KDE 4.0 Release Roadmap

Milestone: Subsystem Freeze

Date: 2 April 2007

Goals:

After this date forward, no major KDE subsystem can be committed to kdelibs.
The location of all classes are fixed within kdelibs.
Trunk is expected to contain KDE4 code only now. This effectively means that all scripts processing translations for KDE3 in trunk will cease.
Extragear applications that want to release based on KDE3 are expected to move to /branches/stable and work from there.
The buildsystem requirements are fixed; i.e, must not require a version of cmake greater than 2.4.5.
Qt 4.3 is required from here until release.

31 March - 2 April is Big Changes 3-Day Weekend to make the final set of big changes.

Start: 15 Apr 2007 (estimated) End: 21 Apr 2007 Duration: 1 week

Goals:

Date: 1 May 2007

Goals:

The kdelibs API is frozen. This means that the classes and interfaces are not allowed to change, except with permission of the core developers.
To make an API change, post a kdelibs API exception request to the kde-core-devel mailinglist with an explanation and the code. If there are no objections after a week, the change can be committed.

NOTE: all affected modules must continue to compile and work as expected.

Date: 8 May 2007

Goals:

All applications expected to be released with KDE 4.0 must:
- use the new cmake buildsystem
- compile with Qt4.3 and kdelibs 4.0. (Using Q3Support and/or kde3support is ok, though not desired)
- have a handbook (that at least describes what the application does)
New applications must be committed into kdereview for review
Resurrected applications must be committed back into their main kde module
Start Application Usability and Accessibility Review continuing until the start of the Beta Cycle

Date: 1 June 2007

Goals:

The KDE main modules are frozen for new features.
No new features are allowed, the focus is on stabilizing the applications and fixing all bugs.
The main module maintainers must indicate if they will follow the release schedule or will divert and not be released together with KDE 4.0.

Start: 25 June 2007 End: 24 September 2007 Duration: 3 months (estimated)

Goals:

From this date forward, a Beta Version will be published every month until most grave bugs are resolved.
The kdelibs API is now frozen solid.
Translations are included starting with the second Beta, thus beginning a string freeze. Exceptions can be requested on the kde-i18n mailinglist.

Start: 25 September 2007 End: 22 October 2007 Duration: 4 weeks (estimated)

Goals:

From this date forward, a Release Candidate will be released every two weeks until *all* grave bugs are resolved.
After the first Release Candidate there is a total release freeze. This means only regressions (breakage caused due to the KDE4 port) or grave bugs can be fixed, but nothing else.
With the first Release Candidate, a list of languages which will be included with the KDE 4.0 release will be made available, based on the usual rules.

Date: 23 October 2007

Goals: