diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'content/stable-releases.article')
| -rw-r--r-- | content/stable-releases.article | 51 |
1 files changed, 51 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/content/stable-releases.article b/content/stable-releases.article new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7a568c --- /dev/null +++ b/content/stable-releases.article @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +# Go becomes more stable +16 Mar 2011 +Tags: release +Summary: Moving from weekly unstable Go releases toward less frequent, more stable ones. +OldURL: /go-becomes-more-stable + +Andrew Gerrand + +## + +The Go project is moving fast. As we learn more about Go we are compelled +to change our tools, +libraries, and occasionally even the language itself. +We permit backward-incompatible changes so that we can learn from, +rather than immortalize, our mistakes. +We believe flexibility at this stage of Go’s development is essential +to the project’s development and, +ultimately, its longevity. + +Since Go's launch we have been making releases approximately once a week. +Accompanying each release are [notes describing what changed](https://golang.org/doc/devel/release.html), +with any backwards-incompatible changes signposted. +Questions I hear often are "Is Go stable? How can I be sure that I won’t +have to update my Go code every week?" The answer to those questions are +now "Yes," and "You won't." + +With this week’s release we’re introducing a new release tagging scheme. +We intend to continue with our weekly releases, +but have renamed the existing tags from `release` to `weekly`. +The `release` tag will now be applied to one hand-picked stable release each month or two. +This more relaxed release schedule should make life easier for the average Go programmer. + +Users will still need to update their code periodically (this is the cost +of using a young language) but with less frequency. +An additional benefit is that by tagging stable releases less often we can +put more effort into automating updates. +To this end we have introduced gofix, a tool that will help you update your code. + +The revision formerly tagged `release.2011-03-07.1` (now `weekly.2011-03-07.1`) +has been nominated our first stable release, +and has been given the tag `release.r56`. +As we tag each stable release we will post an announcement to the new [golang-announce](http://groups.google.com/group/golang-announce) mailing list. +(Why not [subscribe now](http://groups.google.com/group/golang-announce/subscribe)?) + +What’s the upshot of all this? You can continue to keep your Go installation +updated using `hg update release`, +but now you should only need to update when we tag a new stable release. +If you wish to stay at the leading edge, you should switch to the weekly +tag with `hg update weekly`. + +Happy coding! |