Release workflow simplifications (#356)

* Release workflow simplifications

* doc

* Sync

* Remove prerelease support

* More

* Sync

* Fix

.github/scripts/draft-change-log-entries.sh

@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ else
   range="v$major.$((minor - 1)).0..HEAD"
 fi
 
+echo "## Unreleased"
+echo
+
 declare -A component_names=()
 component_names["aws-xray/"]="AWS X-Ray"
 component_names["consistent-sampling/"]="Consistent sampling"

.github/scripts/generate-release-contributors.sh

@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 
 # this should be run on the release branch
 
+# NOTE if you need to run this script locally, you will need to first:
+#   git fetch upstream main
+#   git push origin upstream/main:main
+#   export GITHUB_REPOSITORY=open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib
+
 from_version=$1
 
 # get the date of the first commit that was not in the from_version
@@ -80,4 +85,5 @@ echo $contributors1 $contributors2 \
   | grep -v linux-foundation-easycla \
   | grep -v github-actions \
   | grep -v dependabot \
+  | grep -v opentelemetry-java-bot \
   | sed 's/^/@/'

.github/workflows/backport.yml

@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ jobs:
   backport:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
+      - run: |
+          if [[ ! $GITHUB_REF_NAME =~ ^release/v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.x$ ]]; then
+            echo this workflow should only be run against release branches
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           # history is needed to run git cherry-pick below
@@ -21,12 +27,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create pull request
         env:
           NUMBER: ${{ github.event.inputs.number }}
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
+          # not using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN since pull requests from that token do not run workflows
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           commit=$(gh pr view $NUMBER --json mergeCommit --jq .mergeCommit.oid)
           title=$(gh pr view $NUMBER --json title --jq .title)
-          url=$(gh pr view $NUMBER --json url --jq .url)
 
           branch="backport-${NUMBER}-to-${GITHUB_REF_NAME//\//-}"
 

.github/workflows/merge-change-log-to-main.yml

@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-name: Merge change log to main
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-jobs:
-  create-pull-request:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-        with:
-          # this workflow is run against the release branch (see usage of GITHUB_REF_NAME below)
-          # but it is creating a pull request against main
-          ref: main
-          # history is needed to run format-patch below
-          fetch-depth: 0
-
-      - name: Set git user
-        run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
-
-        # this will fail if there have been conflicting change log updates introduced in main
-      - name: Create pull request against main
-        env:
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-          message="Merge change log updates from $GITHUB_REF_NAME"
-          body="Merge change log updates from \`$GITHUB_REF_NAME\`."
-          branch="merge-change-log-updates-from-${GITHUB_REF_NAME//\//-}"
-
-          # perform a 3-way merge of a single file
-          git format-patch --stdout HEAD..origin/$GITHUB_REF_NAME CHANGELOG.md | git apply --3way
-
-          git commit -a -m "$message"
-          git push origin HEAD:$branch
-          gh pr create --title "$message" \
-                       --body "$body" \
-                       --head $branch \
-                       --base main

.github/workflows/prepare-patch-release.yml

@@ -8,10 +8,21 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
+      - run: |
+          if [[ ! $GITHUB_REF_NAME =~ ^release/v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.x$ ]]; then
+            echo this workflow should only be run against release branches
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if ! grep --quiet "^## Unreleased$" CHANGELOG.md; then
+            echo the change log is missing an \"Unreleased\" section
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Set environment variables
         run: |
           version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
-          if [[ $version =~ ([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)\.([0-9]+) ]]; then
+          if [[ $version =~ ^([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)$ ]]; then
             major_minor="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
             patch="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
           else
@@ -20,22 +31,20 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo "VERSION=$major_minor.$((patch + 1))" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-      - name: Check change log has been updated
-        run: |
-          if ! grep --quiet "^## Version $VERSION" CHANGELOG.md; then
-            echo the change log needs to be updated
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
       - name: Update version
         run: .github/scripts/update-version.sh $VERSION
 
+      - name: Update the change log with the approximate release date
+        run: |
+          date=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d")
+          sed -Ei "s/^## Unreleased$/## Version $VERSION ($date)/" CHANGELOG.md
+
       - name: Set git user
         run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
 
