# Release process

A merged pull request changes the source; a release makes that change available to users.
This guide follows your contribution from PR checks to binaries and published documentation.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    accTitle: From a contribution to a release
    accDescr: After PR checks and merge, client and modules releases publish product documentation, and a docs tag updates shared pages and the theme; both paths update one current site while client release snapshots remain available as archives.
    pr["Pull request"] --> checks["Checks + review"] --> merge["Merge to main"]
    merge --> client["Client tag"]
    merge --> modules["Modules tag"]
    merge --> docs["Docs tag"]
    modules --> rebuild["Rebuild up to 3 client versions"]
    client --> release["Client release"]
    rebuild --> release
    release --> productdocs["Client + module documentation"]
    productdocs --> snapshot["Saved client versions"]
    productdocs --> site["Current complete site at /"]
    docs --> site
```

The current site combines shared pages, client guides, module guides, and generated references in one navigation and search.
The version switcher opens earlier client and module snapshots.

## Where does your change belong?

| Your change | Repository | Documentation beside it |
|-------------|------------|--------------------------|
| CLI, configuration, or VM behavior | `client` | `docs/` |
| Module code, defaults, or metadata | `modules` | `docs/` |
| Shared pages, theme, or navigation | `docs` | `docs/pages/` and `docs/conf.py` |

Update product guides in the repository that owns the behavior.
The site builds them from those sources.

```{important}
Passing checks or merging a PR does not publish a release.
A client tag, a modules tag, or a docs tag starts the matching release path.
```

## Follow your change

- [PR checks and local commands](pull-request-checks)
- [Version numbers and rebuilds](versioning.md)
- [Release paths after merge](release-paths)
- [Documentation publication](published-documentation)

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:maxdepth: 1

workflow
versioning
```