= Cutting a Release

:Notice: Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership. The ASF licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at. http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 . Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR  CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
:page-partial:


The release process consists of:

* the release manager cutting the release (documented below)
* Members of the Apache Causeway PMC xref:comguide:ROOT:verifying-releases.adoc[verifying] and voting on the release
* the release manager performing post-release tasks, for either a xref:comguide:ROOT:post-release-successful.adoc[successful] or an xref:comguide:ROOT:post-release-unsuccessful.adoc[unsuccessful] vote.

Apache Causeway itself is released in one go, everything is ultimately a child of `bom/pom.xml` (relative to the link:https://github.com/apache/causeway[source code root]).
This section details the process for formally releasing this module.

The subsequent sections describe how other committers can xref:comguide:ROOT:verifying-releases.adoc[verify a release] and how the release manager can then perform xref:comguide:ROOT:post-release-successful.adoc[post-release] activities and set up for the next development iteration.

If you've not performed a release before, then note that there are some configuration xref:comguide:ROOT:release-process-prereqs.adoc[prerequisites] that must be configured first.
In particular, you'll need signed public/private keys, and the ASF Nexus staging repo inlocal `~/.m2/settings.xml` file.

These release notes using bash command line tools.
They should work on Linux and MacOS; for Windows, use mSysGit.


== Preparation

[IMPORTANT]
====
The release process should be performed on Java 11.
====

[IMPORTANT]
====
The deploy process has been tested only with `gpg` 2.0.x ; you may need to adjust if using a later version.
====

=== Obtain Consensus

Before releasing the framework, ensure there is consensus on the xref:docs:support:mailing-list.adoc[dev mailing list] that this is the right time for a release.
The discussion should include confirming the version number to be used, and to confirm content.

These discussions should also confirm the version number of the module being released.
This should be in line with our xref:policies.adoc#semantic-versioning[semantic versioning policy].

Make sure you have a JIRA ticket open against which to perform all commits.
In most cases a JIRA ticket will have been created at the beginning of the previous release cycle.


=== Pull down code to release

Set the HEAD of your local git repo to the commit to be released.
This will usually be the tip of the origin's `master` branch:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout master
git pull --ff-only
----


=== License headers

The Apache Release Audit Tool `RAT` (from the http://creadur.apache.org[Apache Creadur] project) checks for missing license header files.
The parent `pom.xml` of each releasable module specifies the RAT Maven plugin, with a number of custom exclusions.

We run the tool runs over all submodules, including non-released modules.
To run the RAT tool, use:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
.find unapproved/missing licenses
----
pushd bom
mvnd -Dapache-release clean
mvnd -Dapache-release org.apache.rat:apache-rat-plugin:check -D rat.numUnapprovedLicenses=1000     # <.>
popd

for a in `/bin/find . -name rat.txt -print`; do grep '!???' $a; done > /tmp/rat-qn.txt            # <.>
for a in `/bin/find . -name rat.txt -print`; do grep '!AL' $a; done > /tmp/rat-al.txt            # <2>

cat /tmp/rat-qn.txt
cat /tmp/rat-al.txt
----

<.> The command writes out a `target\rat.txt` for each submodule. missing license notes are indicated using the key `!???`.

<.> Collates all the errors.


Inspect the contents of the two `/tmp/rat-*.txt` files and fix any reported violations, typically by either:

* adding genuinely missing license headers from Java (or other) source files, or
* updating the `<excludes>` element for the `apache-rat-plugin` plugin to ignore test files, log files and any other non-source code files

Also, look to remove any stale `<exclude>` entries

Once you've fixed all issues, run the script again to confirm that all license violations have been fixed.

=== Missing License Check

Although Apache Causeway has no dependencies on artifacts with incompatible licenses, the POMs for some of these dependencies (in the Maven central repo) do not necessarily contain the required license information.
Without appropriate additional configuration, this would result in the generated `DEPENDENCIES` file and generated Maven site indicating dependencies as having "unknown" licenses.

Fortunately, Maven allows the missing information to be provided by configuring the `maven-remote-resources-plugin`.
This is stored in the `src/main/appended-resources/supplemental-models.xml` file, relative to the root of each releasable module.