       - name: Create pull request
         env:
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
+          # not using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN since pull requests from that token do not run workflows
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           message="Prepare release $VERSION"

.github/workflows/prepare-release-branch.yml

@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
       - run: |
-          version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
+          if [[ $GITHUB_REF_NAME != main ]]; then
-          version=${version//-SNAPSHOT/}
+            echo this workflow should only be run against main
-          if ! grep --quiet "^## Version $version" CHANGELOG.md; then
+            exit 1
-            echo the change log needs to be updated
+          fi
+
+          if ! grep --quiet "^## Unreleased$" CHANGELOG.md; then
+            echo the change log is missing an \"Unreleased\" section
             exit 1
           fi
 
@@ -23,11 +26,15 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
       - name: Create release branch
-        id: create-release-branch
         run: |
           version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
           version=${version//-SNAPSHOT/}
-          release_branch_name=$(echo $version | sed -E 's/([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.0/release\/v\1.\2.x/')
+          if [[ $version =~ ^([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.0$ ]]; then
+            release_branch_name=$(echo $version | sed -E 's/([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.0/release\/v\1.\2.x/')
+          else
+            echo "unexpected version: $version"
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
           git push origin HEAD:$release_branch_name
 
@@ -37,12 +44,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Update version
         run: .github/scripts/update-version.sh $VERSION
 
+      - name: Update the change log with the approximate release date
+        run: |
+          date=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d")
+          sed -Ei "s/^## Unreleased$/## Version $VERSION ($date)/" CHANGELOG.md
+
       - name: Set git user
         run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
 
       - name: Create pull request against the release branch
         env:
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
+          # not using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN since pull requests from that token do not run workflows
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           message="Prepare release $VERSION"
@@ -64,26 +76,33 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set environment variables
         run: |
           version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
-          if [[ $version =~ ([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.0 ]]; then
+          version=${version//-SNAPSHOT/}
+          if [[ $version =~ ^([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.0$ ]]; then
             major="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
             minor="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
+            next_version="$major.$((minor + 1)).0"
           else
             echo "unexpected version: $version"
             exit 1
           fi
-          next_version="$major.$((minor + 1)).0"
+          echo "NEXT_VERSION=${next_version}-SNAPSHOT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          next_version="${next_version}-SNAPSHOT"
+          echo "VERSION=$version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "NEXT_VERSION=$next_version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: Update version
         run: .github/scripts/update-version.sh $NEXT_VERSION
 
+      - name: Update the change log on main
+        run: |
+          # the actual release date on main will be updated at the end of the release workflow
+          date=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d")
+          sed -Ei "s/^## Unreleased$/## Unreleased\n\n## Version $VERSION ($date)/" CHANGELOG.md
+
       - name: Set git user
         run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
 
       - name: Create pull request against main
         env:
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
+          # not using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN since pull requests from that token do not run workflows
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           message="Update version to $NEXT_VERSION"

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -3,64 +3,88 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
-  build:
+  assemble:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-assemble.yml
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
-      - name: Set up JDK for running Gradle
+  test:
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-test.yml
-        with:
-          distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 17
 
-      - uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+  # test-latest-deps is intentionally not included in the release workflows
-        name: Build
+  # because any time a new library version is released to maven central
-        with:
+  # it can fail due to test code incompatibility with the new library version,
-          arguments: build
+  # or due to slight changes in emitted telemetry
 
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+  smoke-test:
-        name: Save unit test results
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-smoke-test.yml
-        if: always()
-        with:
-          name: test-results
-          path: jmx-metrics/build/reports/tests/test
 
-  integration-test:
+  # muzzle is intentionally not included in the release workflows
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  # because any time a new library version is released to maven central it can fail,
-    steps:
+  # and this is not a reason to hold up the release
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
-      - name: Set up JDK for running Gradle
+  gradle-plugins:
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-gradle-plugins.yml
-        with:
-          distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 17
 
-      - uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+  examples:
-        name: Integration test
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-examples.yml
-        with:
-          arguments: integrationTest
-
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        name: Save integration test results
-        if: always()
-        with:
-          name: integration-test-results
-          path: jmx-metrics/build/reports/tests/integrationTest
 
   release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
-      - build
+      - assemble
-      - integration-test
+      - test
+      - smoke-test
+      - gradle-plugins
+      - examples
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - run: |
           if [[ $GITHUB_REF_NAME != release/* ]]; then
-            echo the release workflow should only be run against release branches
+            echo this workflow should only be run against release branches
             exit 1
           fi
 
