Release Validation¶

Overview¶

Comprehensive validation procedures before releasing AudioLab to ensure quality and stability.

Contents¶

release_checklist.md - Complete pre-release checklist (~200 items)
smoke_test_plan.md - Post-release smoke testing
go_no_go_criteria.md - Release decision criteria
release_metrics.md - Success metrics tracking

Release Phases¶

T-48h: Pre-Release Preparation¶

Code freeze
Version bump
Changelog complete
Documentation updated

T-24h: Build & Package¶

Clean build all platforms
Code signing
Installer creation
Checksum generation

T-12h: Automated Testing¶

Unit tests (all pass)
Integration tests
Performance benchmarks
Audio quality validation

T-8h: Manual Testing¶

DAW compatibility (8+ DAWs)
Platform testing (Windows/macOS/Linux)
Preset loading
UI testing

T-4h: Security & Compliance¶

Security scan
License compliance
Privacy compliance

T-2h: Distribution Prep¶

Upload to servers
Create GitHub release
Update website

T-0h: Deployment¶

Flip update server
Social media announcement
Monitor for issues

Go/No-Go Decision¶

ALL must be YES to release: - [ ] All tests pass - [ ] No Severity ½ bugs - [ ] Code signed - [ ] Documentation complete - [ ] Performance meets targets

Sign-off Required: - Engineering Lead - QA Lead - Product Manager - Release Manager

Quick Validation¶

Minimal checks (for hotfixes):

# Build
cmake --build build --config Release

# Test
ctest --test-dir build --config Release

# Validate
./scripts/quick_validate.sh

# If all pass → OK to release hotfix

Success Metrics (T+24h)¶

Crash rate < 0.5%
Support tickets < +5%
Positive feedback > 80%
No critical issues

Emergency Stop¶

If critical issue found post-release: → Follow ../03_13_04_rollback_procedures/

../03_13_00_versioning_strategy/ - Version decisions
../03_13_02_build_packaging/ - What to validate
../03_13_04_rollback_procedures/ - If validation missed something