tjh.dev
1# Steps for Testing New Releases
2
3## Patch Releases or Updating `nixVersions.{latest,git}`
4
5Branch to merge into: **master** or **release-$nixos-version**
6
7Build the affected Nix packages and run their tests on the following platforms: **x86_64-linux**, **aarch64-linux**, **x86_64-darwin**, and **aarch64-darwin**.
8If you lack the necessary hardware for these platforms, you may need to ask others for assistance with the builds.
9Alternatively, you can request access to the Nix community builder for all platforms [here](https://github.com/NixOS/aarch64-build-box) and [here](https://nix-community.org/community-builder/).
10
11To build all dependent packages, use:
12
13```
14nixpkgs-review pr <your-pull-request>
15```
16
17And to build all important NixOS tests, run:
18
19```
20# Replace $version with the actual Nix version
21nix-build nixVersions.nix_$version.tests
22```
23
24Be sure to also update the `nix-fallback-paths` whenever you do a patch release for `nixVersions.stable`
25
26```
27# Replace $version with the actual Nix version
28curl https://releases.nixos.org/nix/nix-$version/fallback-paths.nix > nixos/modules/installer/tools/nix-fallback-paths.nix
29```
30
31## Major Version Bumps
32
33If you're updating `nixVersions.stable`, follow all the steps mentioned above, but use the **staging** branch for your pull request (or **staging-next** after coordinating with the people in matrix `#staging:nixos.org`)
34This is necessary because, at the end of the staging-next cycle, the NixOS tests are built through the [staging-next-small](https://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/nixos/staging-next-small) jobset.
35Especially nixos installer test are important to look at here.
36
37There is a script to update minor versions:
38
39```
40./pkgs/tools/package-management/nix/update-all.sh
41```