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
pushd bom
mvnd -Dgithub clean install -T1C -DskipTests # <.>
mvnd -Dgithub license:download-licenses      # <.>
popd
groovy scripts/checkmissinglicenses.groovy  # <.>
----
<.> builds the framework.
+
It's necessary to have built the framework locally at least once (ok to skip tests).
+
The `-Dgithub` activates the "github" profile which references the exact same ``<module>``s as the official "apache-release" profile.
<.> Captures the missing license information.
+
The Maven plugin creates a `license.xml` file in the `target/generated-resources` directory of each module.

<.> Reports on the missing license information
+
The script searches for these `licenses.xml` files, and compares them against the contents of the `supplemental-models.xml` file.

For example, the output could be something like:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
licenses to add to supplemental-models.xml:

[org.slf4j, slf4j-api, 1.5.7]
[org.codehaus.groovy, groovy-all, 1.7.2]

licenses to remove from supplemental-models.xml (are spurious):

[org.slf4j, slf4j-api, 1.5.2]
----

If any missing entries are listed or are spurious, then update `supplemental-models.xml` and try again.


=== Reconcile causeway-bom pom

The `bom/pom.xml` is a customisation of the `org.apache:apache` pom, with each section of customisation clearly identified.

Check to see if there has been a new version of `org.apache:apache`; if so, merge in the changes.

=== Update the project build timestamp

For link:https://maven.apache.org/guides/mini/guide-reproducible-builds.html[reproducibility], the `project.build.outputTimestamp` property must be updated to a hard-coded value.

Locate this property in `bom/pom.xml` and update to the current date/time.

=== Update and preview website

The next step is to generate the website, ensuring that the config, examples, projdoc (system overview and global index) are all updated.

* Switch to Java 17

* Make sure the tooling is built:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd -D module-tooling -D skip.essential install -DskipTests -T1C
----

* Then, generate the website:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
sh preview.sh
----
+
NOTE: this now runs `mvnd clean install -pl core/config` automatically.

* Switch to Java 11 afterwards


Check for any Asciidoc errors, and fix.
Also double-check that the config property files are correctly formatted.



== Releasing the Framework

=== Set environment variables

We use environment variables to parameterize as many of the steps as possible.
For example:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
export CAUSEWAYJIRA=CAUSEWAY-9999                           # <.>
export CAUSEWAYTMP=/c/tmp                               # <.>
export CAUSEWAYREL={page-causewayrel}                             # <.>
export CAUSEWAYRC=RC1                                   # <.>
export CAUSEWAYBRANCH=release-$CAUSEWAYREL-$CAUSEWAYRC
export CAUSEWAYART=causeway
env | grep CAUSEWAY | sort
----
<.> set to an "umbrella" ticket for all release activities.
(One should exist already, xref:comguide:ROOT:post-release-successful.adoc#create-new-jira[created at] the beginning of the development cycle now completing).
<.> adjust by platform
<.> adjust as required
<.> adjust as necessary if this is not the first attempt to release


[IMPORTANT]
====
The branch name is intentionally *not* the same as the eventual tag names (eg `causeway-{page-causewayrel}`).
====


=== Commit changes

Commit any changes from the preceding steps:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git add ..
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA: updates to pom.xml etc for release"
----



=== Create a release branch

The release is performed on a branch; if we are successful, this branch will be merged back into master.
We also recommend creating a separate git worktree to capture any documentation fixes that you might notice along the way.

* create and checkout a release branch for the version number being released; eg:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout -b $CAUSEWAYBRANCH
----

* Push the branch:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH -u
----



=== Switch to the `bom` directory

The remainder of the release process is performed from the context of the `bom` directory:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
cd bom
----

=== Bump projects to `$CAUSEWAYREL`

IMPORTANT: make sure you have switched back to Java 11 to perform the build.

We use `mvnd versions:set` to manually bump the release version.
(After release, there is a xref:comguide:ROOT:cutting-a-release.adoc#reset-revision-property[similar step at the end] to reset back to a `-SNAPSHOT` version).

(Still in the `bom` directory), the steps are:

* First we bump the framework's `pom.xml` files:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL
----

* next we build the framework so that these versioned `pom.xml` files are available for the next step:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd install -o -DskipTests -T1C -Dgithub
----
+
The `-Dgithub` property activates the "github" profile that references all modules to be released.

* next we also update the starters (as used by applications built using the framework):
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
pushd ../starters
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL
mvnd install -DskipTests -o
popd
----

* finally we commit the changes:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git add ..
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA: bumps version to $CAUSEWAYREL"
----



=== Sanity check

Perform one last sanity check on the codebase.
Delete all Causeway artifacts from your local Maven repo, then build using the `-o` offline flag.

