Skip to content

Prepare stable release 11.5.0 (Desktop+Android)

Explanation of variables
  • $(BUILD_SERVER) : the server the main builder is using to build a tor-browser release
  • $(STAGING_SERVER) : the server the signer is using to to run the signing process
  • $(TOR_LAUNCHER_VERSION) : version of tor-launcher, used in tags
    • example : 0.2.33
  • $(ESR_VERSION) : the Mozilla defined ESR version, used in various places for building tor-browser tags, labels, etc
    • example : 91.6.0
  • $(ESR_TAG) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with $(ESR_VERSION)
    • exmaple : FIREFOX_91_7_0esr_BUILD2
  • $(ESR_TAG_PREV) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with the previous ESR version when rebasing (ie, the ESR version we are rebasing from)
  • $(RR_VERSION) : the Mozilla defined 'Rapid Relese' version, used in various places for building geckoview tags, labels, etc
    • example : 96.0.3
  • $(RR_TAG) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with $(ESR_VERSION)
    • exmaple : FIREFOX_96_0_3_RELEASE
  • $(RR_TAG_PREV) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with the previous ESR version when rebasing (ie, the ESR version we are rebasing from)
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR) : the Tor Browser major version
    • example : 11
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR) : the Tor Browser minor version
    • example : either 0 or 5; Alpha's is always (Stable + 5) % 10
  • $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) : the firefox build revision within a given tor-browser branch; this is separate from the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value
    • example : build1
  • $(GECKOVIEW_BUILD_N) : like $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) but for geckoview branches
  • $(FENIX_BUILD_N) : like $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) but for fenix branches
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) : the tor-browser build revision for a given Tor Browser release; used in tagging git commits
    • example : build2
    • NOTE : $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) and $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) typically are the same, but it is possible for them to diverge. For example :
      • if we have multiple Tor Browser releases on a given ESR branch the two will become out of sync as the $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) value will increase, while the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value may stay at build1 (but the $(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) will increase)
      • if we have build failures unrelated to tor-browser, the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value will increase while the $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) will stay the same.
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) : the published Tor Browser version
    • example : 11.5a6, 11.0.7
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH) : the full name of tor-browser branch
    • typically of the form: tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
  • $(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH_PREV) : the full name of the previous tor-browser branch (when rebasing)
  • $(GECKOVIEW_BRANCH) : the full name of geckoview branch
    • typically of the form: tor-browser-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
  • $(GECKOVIEW_BRANCH_PREV) : the full name of the previous geckoview branch (when rebasing)
Desktop

torbutton (Optional): https://git.torproject.org/torbutton.git

  • (Optional) Update translations :
    • NOTE : mandatory if we have added new string dependencies
    • ./import-translations.sh
    • Commit with message `Translation updates
      • NOTE : only add files which are already being tracked
    • (Optional) Backport to maintenance branch if present
  • fixup! tor-browser's Bug 10760 : Integrate TorButton to TorBrowser core issue to point to updated torbutton commit

tor-launcher (Optional): https://git.torproject.org/tor-launcher.git

  • (Optional) Update translations:
    • NOTE : mandatory if we have added new string dependencies
    • ./localization/import-translations.sh
  • Update install.rdf file with new version
  • Sign/Tag commit :
    • Tag : $(TOR_LAUNCHER_VERSION)
    • Message Tagging $(TOR_LAUNCHER_VERSION)
  • Push master and tag to origin

