Improving Release process

Current process is a set of manual steps – automating these will reduce chances of errors and reduce inconsistencies: today we have 1.6.0 release version in codebase, 1.6.1 in PyPy, 1.3.4 in GitHub, latest in dockerhub with 1.6.0

Current release process is performed by @ndbroadbent (Owner; the only one with access to pypy and dockerhub), creating potential delays for releases. Distributing this role among Maintainers will reduce dependencies.

I am proposing to use github actions for creating .whl assets, publishing PyPy packages, and pushing Docker images to dockerhub on each gitHub Release publishing

Benefits:

• All credentials to PyPy and Dockerhub remain in the hands of Owner (but have to be added to the repo secrets)
• Github Releases can be created by Maintainers, producing releases at any schedule
• Process is automated, consistent, and repeatable

Additionally, we can use github action for testing pull requests/commits instead of travis. Travis account will no longer be needed

Not changing:

• coverall

Challenges:

• implementing/testing gitlab actions may be challenging without publishing new versions

[menkej]

Hey @menkej, I’ve created some new users, given them the required permissions, and set up the GitHub secrets for PYPI_USERNAME, PYPI_PASSWORD, DOCKERHUB_USERNAME, DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD. So you should be able to use these usernames and passwords to sign in and push new PyPi packages and Docker images.

Excelllent! I hope I’ll find some time tomorrow or Saturday morning to update the Action so that - maybe - we could try the new process on this weeks release already - starting with an rc-release, of course!

[AndreyNikiforov]

@menkej here is rough plan that I have:

1. use test personal project for experimentation
2. add release action (to test project)
   1. look at scripts folder in this project for steps to replicate (test, publish to coverall, build whl, push to PyPi, build docker, push dockerhub)
   2. add keys for Pypi, dockerhub, coverall to GitHub secrets
3. once the process learnt and tested
   1. ask for @ndbroadbent to add necessary keys to this repo
   2. port release work from test repo to this repo
   3. clean test project (remove dockerhub, Pypi, coverall)
4. test release process in this repo using rc or alpha release