Still in the `bom` directory:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
rm -rf ~/.m2/repository/org/apache/causeway
mvnd clean install -o -T1C -Dgithub
git clean -dfx ..
----


=== Deploy

Since the `<version>` has already been updated, we just use `mvnd deploy` to upload the artifacts.
We activate the (inherited) `apache-release` profile to bring in the `gpg` plugin for code signing.

==== Prerequisites


The release signs the artifacts, but is configured to use `gpg` v2.0, rather than v2.1+.
This older version of `gpg` picks up the secret keys from `pubring.gpg` and `secring.gpg`, and does not use an agent.
(The newer version -- that we don't use -- uses `pubring.pbx`, and _does_ use an agent).

To setup the gpg certificates on Windows, we require the particular version of gnupg:

* install the correct version of choco:
+
[source,powershell]
----
choco install gnupg -version 2.3.7
----
+
so that
+
[source,powershell]
----
gpg --version
----
+
returns:
+
[source,powershell]
----
gpg (GnuPG) 2.0.30 (Gpg4win 2.3.4)
...
Home: C:/Users/xxx/AppData/Roaming/gnupg
...
Compression: Uncompressed, ZIP, ZLIB, BZIP2
----

* ensure your public key is installed in `pubring.gpg`.
+
For example:
+
[source,powershell]
----
gpg --list-keys
----
+
returns:
+
[source,powershell]
----
C:/Users/dan/AppData/Roaming/gnupg/pubring.gpg
----------------------------------------------
...
pub   4096R/77AD2E23 2011-02-01
uid       [ultimate] Dan Haywood (CODE SIGNING KEY) <danhaywood@apache.org>
...
----

* ensure your secret key is installed in `secring.gpg`
+
For example:
+
[source,powershell]
----
gpg --list-secret-keys
----
+
returns:
+
[source,powershell]
----
C:/Users/dan/AppData/Roaming/gnupg/secring.gpg
----------------------------------------------
...
sec   4096R/77AD2E23 2011-02-01
uid                  Dan Haywood (CODE SIGNING KEY) <danhaywood@apache.org>
...
----

* If on Windows and you intend to perform the release using git-bash rather than powershell, then make sure that the version of `gpg` on the `$PATH` is correct.
+
On Windows, you need to be careful using git-bash as this will pick up git's version of `gpg` in `/usr/bin`, which is `gpg` v2.1.
+
One easy way to do this is just rename `/usr/bin/gpg` to `/usr/bin/MOVED-gpg`, restart the shell, and then confirm that `gpg` is now Windows' gnupg installation:
+
[source,bash]
----
dan@halxps15-2022 MINGW64 /c/gitlab/hal-dsp/deliverables (master)
$ gpg --version
gpg (GnuPG) 2.0.30 (Gpg4win 2.3.4)
...
----


* in `~/m2/settings.xml`, ensure that the `gpg.passphrase` server is set:
+
[source,xml]
.~/.m2/settings.xml
----
<settings>
  ...
  <servers>
    <server>
      <id>gpg.passphrase</id>
      <passphrase>XXXX</passphrase>
    </server>
    ...
  </servers>
</settings>
----



==== Perform the deploy

The build creates a zip of the directory, so before executing the release we remove any other files.

Still in the `bom` directory, we deploy (upload the artifacts) using:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvn deploy -Dapache-release -Dgit
----



=== Tag the Release

Finally, tag the release:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git tag $CAUSEWAYART-$CAUSEWAYREL --force
git tag $CAUSEWAYART-$CAUSEWAYREL-$CAUSEWAYRC --force
----


=== Check/Close Staging Repo

The `mvn deploy` commands will have uploaded all the release artifacts into a newly created staging repository on the ASF Nexus repository server.

Log onto https://repository.apache.org[repository.apache.org] (using your ASF LDAP account):

image::release-process/nexus-staging-0.png[width="600px"]

And then check that the release has been staged (select `staging repositories` from left-hand side):

image::release-process/nexus-staging-1.png[width="600px"]

If nothing appears in a staging repo you should stop here and work out why.

Assuming that the repo has been populated, make a note of its repo id; this is needed for the voting thread.
In the screenshot above the id is `org.apache.causeway-008`.

After checking that the staging repository contains the artifacts that you expect you should close the staging repository.
This will make it available so that people can check the release.

