Merge pull request coollabsio#3490 from peaklabs-dev/improve-release.md

Feat: Improve release.md

Author: andrasbacsai

RELEASE.md

@@ -2,35 +2,120 @@
 
 This guide outlines the release process for Coolify, intended for developers and those interested in understanding how releases are managed and deployed.
 
+## Table of Contents
+- [Release Process](#release-process)
+- [Version Types](#version-types)
+  - [Stable](#stable)
+  - [Nightly](#nightly)
+  - [Beta](#beta)
+- [Version Availability](#version-availability)
+  - [Self-Hosted](#self-hosted)
+  - [Cloud](#cloud)
+- [Manually Update to Specific Versions](#manually-update-to-specific-versions)
+
 ## Release Process
 
-1. **Development on `next` or separate branches**
-   - Changes, fixes and new features are developed on the `next` or even separate branches.
+1. **Development on `next` or Feature Branches**
+   - Improvements, fixes, and new features are developed on the `next` branch or separate feature branches.
 
 2. **Merging to `main`**
-   - Once changes are ready, they are merged from `next` into the `main` branch.
+   - Once ready, changes are merged from the `next` branch into the `main` branch.
 
-3. **Building the release**
-   - After merging to `main`, a new release is built.
-        - Note: A push to `main` does not automatically mean a new version is released.
+3. **Building the Release**
+   - After merging to `main`, GitHub Actions automatically builds release images for all architectures and pushes them to the GitHub Container Registry with the version tag and the `latest` tag.
 
-4. **Creating a GitHub release**
-   - A new release is created on GitHub with the new version details.
+4. **Creating a GitHub Release**
+   - A new GitHub release is manually created with details of the changes made in the version.
 
 5. **Updating the CDN**
-   - The final step is updating the version information on the CDN:
-     [https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/versions.json](https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/versions.json)
+   - To make a new version publicly available, the version information on the CDN needs to be updated: [https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/versions.json](https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/versions.json)
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> The CDN update may not occur immediately after the GitHub release. It can happen hours or even days later due to additional testing, stability checks, or potential hotfixes.
-
+> The CDN update may not occur immediately after the GitHub release. It can take hours or even days due to additional testing, stability checks, or potential hotfixes. **The update becomes available only after the CDN is updated.**
+
+## Version Types
+
+<details>
+  <summary><strong>Stable (coming soon)</strong></summary>
+
+- **Stable**
+  - The production version suitable for stable, production environments (generally recommended).
+  - **Update Frequency:** Every 2 to 4 weeks, with more frequent possible hotfixes.
+  - **Release Size:** Larger but less frequent releases. Multiple nightly versions are consolidated into a single stable release.
+  - **Versioning Scheme:** Follows semantic versioning (e.g., `v4.0.0`).
+  - **Installation Command:**
+    ```bash
+    curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash
+    ```
+
+</details>
+
+<details>
+  <summary><strong>Nightly</strong></summary>
+
+- **Nightly**
+  - The latest development version, suitable for testing the latest changes and experimenting with new features.
+  - **Update Frequency:** Daily or bi-weekly updates.
+  - **Release Size:** Smaller, more frequent releases.
+  - **Versioning Scheme:** TO BE DETERMINED
+  - **Installation Command:**
+    ```bash
+    curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify-nightly/install.sh | bash -s next
+    ```
+
+</details>
+
+<details>
+  <summary><strong>Beta</strong></summary>
+
+- **Beta**
+  - Test releases for the upcoming stable version.
+  - **Purpose:** Allows users to test and provide feedback on new features and changes before they become stable.
+  - **Update Frequency:** Available if we think beta testing is necessary.
+  - **Release Size:** Same size as stable release as it will become the next stabe release after some time.
+  - **Versioning Scheme:** Follows semantic versioning (e.g., `4.1.0-beta.1`).
+  - **Installation Command:**
+    ```bash
+    curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash
+    ```
+
+</details>
+
+> [!WARNING]
+> Do not use nightly/beta builds in production as there is no guarantee of stability.
 
 ## Version Availability
 
-It's important to understand that a new version released on GitHub may not immediately become available for users to update (through manual or auto-update).
+When a new version is released and a new GitHub release is created, it doesn't immediately become available for your instance. Here's how version availability works for different instance types.
+
+### Self-Hosted
+
+- **Update Frequency:** More frequent updates, especially on the nightly release channel.
+- **Update Availability:** New versions are available once the CDN has been updated.
+- **Update Methods:**
+  1. **Manual Update in Instance Settings:**
+     - Go to `Settings > Update Check Frequency` and click the `Check Manually` button.
+     - If an update is available, an upgrade button will appear on the sidebar.
+  2. **Automatic Update:**
+     - If enabled, the instance will update automatically at the time set in the settings.
+  3. **Re-run Installation Script:**
+     - Run the installation script again to upgrade to the latest version available on the CDN:
+     ```bash
+     curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash
+     ```
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> If a new release is available on GitHub but your instance hasn't updated yet or no upgrade button is shown in the UI, the CDN might not have been updated yet. This intentional delay ensures stability and allows for hotfixes before official release.
+
+### Cloud
+
+- **Update Frequency:** Less frequent as it's a managed service.
+- **Update Availability:** New versions are available once Andras has updated the cloud version manually.
+- **Update Method:**
+  - Updates are managed by Andras, who ensures each cloud version is thoroughly tested and stable before releasing it.
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
-> If you see a new release on GitHub but haven't received the update, it's likely because the CDN hasn't been updated yet. This is intentional and ensures stability and allows for hotfixes before the new version is officially released.
+> The cloud version of Coolify may be several versions behind the latest GitHub releases even if the CDN is updated. This is intentional to ensure stability and reliability for cloud users and Andras will manully update the cloud version when the update is ready.
 
 ## Manually Update to Specific Versions
 
@@ -42,4 +127,4 @@ To update your Coolify instance to a specific (unreleased) version, use the foll
 ```bash
 curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash -s <version>
 ```
--> Replace `<version>` with the version you want to update to (for example `4.0.0-beta.332`).
+Replace `<version>` with the version you want to update to (for example `4.0.0-beta.332`).