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+      - name: Set environment variables
+        run: |
+          version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
+          if [[ $version =~ ^([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+) ]]; then
+            major="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
+            minor="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
+            patch="${BASH_REMATCH[3]}"
+          else
+            echo "unexpected version: $version"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ $patch == 0 ]]; then
+            if [[ $minor == 0 ]]; then
+              prior_major=$((major - 1))
+              prior_minor=$(grep -Po "^## Version $prior_major.\K[0-9]+" CHANGELOG.md | head -1)
+              prior_version="$prior_major.$prior_minor"
+            else
+              prior_version="$major.$((minor - 1)).0"
+            fi
+          else
+            prior_version="$major.$minor.$((patch - 1))"
+          fi
+          echo "VERSION=$version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "PRIOR_VERSION=$prior_version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+        # check out main branch to verify there won't be problems with merging the change log
+        # at the end of this workflow
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          ref: main
+
+      - run: |
+          if [[ $VERSION == *.0 ]]; then
+            # not making a patch release
+            if ! grep --quiet "^## Version $VERSION " CHANGELOG.md; then
+              echo the pull request generated by prepare-release-branch.yml needs to be merged first
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          fi
+
+        # back to the release branch
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           # tags are needed for the generate-release-contributors.sh script
@@ -82,30 +106,19 @@ jobs:
           GPG_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
           GPG_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSWORD }}
 
-      - name: Set environment variables
+      - name: Build and publish gradle plugins
-        run: |
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
-          version=$(.github/scripts/get-version.sh)
+        env:
-          if [[ $version =~ ([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+) ]]; then
+          SONATYPE_USER: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_USER }}
-            major="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
+          SONATYPE_KEY: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_KEY }}
-            minor="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
+          GRADLE_PUBLISH_KEY: ${{ secrets.GRADLE_PUBLISH_KEY }}
-            patch="${BASH_REMATCH[3]}"
+          GRADLE_PUBLISH_SECRET: ${{ secrets.GRADLE_PUBLISH_SECRET }}
-          else
+          GPG_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-            echo "unexpected version: $version"
+          GPG_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSWORD }}
-            exit 1
+        with:
-          fi
+          # Don't use publishToSonatype since we don't want to publish the marker artifact
-          if [[ $patch == 0 ]]; then
+          arguments: build publishPlugins publishPluginMavenPublicationToSonatypeRepository closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository
-            if [[ $minor == 0 ]]; then
+          build-root-directory: gradle-plugins
-              prior_major=$((major - 1))
-              prior_minor=$(grep -Po "^## Version $prior_major.\K([0-9]+)" CHANGELOG.md | head -1)
-              prior_version="$prior_major.$prior_minor"
-            else
-              prior_version="$major.$((minor - 1)).0"
-            fi
-          else
-            prior_version="$major.$minor.$((patch - 1))"
-          fi
-          echo "VERSION=$version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "PRIOR_VERSION=$prior_version" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: Generate release notes
         env:
@@ -124,17 +137,21 @@ jobs:
           EOF
           fi
 
+          # CHANGELOG_SECTION.md is also used at the end of the release workflow
+          # for copying the change log updates to main
+          sed -n "0,/^## Version $VERSION /d;/^## Version /q;p" CHANGELOG.md \
+            > /tmp/CHANGELOG_SECTION.md
+
           # the complex perl regex is needed because markdown docs render newlines as soft wraps
           # while release notes render them as line breaks
-          sed -n "0,/^## Version $VERSION/d;/^## Version /q;p" CHANGELOG.md \
+          perl -0pe 's/(?<!\n)\n *(?!\n)(?![-*] )(?![1-9]+\. )/ /g' /tmp/CHANGELOG_SECTION.md \
-            | perl -0pe 's/(?<!\n)\n *(?!\n)(?![-*] )(?![1-9]+\. )/ /g' \
             >> /tmp/release-notes.txt
 