Press the Close button and complete the dialog:

image::release-process/nexus-staging-2.png[width="600px"]

Nexus should start the process of closing the repository.

image::release-process/nexus-staging-2a.png[width="600px"]

All being well, the close should (eventually) complete successfully (keep hitting refresh):

image::release-process/nexus-staging-3.png[width="600px"]

The Nexus repository manager will also email you with confirmation of a successful close.

If Nexus has problems with the key signature, however, then the close will be aborted:

image::release-process/nexus-staging-4.png[width="600px"]

Use `gpg --keyserver hkp://pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys nnnnnnnn` to confirm that the key is available.

[NOTE]
====
Unfortunately, Nexus does not seem to allow subkeys to be used for signing.
See xref:comguide:ROOT:key-generation.adoc[Key Generation] for more details.
====

[#reset-revision-property]
=== Reset `revision` property

At the <<bump-code-to-causewayrel,beginning>> of the release process we bumped the version to the release version, ie `$CAUSEWAYREL`.
With the release now deployed we now need to reset the revision back down to the base snapshot, ie `2.0.0-SNAPSHOT`.

Therefore, still in the `bom` directory:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=2.0.0-SNAPSHOT
mvnd install -DskipTests -o -T1C -Dgithub

pushd ../starters
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=2.0.0-SNAPSHOT
mvnd install -DskipTests -o
popd

git add ..
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA: resetting version"
----

=== Push branch & tag

Push the release branch to origin:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push -u origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH
----

and also push tag:

[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push origin refs/tags/causeway-$CAUSEWAYREL:refs/tags/causeway-$CAUSEWAYREL-$CAUSEWAYRC
git fetch
----

[NOTE]
====
The remote tags aren't visible locally but can be seen link:https://github.com/apache/causeway/tags[online].
====

[#update-starter-apps]
== Update starter apps

For each of the two starter apps, we maintain four branches:

* `jdo` and `jpa`
+
These are intended to reference the _most recently released_ version, the first demonstrating persistence using JDO, the second using JPA.
These are the branches referenced from the home page and getting started pages of the website.

* `jdo-SNAPSHOT` and `jpa-SNAPSHOT`
+
These reference the most current snapshot nightly build.

The general idea is that a release will fast-forward `jdo` to `jdo-SNAPSHOT` and similarly moves `jpa` up to `jpa-SNAPSHOT`, bumping to the newly released version of the framework in the process.

In order that we don't break the starter apps while a release is being voted on, we do the changes in work branches, `$CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jdo` and `$CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa`:

=== HelloWorld

For _helloworld_, we create a release branch for both variants:

* for `jpa`:
+
** Checkout the branch, bump versions, and commit:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout jpa-SNAPSHOT
git pull --ff-only

git checkout -b $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa

mvnd versions:update-parent -DparentVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL -Dskip.nightly # <.>
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL

git add .
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - updates to $CAUSEWAYREL (jpa)"
----
+
<.> the top-level `pom.xml` references the ASF staging repository, so this will pull down the release if not already present in `~/.m2/repository`.

** Test the app
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd clean install
mvnd spring-boot:run
----

** Make any additional changes that might be required (eg update to `menubars.layout.xml`) commit and retest

** Push the branch to origin:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push -u origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa
----

* for `jdo`:
+
** Checkout the branch, bump versions, and commit:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout jdo-SNAPSHOT
git pull --ff-only

git checkout -b $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jdo

mvnd versions:update-parent -DparentVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL -Dskip.nightly
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL

git add .
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - updates to $CAUSEWAYREL (jdo)"
----

** Test the app
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd clean install
mvnd spring-boot:run
----

** Make any additional changes that might be required, and re-test.
+
This might be easiest to just cherry-pick commits made on the `jpa` branch.

** Merge in the `jpa` branch, discarding any conflicts.
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git merge $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa --no-commit
----
+
The idea here is to show equivalence between the two branches.
The merge commit should end up with no changes:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - merge in jpa"
----

** Push the branch to origin:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push -u origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jdo
----

=== SimpleApp

For _simple app_, the steps are almost the same:

* for `jpa`:

** Checkout the branch, bump versions, and commit:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout jpa-SNAPSHOT
git pull --ff-only

git checkout -b $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa

mvnd versions:update-parent -DparentVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL -Dskip.nightly  # <.>
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL

git add .
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - updates to $CAUSEWAYREL (jpa)"
----
<.> the top-level `pom.xml` references the ASF staging repository, so this will pull down the release if not already present in `~/.m2/repository`.

