🔗 Alpha Objectives
The objectives of the Alpha release are to:
- Publicly release installable media versions of a feature complete test release
- Test accepted Changes of Fedora 26
- Identify as many F26 Beta blocker bugs as possible
- Identify as many F26 Final blocker bugs as possible
🔗 Alpha Release Requirements
In order to be released to the general public, a compose must meet all of the following criteria. This is intended to make the decision process as clear and straightforward as possible. Mostly met items are incomplete until they are met. Optional and nice to have items should not be included in this list.
There may be times where a requirement is unmet only in a particular configuration, such as with some keyboard layouts but not others, or if a particular character is used in a username, password or passphrase. In such cases, the release team should use their judgement and refer to precedent to determine whether or not the issue should be considered to block the release. They should consider the number of users likely to be affected by the issue, the severity of the case when the issue is encountered, and the ease or otherwise with which the issue can be avoided by both informed and uninformed users.
The term release-blocking desktops means all the desktop environments in which bugs are currently considered capable of blocking a Fedora release. The current set of release-blocking desktops for x86_64 is GNOME and KDE, and for aarch64 is GNOME. Note that bugs in desktops that are not part of this set which would infringe these criteria automatically qualify for freeze exception status, according to the freeze exception bug process.
The term release-blocking images means all the images in which bugs are currently considered capable of blocking a Fedora release. The current set of release-blocking images includes the images defined by the three Editions - Server, Workstation and IoT - in their product requirement documents and/or technical specifications, the Everything network install image, key Cloud images, and the KDE live image. The canonical list of release-blocking images for Fedora 42 is on this page.
🔗 Process requirements
🔗 Alpha blockers CLOSED
All bugs blocking the Alpha tracker must be CLOSED.
🔗 FESCo blocker bugs
All bugs deemed by FESCo to block the milestone release must be fixed.
🔗 Correct checksums
A correct checksum must be published for each official release image.
🔗 Initialization requirements
🔗 Release-blocking images must boot
All release-blocking images must boot in their supported configurations.
🔗 Expected image boot behavior
- Release-blocking dedicated installer images must boot to the expected boot menu, and then after a reasonable timeout to the installer.
- Release-blocking live images must boot to the expected boot menu, and then to a desktop or to a login prompt where it is clear how to log in to a desktop.
- Release-blocking ARM disk images must boot to the initial-setup utility.
- Release-blocking cloud images must allow login with the user authentication configuration requested during instance creation.
🔗 Installer requirements
Except where otherwise specified, each of these requirements applies to all supported configurations described above. These requirements do not apply to images which do not use the installer.
🔗 Installer must run
The installer must run when launched normally from the release-blocking images.
🔗 Remote package sources
When using a release-blocking dedicated installer image, the installer must be able to use either HTTP or FTP repositories (or both) as package sources. Release-blocking network install images must default to a valid publicly-accessible package source.
🔗 Media package source
When using a dedicated installer image that contains packages, the installer must be able to use the install medium as a package source.
🔗 Installation interfaces
When using a dedicated installer image, the installer must be able to complete an installation using the text, graphical and VNC installation interfaces.
🔗 Package sets
When installing with a release-blocking dedicated installer image, the installer must be able to install the default package set.
🔗 Disk selection
The user must be able to select which of the disks connected to the system will be affected by the installation process.
🔗 Storage interfaces
The installer must be able to complete an installation using any supported locally connected storage interface.
🔗 Disk layouts
The installer must be able to complete an installation to a single disk using automatic partitioning.
🔗 Scripted user creation
The scripted installation mechanism must provide a working function for creating local user accounts, including the ability to specify a hashed password, and for specifying a hashed password for the root account.
🔗 Update image
The installer must be able to download and use an installer update image from an HTTP server.
🔗 Failure reporting
The installer must be able to report failures to Bugzilla, with appropriate information included.