           # conditional block not indented because of the heredoc
           if [[ $VERSION == *.0 ]]; then
           cat >> /tmp/release-notes.txt << EOF
-
           ### 🙇 Thank you
+
           This release was possible thanks to the following contributors who shared their brilliant ideas and awesome pull requests:
 
           EOF
@@ -154,27 +171,117 @@ jobs:
                             v$VERSION \
                             opentelemetry-jmx-metrics.jar
 
-      - name: Update the change log with the release date
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          # the step below is creating a pull request against main
+          ref: main
+
+      - name: Copy change log updates to main
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          date=$(gh release view v$VERSION --json publishedAt --jq .publishedAt | sed 's/T.*//')
+          if [[ $VERSION == *.0 ]]; then
-          sed -Ei "s/## Version $VERSION .*/## Version $VERSION ($date)/" CHANGELOG.md
+            # this was not a patch release, so the version exists already in the CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # update the release date
+            date=$(gh release view v$VERSION --json publishedAt --jq .publishedAt | sed 's/T.*//')
+            sed -Ei "s/## Version $VERSION .*/## Version $VERSION ($date)/" CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # the entries are copied over from the release branch to support workflows
+            # where change log entries may be updated after preparing the release branch
+
+            # copy the portion above the release, up to and including the heading
+            sed -n "0,/^## Version $VERSION ($date)/p" CHANGELOG.md > /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # copy the release notes
+            cat /tmp/CHANGELOG_SECTION.md >> /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # copy the portion below the release
+            sed -n "0,/^## Version $VERSION /d;0,/^## Version /{/^## Version/!d};p" CHANGELOG.md \
+              >> /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # update the real CHANGELOG.md
+            cp /tmp/CHANGELOG.md CHANGELOG.md
+          else
+            # this was a patch release, so the version does not exist already in the CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # copy the portion above the top-most release, not including the heading
+            sed -n "0,/^## Version /{ /^## Version /!p }" CHANGELOG.md > /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # add the heading
+            date=$(gh release view v$VERSION --json publishedAt --jq .publishedAt | sed 's/T.*//')
+            echo "## Version $VERSION ($date)" >> /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # copy the release notes
+            cat /tmp/CHANGELOG_SECTION.md >> /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # copy the portion starting from the top-most release
+            sed -n "/^## Version /,\$p" CHANGELOG.md >> /tmp/CHANGELOG.md
+
+            # update the real CHANGELOG.md
+            cp /tmp/CHANGELOG.md CHANGELOG.md
+          fi
 
       - name: Set git user
         run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
 
-      - name: Create pull request against the release branch
+      - name: Create pull request against main
         env:
-          # not using the default GITHUB_TOKEN because pull requests generated by it do not run any workflows
+          # not using secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN since pull requests from that token do not run workflows
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          message="Add the release date for $VERSION to the change log"
+          message="Copy change log updates from $GITHUB_REF_NAME"
-          branch="add-release-date-for-${VERSION}"
+          body="Copy log updates from \`$GITHUB_REF_NAME\`."
+          branch="copy-change-log-updates-from-${GITHUB_REF_NAME//\//-}"
+
+          if [[ $VERSION == *.0 ]]; then
+            if git diff --quiet; then
+              echo there are no updates needed to the change log on main, not creating pull request
+              exit 0 # success
+            fi
+          fi
 
           git commit -a -m "$message"
           git push origin HEAD:$branch
-          gh pr create --title "[$GITHUB_REF_NAME] $message" \
+          gh pr create --title "$message" \
-                       --body "$message." \
+                       --body "$body" \
                        --head $branch \
-                       --base $GITHUB_REF_NAME
+                       --base main
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          repository: opentelemetry-java-bot/opentelemetry-operator
+          # this is the personal access token used for "git push" below
+          token: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Initialize pull request branch
+        run: |
+          git remote add upstream https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-operator.git
+          git fetch upstream
+          git checkout -b update-opentelemetry-javaagent-to-${VERSION} upstream/main
+
+      - name: Update version
+        run: |
+          echo $VERSION > autoinstrumentation/java/version.txt
+
+      - name: Set git user
+        run: .github/scripts/set-git-user.sh
+
+      - name: Create pull request against opentelemetry-operator
+        env:
+          # this is the personal access token used for "gh pr create" below
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          message="Update the javaagent version to $VERSION"
+          body="Update the javaagent version to \`$VERSION\`."
+
+          # gh pr create doesn't have a way to explicitly specify different head and base
+          # repositories currently, but it will implicitly pick up the head from a different
+          # repository if you set up a tracking branch
+
+          git commit -a -m "$message"
+          git push --set-upstream origin update-opentelemetry-javaagent-to-${VERSION}
+          gh pr create --title "$message" \
+                       --body "$body" \
+                       --repo open-telemetry/opentelemetry-operator \
+                       --base main