tor-browser: https://git.torproject.org/tor-browser.git

  • (Optional) Rebase to $(ESR_VERSION)
    • Find the Firefox hg tag here : https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-esr91/tags
      • $(ESR_TAG) : FIREFOX_91_11_0esr_BUILD1
    • Identify the hg patch associated with above hg tag, and find the equivalent gecko-dev git commit (search by commit message)
      • gecko-dev commit : 0516fde4797929eeb4032ea45766f02e43a7fb26
    • Create new tor-browser branch with the discovered gecko-dev commit as HEAD named tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
    • Sign/Tag commit :
      • Tag : $(ESR_TAG)
      • Message : Hg tag $(ESR_TAG)
    • Push new branch and tag to origin
    • Rebase tor-browser patches
    • Perform rangediff to ensure nothing weird happened resolving conflicts
      • git range-diff $(ESR_TAG_PREV)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH_PREV) $(ESR_TAG)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH)
    • Open MR for the rebase
  • TODO: tag base firefox no-tor browser
  • (Optional) Backport any required patches to Stable
    • cherry-pick patches on top of rebased branch (issues to backport should have Backport label and be linked to the associated Release Prep issue
    • Close associated Backport issues
    • Open MR for the backport commits
  • Sign/Tag commit :
    • Tag : tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(FIREFOX_BUILD_N)
    • Message : Tagging $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) for $(ESR_VERSION)esr-based (alpha|stable)
  • Push tag to origin
Android

geckoview: https://git.torproject.org/tor-browser.git

  • (Optional) Rebase to $(RR_VERSION)
    • Find the Firefox hg tag here : https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-release/tags
      • $(RR_TAG) : INSERT_TAG_HERE
    • Identify the hg patch associated with above hg tag, and find the equivalent gecko-dev git commit (search by commit message)
      • gecko-dev commit : INSERT_COMMIT_HASH_HERE
    • Create new geckoview branch with the discovered gecko-dev commit as HEAD named geckoview-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
    • Sign/Tag commit :
      • Tag : $(RR_TAG)
      • Message : Hg tag $(RR_TAG)
    • Push new branch and tag to origin
    • Rebase geckoview patches
    • Perform rangediff to ensure nothing weird happened resolving conflicts
      • git range-diff $(RR_TAG_PREV)..$(GECKOVIEW_BRANCH_PREV) $(RR_TAG)..$(GECKOVIEW_BRANCH)
    • Open MR for the rebase
    • Merge + Push
  • (Optional) Backport any required patches to Stable
    • cherry-pick patches on top of rebased branch (issues to backport should have Backport label and be linked to the associated Release Prep issue
    • Close associated Backport issues
    • Open MR for the backport commits
    • Merge + Push
  • Sign/Tag commit :
    • Tag : geckoview-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(FIREFOX_BUILD_N)
    • Message : Tagging $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) for $(RR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
  • Push tag to origin

tba-translation (Optional): https://git.torproject.org/translation.git

  • Fetch latest and identify new HEAD of fenix-torbrowserstringsxml branch
    • origin/fenix-torbrowserstringsxml : INSERT COMMIT HASH HERE

android-components (Optional): https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/android-components.git

  • (Optional) Rebase to $(RR_VERSION)
    • Upstream git repo : https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/android-components.git
    • Identify the mozilla-mobile git tag to start from
      • Seem to be in the form v$(RR_VERSION) (for example, v99.0.3)
    • Create new branch from tag named android-components-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1
    • Push new branch to origin
    • Rebase android-components patches
    • Perform rangediff to ensure nothing weird happened resolving conflicts
    • Open MR for the rebase
    • Merge + Push
  • (Optional) Backport any required patches to Stable
  • cherry-pick patches on top of rebased branch (issues to backport should have Backport label and be linked to the associated Release Prep issue
  • Close associated Backport issues
  • Open MR for the backport commits
  • Merge + Push
  • Sign/Tag commit:
    • Tag : android-components-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(BUILD_N)
    • Message: Tagging $(BUILD_N) for $(RR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
  • Push tag to origin

tor-android-service (Optional): https://git.torproject.org/tor-android-service.git

  • Fetch latest and identify new HEAD of master branch
    • origin/master : INSERT COMMIT HASH HERE

fenix (Optional): https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/fenix.git