🔗 Virtualization requirements
🔗 Guest on current stable release
The release must install and boot successfully as a virtual guest in a situation where the virtual host is running the current stable Fedora release.
🔗 Post-install requirements
Except where otherwise specified, each of these requirements applies to all supported configurations described above. These requirements are not applicable to Cloud images.
🔗 Expected installed system boot behavior
- A working mechanism to create a user account must be clearly presented during installation and/or first boot of the installed system.
- A system installed with a release-blocking desktop must boot to a log in screen where it is possible to log in to a working desktop using a user account created during installation or a 'first boot' utility.
- A system installed without a graphical package set must boot to a state where it is possible to log in through at least one of the default virtual consoles.
🔗 System service manipulation
The default system init daemon (e.g. systemd) must be capable of starting, stopping, enabling and disabling correctly-defined services.
🔗 Updates
The installed system must be able to download and install updates with the default console package manager.
🔗 System logging
A system logging infrastructure must be available, enabled by default, and working.
🔗 SELinux configuration
Unless explicitly specified otherwise, after system installation SELinux must be enabled and in enforcing mode.
🔗 Shutdown
It must be possible to trigger a clean system shutdown using standard console commands.
🔗 Self-identification
Any component which prominently identifies a Fedora release version number, code name or milestone (Alpha, Beta, Final) must do so correctly.
🔗 Required applications
It must be possible to run the default web browser and a terminal application from all release-blocking desktop environments.
🔗 Desktop background
The default desktop background must be different from that of the last two stable releases.
🔗 Server Flavor requirements
These requirements apply only to the Server flavor.
🔗 Role definition requirements
Release-blocking roles and the supported role configuration interfaces must meet the core functional Role Definition Requirements to the extent that supported roles can be successfully deployed, started, stopped, brought to a working configuration, and queried.
🔗 Role functional requirements
The core functional requirements for all Featured Server Roles must be met, but it is acceptable if moderate workarounds are necessary to achieve this.
🔗 Remote authentication
It must be possible to join the system to a FreeIPA or Active Directory domain at install time and post-install, and the system must respect the identity, authentication and access control configuration provided by the domain.
🔗 Firewall configuration
After system installation without explicit firewall configuration, the system firewall must be active on all non-loopback interfaces. The only ports which may be open to incoming traffic are port 22 (ssh), port 9090 (Cockpit web interface), and any ports associated with server Roles selected during installation. Supported install-time firewall configuration options must work correctly.
🔗 Cockpit management interface
Unless explicitly specified otherwise, after system installation the Cockpit web management interface must be running and accessible on its default port (9090).
🔗 Alpha Blocker Bugs
A bug is considered a Alpha blocker bug if any of the following criteria are met:
- A bug in a Critical Path package that:
- Cannot be fixed with a future stable update
- Has a severity rating of high or greater and no reasonable workaround (see definition of severity and priority)
- Bug hinders execution of required Alpha test plans or dramatically reduces test coverage
- Bug relates to an unmet Alpha Release Requirement
A Fedora Change being incomplete, in and of itself, does not constitute a blocker bug. The Change process is separate from this process. Changes are required to meet certain standards at certain points of the release cycle, but this is part of the Change process and managed, tracked and enforced separately from this process. However, if a proposed feature being incomplete causes any of the above criteria to be met, then the bug is a release blocker.
🔗 Contingency Plan
- If all of the Alpha Release Requirements are not met by 20:00 ETC on Wednesday (1:00 AM UTC Thursday) the week prior to release day, the release will be delayed by one week so that the Alpha Release Requirements can be met.
- One week will be added to all remaining tasks in the release schedule, including the final release date.
- This decision will be made at the Go/No-Go Meeting.
🔗 Confirming Alpha Requirements
QA has the responsibility of determining whether the criteria for the release has been met (as outlined above) through discussion with Development and Release Engineering. QA's findings will be reviewed and discussed at the Go/No-Go Meeting.