RELEASING.md

@@ -14,19 +14,19 @@ as the last step, which publishes a snapshot build to
 
 * Close the release milestone if there is one.
 * Merge a pull request to `main` updating the `CHANGELOG.md`.
-  * The heading for the release should include the release version but not the release date, e.g.
+  * The heading for the unreleased entries should be `## Unreleased`.
-    `## Version 1.9.0 (unreleased)`.
+  * Use `.github/scripts/draft-change-log-entries.sh` as a starting point for writing the change log.
-  * Use `.github/scripts/draft-change-log-entries.sh` as a starting point for writing the change
-    log.
 * Run the [Prepare release branch workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/prepare-release-branch.yml).
-* Review and merge the two pull requests that it creates
+  * Press the "Run workflow" button, and leave the default branch `main` selected.
-  (one is targeted to the release branch and one is targeted to the `main` branch).
+  * Review and merge the two pull requests that it creates
+    (one is targeted to the release branch and one is targeted to `main`).
 
 ## Preparing a new patch release
 
 All patch releases should include only bug-fixes, and must avoid adding/modifying the public APIs.
 
-In general, patch releases are only made for regressions, memory leaks and deadlocks.
+In general, patch releases are only made for regressions, security vulnerabilities, memory leaks
+and deadlocks.
 
 * Backport pull request(s) to the release branch.
   * Run the [Backport workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/backport.yml).
@@ -35,33 +35,19 @@ In general, patch releases are only made for regressions, memory leaks and deadl
     then click the "Run workflow" button below that.
   * Review and merge the backport pull request that it generates.
 * Merge a pull request to the release branch updating the `CHANGELOG.md`.
-  * The heading for the release should include the release version but not the release date, e.g.
+  * The heading for the unreleased entries should be `## Unreleased`.
-    `## Version 1.9.1 (unreleased)`.
 * Run the [Prepare patch release workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/prepare-patch-release.yml).
   * Press the "Run workflow" button, then select the release branch from the dropdown list,
     e.g. `release/v1.9.x`, and click the "Run workflow" button below that.
-* Review and merge the pull request that it creates.
+  * Review and merge the pull request that it creates for updating the version.
 
 ## Making the release
 
-Run the [Release workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/release.yml).
+* Run the [Release workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/release.yml).
-
+  * Press the "Run workflow" button, then select the release branch from the dropdown list,
-* Press the "Run workflow" button, then select the release branch from the dropdown list,
+    e.g. `release/v1.9.x`, and click the "Run workflow" button below that.
-  e.g. `release/v1.9.x`, and click the "Run workflow" button below that.
+  * This workflow will publish the artifacts to maven central and will publish a GitHub release
-* This workflow will publish the artifacts to maven central and will publish a GitHub release
+    with release notes based on the change log and with the jmx metrics jar attached.
-  with release notes based on the change log and with the jmx metrics jar attached.
+  * Review and merge the pull request that it creates for updating the change log in main
-* Review and merge the pull request that the release workflow creates against the release branch
+    (note that if this is not a patch release then the change log on main may already be up-to-date,
-  which adds the release date to the change log.
+    in which case no pull request will be created).
-
-## After the release
-
-Run the [Merge change log to main workflow](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib/actions/workflows/merge-change-log-to-main.yml).
-
-* Press the "Run workflow" button, then select the release branch from the dropdown list,
-  e.g. `release/v1.9.x`, and click the "Run workflow" button below that.
-* This will create a pull request that merges the change log updates from the release branch
-  back to main.
-* Review and merge the pull request that it creates.
-* This workflow will fail if there have been conflicting change log updates introduced in main,
-  in which case you will need to merge the change log updates manually and send your own pull
-  request against main.