  • (Optional) Rebase to $(RR_VERSION)
    • Upstream git repo : https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix.git
    • Identify the mozilla-mobile git tag to start from
      • Seem to be in the form v$(RR_VERSION) (for example, v96.3.0)
    • Create new branch from tag named tor-browser-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1
      • NOTE : it is weird but we do use tor-browser here rather than fenix
    • Push new branch to origin
    • Rebase fenix patches
    • Perform rangediff to ensure nothing weird happened resolving conflicts
    • Open MR for the rebase
    • Merge + Push
  • (Optional) Backport any required patches to Stable
  • (Optional) Backport any required patches to Stable
    • cherry-pick patches on top of rebased branch (issues to backport should have Backport label and be linked to the associated Release Prep issue
    • Close associated Backport issues
    • Open MR for the backport commits
    • Merge + Push
  • Sign/Tag commit:
    • Tag : tor-browser-$(RR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(BUILD_N)
    • Message: Tagging $(BUILD_N) for $(RR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
  • Push tag to origin
Build/Signing/Publishing

tor-browser-build: https://git.torproject.org/builders/tor-browser-build.git

Tor Browser Alpha (and Nightly) are on the master branch, while Stable lives in the various $(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-maint (and possibly more specific) branches

  • Update rbm.conf
    • var/torbrowser_version : update to next version
    • var/torbrowser_build : update to $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N)
    • var/torbrowser_incremental_from : update to previous version
      • IMPORTANT: Really actually make sure this is the previous Desktop version or else the make incrementals-* step will fail
  • Update projects/firefox/config
    • git_hash : update the $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) section to match tor-browser tag
    • (Optional) var/firefox_platform_version : update to latest $(ESR_VERSION) if rebased
  • (Android Only) Update projects/geckoview/config
    • git_hash : update the $(GECKOVIEW_BUILD_N) section to match geckoview tag
    • (Optional) var/geckoview_version : update to latest $(RR_VERSION) if rebased
  • (Android Only, Optional) Update projects/tba-translations/config:
    • git_hash : update with HEAD commit of project's fenix-torbrowserstringsxml branch
  • (Android Only, Optional) Update projects/tor-android-service/config
    • git_hash : update with HEAD commit of project's master branch
  • (Android Only, Optionl) Update projects/fenix/config
    • git_hash : update the $(FENIX_BUILD_N) section to match fenix tag
    • (Optional) var/fenix_version : update to latest $(RR_VERSION) if rebased
  • (Android Only) Update allowed_addons.json by running (from tor-browser-build root)`./tools/fetch_allowed_addons.py > projects/tor-browser/allowed_addons.json
  • Check for NoScript updates here : https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript
    • (Optional) If version available, update noscript section of input_files in projects/tor-browser/config
      • URL
      • sha256sum
  • Check for openssl updates here : https://github.com/openssl/openssl/tags
    • (Optional) If new 1.X.Y series tag available, update projects/openssl/config
      • version : update to next 1.X.Y release tag
      • input_files/sha256sum : update to sha256 sum of source tarball
  • Check for tor updates here : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/core/tor/-/tags ; Tor Browser Alpha uses -alpha tagged tor, while stable uses the stable series
    • (Optional) If new tor version is available, update projects/tor/config
      • version : update to next release tag
  • Check for go updates here : https://golang.org/dl (Tor Browser Alpha uses the latest Stable go version, while Tor Browser Stable uses the latest of the previous Stable major series version (eg: if Tor Browser Alpha is on the go1.17 series, Tor Browser Stable is on the go1.16 series)
    • (Optional) If new go version is available, update projects/go/config
      • version : update go version
      • input_files/sha256sum for go : update sha256sum of archive (sha256 sums are displayed on the go download page)
  • Update ChangeLog.txt
    • Ensure ChangeLog.txt is sync'd between alpha and stable branches
  • Open MR with above changes
  • Begin build on $(BUILD_SERVER)
  • Sign/Tag commit : make signtag-(alpha|release)
  • Push tag to origin

notify stakeholders

  • Email tor-qa mailing list: tor-qa@lists.torproject.org
    • Provide links to unsigned builds on $(BUILD_SERVER)
    • Call out any new functionality which needs testing
    • Link to any known issues
  • Email Tails dev mailing list: tails-dev@boum.org
    • Provide links to unsigned builds on $(BUILD_SERVER)