** Test the app
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd clean install
mvnd -pl webapp spring-boot:run
----

** Make any additional changes that might be required (eg update to `menubars.layout.xml`) commit and retest

** Push the branch to origin:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push -u origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa
----


* for `jdo`:
+
** Checkout the branch, bump versions, and commit:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git checkout jdo-SNAPSHOT
git pull --ff-only

git checkout -b $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jdo

mvnd versions:update-parent -DparentVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL -Dskip.nightly
mvnd versions:set -DnewVersion=$CAUSEWAYREL

git add .
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - updates to $CAUSEWAYREL (jdo)"
----

** Test the app
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
mvnd clean install
mvnd -pl webapp spring-boot:run
----

** Make any additional changes that might be required, and re-test.
+
This might be easiest to just cherry-pick commits made on the `jpa` branch.

** Merge in the `jpa` branch, discarding any conflicts.
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git merge $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jpa --no-commit
----
+
The idea here is to show equivalence between the two branches.
The merge commit should end up with no changes:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA - merge in jpa"
----

** Push the branch to origin:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push -u origin $CAUSEWAYBRANCH-jdo
----


== Preview website

We also prepare a preview of the next version of the website, then made accessible from link:https://causeway.staged.apache.org[].

* Prerequisites:

** clone the link:https://github.com/apache/causeway-site[] repo, alongside the `causeway` repo:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git clone https://github.com/apache/causeway-site ../causeway-site
----

** in the `causeway-site` repo, check out the `asf-staging` branch:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
cd ../causeway-site

git checkout asf-staging
git pull --ff-only
----

* still in the `causeway-site` repo, delete all the files in `content/` _except_ for the `schema` and `versions` directories:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
pushd content
for a in $(ls -1 | grep -v schema | grep -v versions)
do
    rm -rf $a
done
popd
----

* Back in the `causeway` repo, generate the Antora site (from the top-level directory).
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
cd ../causeway

sh preview.sh -AB
----

* Copy the generated Antora site to `causeway-site` repo's `contents` directory:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
cp -Rf antora/target/site/* ../causeway-site/content/.
----

* Back in the `causeway-site` repo, commit the changes and preview:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
cd ../causeway-site

git add .
git commit -m "$CAUSEWAYJIRA : staging changes to website"

sh preview.sh
----

* If happy, then push the changes:
+
[source,bash,subs="attributes+"]
----
git push origin asf-staging -u
----

Wait a minute or two; the site should be available at link:https://causeway.staged.apache.org[]  (nb: 'staged', not 'staging').



== Voting

Once the artifacts have been uploaded, you can call a vote.

In all cases, votes last for 72 hours and require a +3 (binding) vote from members.


[#start-voting-thread-on-dev-mailing-list]
=== Start voting thread on dev mailing list

That is, link:mailto:dev@causeway.apache.org[]

The following boilerplate is for a release of the Apache Causeway Core.
Adapt as required:

Use the following subject, eg:

[source,subs="attributes+"]
----
[VOTE] Apache Causeway Core release {page-causewayrel} RC1
----

And use the following body:

[source,subs="attributes+"]
----
I've just cut a new release of the Apache Causeway Framework.

The source code zip artifact has been uploaded to a staging repository on
https://repository.apache.org, along with its corresponding .asc signature.

In the source code repo the code has been tagged as causeway-{page-causewayrel}-RC1;
see https://github.com/apache/causeway/tags

To verify the source code itself, you can use the following commands
(in an empty directory):

----------------------------------------------------------------
include::partial$verify-process.adoc[]
----------------------------------------------------------------

You can then test the helloworld or simpleapp starter apps, see:
https://causeway.staged.apache.org/comguide/latest/verifying-releases.html.

You can also inspect the website in general, available at:
https://causeway.staged.apache.org.

Please verify the release and cast your vote.
The vote will be open for a minimum of 72 hours.

[ ] +1
[ ]  0
[ ] -1
----

Remember to update:

* the version number (`{page-causewayrel}` or whatever)
* the release candidate number (`RC1` or whatever)
* the `NEXUSREPONUM` to the repository id as provided by Nexus earlier (`11xx` or whatever)

Note that the email also references the procedure for other committers to xref:comguide:ROOT:verifying-releases.adoc[verify the release].




