Updated documentation for localized release packages

This is a short announcement for an update on the documentation for the release process of WordPress release packages with translations. The following handbook pages have been updated/created:

• Releasing WordPress Packages
• Automated Release Packages
• Manual Release Packages
• Working with the Translation Repository

As of today all localesLocale Locale = language version, often a combination of a language code and a region code, for instance es_MX denotes Spanish as it’s used in Mexico. A list of all locales supported by WordPress in https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/, with only one exception, are already using automated release packages. 👏 To reflect this status in the handbook the documentation has been restructured and updated by removing outdated information and replacing complex descriptions with shorter and simple question/answer sections.

Here’s a summary of the updates:

• The documentation for manual release packages has been moved into a separate page with a warning that it’s no longer actively supported.
• The requirements for automated releases packages have been simplified into three simple rules:
  • Never had any custom changes
  • No custom changes for the current stable version
  • Minor custom changes for the current stable version
• When working with the Translation Repository:
  • It’s no longer recommended to use the tags/ directory, only branches/ and trunk/. All existing tags already have been removed.
  • It’s not allowed to use the repositoryWordPress Localization Repository The WordPress Localization Repository at https://i18n.svn.wordpress.org/ is a Subversion repository where official WordPress translations are maintained. See Working with the Translation Repository for details. for other directories/files which are not related to WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress..
  • If you have made changes like a translated readme.html oder wp-config-sample.php you’re also responsible to keep up to date with the latest development and update the files accordingly.
  • It’s required that any by default included plugins are also hosted on the WordPress PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party Directory. They also must be declared as compatible with the latest stable WordPress release. Otherwise the plugin must not be bundled with the localized release packageRelease package A release package is a packaged version of WordPress. That is, a ZIP file consisting of WordPress in its entirety, along with PO and MO files for core, the PO and MO files of default themes and Akismet, and any custom changes a locale has. In the past, most locales built their release package using the form in Rosetta’s dashboard..

Those rules exist to ensure the continued quality standard of the default WordPress release packages and to release localized release packages as fast as possible after an official WordPress release.

#announcement, #handbook