Time	20-30 min (skim) / 60 min (full)
Key Topics	Quick start, multi-product, hotfix, git commands
Use When	Actually performing a release

Sections:

• Quick start (single product)
• Multi-product coordinated release
• Hotfix procedure with steps
• Git commands reference
• Useful scripts to create
• Release checklist template

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RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md

The Setup Guide

Aspect	Details
Purpose	First-time setup and implementation
Audience	DevOps, release engineering
Length	~500 lines
Read Time	30-45 min (planning) / 2-4 hours (execution)
Key Topics	Initial setup, GitHub config, CI/CD, team training
Use When	Setting up process for the first time

Phases:

1. Initial setup (create baseline tags)
2. GitHub configuration (branch protection)
3. CI/CD integration
4. Release documentation
5. Team training
6. First real release walkthrough

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RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md

The Diagram Reference

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Visual flows and process diagrams
Audience	Everyone (visual learners)
Length	~400 lines
Read Time	15-20 min
Key Topics	Pipelines, dependencies, timelines, templates
Use When	Understanding processes, presentations

Diagrams:

• Release pipeline overview
• Product dependency & order
• Git tag timeline
• Release branch structure
• Multi-product coordination
• Hotfix flow
• Version matrix dashboard

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RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md

The One-Page Reference

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Quick lookup while working
Audience	All team members
Length	~200 lines
Read Time	5 min (scan)
Key Topics	Commands, naming, checklist, steps
Use When	Quick lookup, print & pin to desk

Includes:

• ⚡ Quick commands
• 🏷️ Tag naming format
• 📝 Pre-tag checklist
• 🚀 Quick release steps
• 📍 Version file locations
• 🔄 Release timeline table
• 📞 Common tasks

💡 Print this one!

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VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md

The File Locations Guide

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Exact file locations and how to update
Audience	Developers doing version bumps
Length	~350 lines
Read Time	5-10 min per product
Key Topics	File paths, format, examples per product
Use When	Updating version numbers

Per Product:

• Staff Mobile App
• Client Mobile App
• Web Dashboard
• Command API Backend
• Core API Backend
• DataConnect Schema
• CHANGELOG.md

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RELEASE_PACKAGE_SUMMARY.md

This Package Overview

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Overview of all 6 documents
Audience	New team members, anyone
Length	~400 lines
Read Time	15 min
Key Topics	Package contents, usage paths, next steps
Use When	Understanding what documents exist

Includes:

• Complete package description
• How to use each document
• Current baseline versions
• Immediate next steps
• Feature checklist
• Success metrics

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🎯 Reading Paths by Role

Developer (Contributing Code)

1. skim: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (5 min)
2. keep: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md at desk
3. when needed: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md

Release Engineer

1. read: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md (full)
2. master: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md (full)
3. reference: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md
4. check: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md

Technical Lead / Architect

1. read: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (full)
2. review: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
3. approve: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md
4. maintain: Update RELEASE_PACKAGE_SUMMARY.md

Product Manager / Business Lead

1. understand: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md → Release Cadence section
2. visualize: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → Status Page Template
3. track: Version matrix dashboard
4. share: Communicate timelines to users

New Team Member

1. start: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (overview)
2. watch: Team walkthrough of RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
3. practice: Follow RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md with mentor
4. reference: Keep RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md handy

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🔗 Quick Links

Need	Go To
Version numbers for all products	VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md
How to release a single product	RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → Quick Start
Git commands	RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → Quick Commands
Branch structure	RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → Git Tag Timeline
Hotfix steps	RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → Hotfix Release
Release checklist	RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md → Checklist
Automation scripts	RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → Automation Scripts
Dependency order	RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → Dependency Diagram
GitHub setup	RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md → Phase 2
Team training	RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md → Phase 5
Status communication	RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md → Status Page Template

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📅 Implementation Timeline

Week 1 (2026-03-05)
├─ Read: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md
├─ Review: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
└─ Decide: Approve strategy with team

Week 2 (2026-03-08)
├─ Follow: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md Phase 1-2
├─ Create: Initial dev tags (v0.1.0)
└─ Configure: GitHub branch protection

Week 3 (2026-03-15)
├─ Plan: First staging release
├─ Use: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md
├─ Reference: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md
└─ Check: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md

Week 4 (2026-03-22)
├─ Execute: First production release
├─ Monitor: 24 hours post-release
└─ Document: Learnings in process

Month 2+
└─ Repeat: Establish release rhythm

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✅ Before You Start

Make sure you have:

• Read at least 2 documents from your reading path
• Understood tag naming convention
• Know location of version files for your product
• Have git/GitHub access
• Know deployment procedure for your environment
• Know your team's approval process

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🎓 Learning Path by Goal

"I want to perform a release in the next hour"

1. skim: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md (5 min)
2. reference: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md (2 min)
3. follow: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → your scenario (30 min)

Time: 40 minutes

"I want to understand the full strategy"

1. read: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (20 min)
2. visualize: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md (10 min)
3. deep dive: RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md (30 min)
4. reference: VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md (10 min)

Time: 70 minutes

"I want to teach others"

1. prep: RELEASE_STRATEGY.md (20 min)
2. visuals: RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md (10 min)
3. demo: RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md → Quick Start (30 min)
4. handout: RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md

Time: 60 minutes prep + 30 min teaching

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📞 Where to Find Things

Question	Document
What's our versioning scheme?	RELEASE_STRATEGY.md
How do I name tags?	RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md
What files do I need to edit?	VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md
How do I release a product?	RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md
Where do I get started?	RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md
Show me diagrams	RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
Quick git commands	RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md
Deployment order?	RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
Hotfix steps?	RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md
Team training?	RELEASE_IMPLEMENTATION.md

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🎯 Success Criteria

After reading appropriate docs, you should know:

• ✅ What semantic versioning means
• ✅ How to name a git tag
• ✅ Which files control versions for each product
• ✅ The three environment levels (dev/staging/prod)
• ✅ The product deployment order
• ✅ Where to find version files
• ✅ How to execute a release
• ✅ What to do if something goes wrong
• ✅ How to communicate a release

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💡 Pro Tips

1. Bookmark this index page
2. Print RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md
3. Share RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md in presentations
4. Reference VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md every release
5. Update as your process evolves

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📞 Questions?

1. How? → Look in RELEASE_WORKFLOW.md
2. What file? → Look in VERSION_FILES_REFERENCE.md
3. Git command? → Look in RELEASE_QUICK_REFERENCE.md
4. Strategy? → Look in RELEASE_STRATEGY.md
5. Diagram? → Look in RELEASE_VISUAL_GUIDE.md
6. Can't find it? → Ask in #releases on Slack

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🚀 Ready?

Pick your path above and start reading. You've got this!

Questions? Ask in #releases

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Created: 2026-03-05
Last Updated: 2026-03-05
Version: 1.0