Restore -rc tags in tests, improve release doc

Author: ciarams87

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ jobs:
       k8s-version: ${{ matrix.k8s-version }}
       enable-experimental: ${{ matrix.enable-experimental }}
       production-release: ${{ inputs.is_production_release == true && (inputs.dry_run == false || inputs.dry_run == null) }}
+      release_version: ${{ inputs.release_version }}
     secrets: inherit
     permissions:
       contents: write

.github/workflows/conformance.yml

@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: boolean
         default: false
+      release_version:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ''
 
 defaults:
   run:
@@ -66,6 +70,8 @@ jobs:
             type=edge
             type=schedule
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') && !inputs.production-release }}
+            type=raw,value={{inputs.release_version}},enable=${{ inputs.production-release && inputs.release_version != '' }}
 
       - name: NGINX Docker meta
         id: nginx-meta
@@ -78,6 +84,8 @@ jobs:
             type=edge
             type=schedule
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') && !inputs.production-release }}
+            type=raw,value={{inputs.release_version}},enable=${{ inputs.production-release && inputs.release_version != '' }}
 
       - name: Build binary
         uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@e435ccd777264be153ace6237001ef4d979d3a7a # v6.4.0

.github/workflows/functional.yml

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ jobs:
             type=schedule
             type=edge
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') }}
 
       - name: NGINX Docker meta
         id: nginx-meta
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ jobs:
             type=edge
             type=schedule
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') }}
 
       - name: Build binary
         uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@e435ccd777264be153ace6237001ef4d979d3a7a # v6.4.0

docs/developer/release-process.md

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ To create a new release, follow these steps:
    format `Release X.Y.Z`.
 2. Stop merging any new work into the main branch.
 3. Create a release branch following the `release-X.Y` naming convention.
+    - Once the release branch is created, reach out to the infra team to get it added to the runner permissions.
 4. Once the release branch pipeline completes, run tests using the `release-X.X-rc` images that are pushed to Github (for example, `release-1.3-rc`).
    1. Kick off the [longevity tests](https://github.com/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric/blob/main/tests/README.md#longevity-testing) for both OSS and Plus. You'll need to create two clusters and VMs for this. Before running, update your `vars.env` file with the proper image tag and prefixes. NGF and nginx images will be available from `ghcr.io`, and nginx plus will be available in GCP (`us-docker.pkg.dev/<GCP_PROJECT_ID>/nginx-gateway-fabric/nginx-plus`). These tests need to run for 4 days before releasing. The results should be committed to the main branch and then cherry-picked to the release branch.
    2. Kick off the [NFR workflow](https://github.com/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric/actions/workflows/nfr.yml) in the browser. For `image_tag`, use `release-X.X-rc`, and for `version`, use the upcoming `X.Y.Z` NGF version. Run the workflow on the new release branch. This will run all of the NFR tests which are automated and open a PR with the results files when it is complete. Review this PR and make any necessary changes before merging. Once merged, be sure to cherry-pick the commit to the main branch as well (the original PR targets the release branch).
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ To create a new release, follow these steps:
       created. If included, use the Release Notes specified in a PR.
       - If the supported Gateway API minor version has changed since the last release, add a note to the release notes explaining if the previous version is no longer supported.
       - Merge the release PR once it has received all necessary approvals.
-6. Run the [Production Release](https://github.com/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric/actions/workflows/production-release.yml) workflow with the correct tag e.g. `v2.1.0`
+6. Once you are ready to release, run the [Production Release](https://github.com/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric/actions/workflows/production-release.yml) workflow with the correct tag e.g. `v2.1.0`. (Note: It is also possible to do a dry run of the production release workflow for verification if required. This will not push the tag, images, and chart, and won't publish the release)
    As a result, the CI/CD pipeline will:
    - Create and push the tag
    - Build NGF, NGINX and NGINX Plus container images with the release tag `X.Y.Z` and push them to the registries.