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+# Release process (automated)
+
+* Author(s): Mike Nguyen (@mikeee) - hey(at)mike.ee
+* State: Draft
+* Updated: 23-SEP-2024
+
+## Overview
+
+This is a proposal to define an automated release process for Dapr.
+
+The automation will leverage existing release workflows for each repository
+where implemented, with updates to add commit statuses to the context where
+tests have passed.
+
+A new release repository will be maintained by the release team to manage the
+release process - named `release`.
+
+The new release process will be triggered by an issue being created with a
+template defining the targets, once the required tests have passed a pull
+request with the release notes will be created automatically and subject to
+editing will kick off the release process when merged.
+
+All the Dapr repositories are in scope during the release process.
+
+## Background
+
+The release process is currently manual, this includes ensuring tests have
+passed as well as kicking off a release. This removes the onus on maintainers 
+to dedicate time during the endgame and the release team can perform releases
+confidently with a defined workflow by maintainers.
+
+## Expectations
+
+* The release process will be triggered by a standardised issue template in the
+  main dapr/release repository.
+* SDKs will be free to continue with releases that are not part of a release run.
+* Existing release workflows will be utilised where possible for testing and
+releases.
+* A daily trigger should be run to ensure that commit statuses are correct and
+up to date.
+* An automated pull request to the main dapr/dapr repository will be created
+once tests are passing. This PR will contain release notes.
+* The tagging and release process will be triggered by the merge of the release
+  notes PR.
+
+## Implementation Details
+
+### Design
+
+Repositories will have their workflows updated to include add commit statuses on
+each commit reference where applicable e.g. release and main branches. The commit
+reference is used to validate that it has passed the required tests and is suitable
+for release. This also reduces the burden of running extraneous jobs at
+release time.
+
+#### Commit statuses
+
+Release branches going forward for each repository should only be defined as
+`release-X.YY`
+
+Runs will be triggered daily against all repositories using the latest commit
+references for dapr & CLI for the latest release branch and the prior (YY-1).
+The main branches will also be tested as not all repositories utilise release
+branches.
+
+The context should be set to `release/tests` and have a state of: `error`,
+`failure`, `pending` or `success`. The description should contain contextual
+information for the run that will be displayed.
+
+#### Trigger - Release Issue Creation
+
+The process will be triggered by the creation of an issue from a template in
+`dapr/release`. The label MUST also be release-eng/release.
+
+The release will use an unordered list defining inputs:
+
+```md
+# Dapr Release Trigger
+
+* RC: No
+* dapr/components-contrib: VERSION
+* dapr/dapr: VERSION
+* dapr/cli: VERSION
+* dapr/dashboard: VERSION
+* SDKs:
+  * go: VERSION
+  * rust: VERSION
+  * python: VERSION
+  * dotnet: VERSION
+  * java: VERSION
+  * js: VERSION
+
+```
+
+The version should be specified as MAJOR.MINOR e.g. 1.15
+A full semantic version can be provided as an override.
+
+The app will confirm whether there is an existing release, and if so will provide
+a patch release. If it is an RC release, it will increment the RC version unless
+there is no existing RC in which case it will increment the PATCH version
+number and append rc.0.
+
+Specifying no/nil version will result in it being excluded from the release
+process.
+
+There will be a trigger response to display the parsed markdown contents.
+
+#### GitHub Workflow
+
+The workflow will be split into 3 workflows:
+
+##### 1. Issue trigger
+
+This will follow an issue being opened, it will parse and respond to the issue
+with a comment providing the parsed values/validity and a table of test
+results.
+
+If the issue cannot be parsed, it will be closed.
+
+##### 2. Tests passing (repeated)
+
+A workflow will be run every 5 minutes for 5 hours (the maximum run time is
+6 hours) until tests are passing or the deadline is reached.
+
+The issue comment will be maintained and updated after every job run.
+
+Once defined tests are passing, a PR will be raised with the release notes for
+editing.
+
+If the deadline is reached, the issue will be closed and locked.
+
+##### 3. PR Merge
+
+The release team will propose changes to the PR for release notes if necessary
+and subsequently, approve and merge.
+
+This will trigger the tag and release process in this order:
+
+1. dapr/components-contrib
+2. dapr/dapr
+3. dapr/dashboard
+4. dapr/cli
+5. dapr/installer-bundle
+6. SDKs
+7. Operators / Shared / Taps etc.
+8. dapr/quickstarts
+9. dapr/samples
+10. dapr/test-infra
+11. dapr/docs
+12. dapr/blog
+
+The status of the release will be reported on the issue and PR.
+
+## Completion Checklist
+
+* [ ] Workflows implemented (new release repository)
+  * [ ] Issue trigger
+  * [ ] Tests passing
+  * [ ] PR Merge
+* [ ] Repository updates
+  * [ ] Release workflows confirmed/created
+  * [ ] Commit status jobs/steps added to test workflows
+* [ ] Tests (Release process)
+  * [ ] Unit
+  * [ ] E2E
+* [ ] Documentation