blog: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/blog.git

  • Duplicate previous Stable or Alpha release blog post as appropriate to new directory under content/blog/new-release-tor-browser-$(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) and update with info on release :
    • Update Tor Browser version numbers
    • Note any ESR rebase
    • Note any Rapid Release rebase
    • Link to any Firefox security updates
    • Note any updates to :
      • tor
      • openssl
      • go
      • noscript
    • Convert ChangeLog.txt to markdown format used here by : tor-browser-build/tools/changelog-format-blog-post
  • Push to origin as new branch, open 'Draft :' MR
  • Remove draft from MR once signed-packages are uploaded
  • Merge

website: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/tpo.git

  • databags/versions.ini : Update the downloads versions
    • torbrowser-stable/version : sort of a catch-all for latest stable version
    • torbrowser-stable/win32 : tor version in the expert bundle
    • torbrowser-*-stable/version : platform-specific stable versions
    • torbrowser-*-alpha/version : platform-specific alpha versions
    • tor-stable,tor-alpha : set by tor devs, do not touch
  • Push to origin as new branch, open 'Draft :' MR
  • Remove draft from MR once signed-packages are uploaded
  • Merge

signing + publishing

  • Ensure builders have matching builds
  • On $(STAGING_SERVER), ensure updated:
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config
      • NSS_DB_DIR : location of the nssdb7 directory
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.hosts
      • ssh_host_builder : ssh hostname of machine with unsigned builds
        • NOTE : tor-browser-build is expected to be in the $HOME directory)
      • ssh_host_linux_signer : ssh hostname of linux signing machine
      • ssh_host_macos_signer : ssh hostname of macOS signing machine
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.macos-notarization
      • macos_notarization_user : the email login for a tor notariser Apple Developer account
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.tbb-version
      • tbb_version : tor browser version string, same as var/torbrowser_version in rbm.conf (examples: 11.5a12, 11.0.13)
      • tbb_version_build : the tor-browser-build build number (if var/torbrowser_build in rbm.conf is buildN then this value is N)
      • tbb_version_type : either alpha for alpha releases or release for stable releases
  • On $(STAGING_SERVER) in a separate screen session, run the macOS proxy script:
    • cd tor-browser-build/tools/signing/
    • ./macos-signer-proxy
  • On $(STAGING_SERVER) in a separate screen session, ensure tor daemon is running with SOCKS5 proxy on the default port 9050
  • (Android Only) : TODO
  • run do-all-signing script:
    • cd tor-browser-build/tools/signing/
    • ./do-all-signing.sh
  • NOTE: at this point the signed desktop binaries should have been copied to staticiforme
  • Update staticiforme.torproject.org:
    • From screen session on staticiforme.torproject.org
    • Static update components : static-update-component cdn.torproject.org && static-update-component dist.torproject.org
    • Enable update responses :
      • alpha: ./deploy_update_responses-alpha.sh
      • release: ./deploy_update_responses-release.sh
  • (Android Only) : Publish APKs to Google Play
    • Log into https://play.google.com/apps/publish
    • Select correct app:
      • Tor Browser
      • Tor Browser Alpha
    • Navigate to Release > Production and click Create new release button
    • Upload the *.multi.apk APKs
    • If necessary, update the 'Release Name' (should be automatically populated)
    • Update Release Notes
      • Next to 'Release notes', click Copy from a previous release
      • Edit blog post url to point to most recent blog post
    • Save, review, and configure rollout percentage
      • 25% rollout when publishing a scheduled update
      • 100% rollout when publishing a security-driven release
    • Optional Update rollout percentage to 100% after confirmed no major issues

tor-announce mailing list

  • (Stable release only) : send an email to tor-announce@lists.torproject.org, using the same content as the blog post and subject "Tor Browser $version is released".
Edited by morgan
To upload designs, you'll need to enable LFS and have an admin enable hashed storage. More information