+1
> On Nov 27, 2025, at 4:52 PM, Michael Shuler <[email protected]> wrote: > > +1 > >> On 11/19/25 8:51 AM, Josh McKenzie wrote: >> I propose we vote on adding the below text to our wiki (https:// >> cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/cassandra/ <https:// >> cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/cassandra/>) and start executing on this >> release cycle. >> Discuss thread: https://lists.apache.org/thread/ >> y3fyv596h83vwmpc85x4vpq78p1r12l4 <https://lists.apache.org/thread/ >> y3fyv596h83vwmpc85x4vpq78p1r12l4> >> [VOTING STRUCTURE] >> Current roll call is 27 (see: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/ >> display/CASSANDRA/Cassandra+Project+Governance <https:// >> cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/Cassandra+Project+Governance>) >> Procedure for this vote: this is a process change. See governance doc here: >> https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/ >> Cassandra+Project+Governance <https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/ >> display/CASSANDRA/Cassandra+Project+Governance> >>> Discussion / binding votes on project structure and governance changes >>> (adopting subprojects, how we vote and govern, etc). (super majority) >>> A majority of the electorate at the time a vote is called is the low- >>> watermark for votes in favour necessary to pass a motion; that is, both >>> types of majority votes (simple and super-majority) require this 50% of >>> last roll call participation. >>> *Super majority voting:* 66% of votes must be in favor to pass. Requires >>> 50% participation of roll call. >> So 14 binding participants required, 10 of which must be in favor. >> I'll plan on leaving the vote open through at least Dec 1 given the upcoming >> holiday week; if we hit the required low water mark for it and have very >> clear consensus at that point I'll poll to close it early so we can get this >> codified and move on to other discussions. >> Text to vote on as follows: >> --- >> *Summary:* >> We target a yearly MAJOR release cadence, cutting a new release branch on >> April 1st that we then stabilize. Our yearly branching cadence will run from >> April to April - this avoids holiday crunch on feature finalization. We will >> release alphas at the beginning of all other quarters (i.e. July, October, >> January). >> Alphas give downstream users a stable snapshot for qualification and >> internal testing that is much nearer the upcoming GA. >> All dates are aspirational - we’re an open‑source project that relies on >> volunteers, so flexibility is expected. >> See our Release Lifecycle wiki for details on the definitions of alpha, >> beta, and rc: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/ >> Release+Lifecycle <https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/ >> CASSANDRA/Release+Lifecycle> >> *Yearly MAJOR release cadence:* >> * A release branch from trunk is created April 1st. >> * A MAJOR.0.0-beta1 release is packaged from that branch and made >> available shortly after freeze date. >> * Only features that have reached -beta / experimental status will be >> available in the next MAJOR. >> * We cut new -betaN releases as needed (see Release Lifecycle >> documentation). There is no fixed calendar lifecycle for beta >> progression. >> * RCs and the final GA follow the normal release lifecycle process >> (beta -> rc -> ga) and are cut based on criteria in our Release >> Lifecycle. >> * A new -beta1 for the next MAJOR is always cut the next April 1 after >> the prior -beta1 independent of when the prior .MAJOR reaches GA. >> * Stabilization of adjacent .MAJOR lines and promotion from beta to rc >> to ga are independent. >> *Alpha release cadence:* >> * At the start of each non-April quarter we cut an alpha-N release. >> * Target dates will be July 1st (alpha-1), October 1st (alpha-2), Jan >> 1st (alpha-3). >> * For alpha releases, it's built and released from a tag. No new branches. >> * Alphas receive no support; security fixes or bug‑fix backports are >> applied only to trunk and GA branches. >> * Alphas go through the standard Apache release process; they are >> voted on, artifacts prepared, and notification is sent on the dev@, >> user@, and ASF slack channels but not published on the download page. >> *Subprojects:* >> * Sub‑projects are encouraged but not required to follow the same >> April → July → Oct → Jan cadence; they may skip a quarter if there >> is nothing releasable after a brief dev@ discussion. >> *Transition:* >> * Rather than waiting until April of 2026 for 6.0 as per the new >> schedule, since it's been over a year since 5.0 released we will >> plan to release 6.0 any time between now and April of 2026 at the >> latest. The train may leave early but worst-case it'll go out on time. >> * We will plan on cutting 7.0 in April of 2027 >
