Add a release checklist issue template

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release-checklist.md

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+---
+name: Zarr-Python release checklist
+about: Checklist for a new Zarr-Python release. [For project maintainers only!]
+title: Release Zarr-Python vX.Y.Z
+labels: release-checklist
+assignees: ''
+
+---
+
+**Release**: [v0.x.x](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/milestones/?)
+**Scheduled Date**: 20YY/MM/DD
+
+**Priority PRs/issues to complete prior to release**
+
+- [ ] Priority pull request #X
+
+**Before release**:
+
+- [ ] Make sure that all pull requests which will be included in the release have been properly documented as changelog files in the [`changes/` directory](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/tree/main/changes).
+- [ ] Run ``towncrier build --version x.y.z`` to create the changelog, and commit the result to the main branch.
+- [ ] Check [SPEC 0](https://scientific-python.org/specs/spec-0000/#support-window) to see if the minimum supported version of Python or NumPy needs bumping.
+- [ ] Check to ensure that:
+  - [ ] Deprecated workarounds/codes/tests are removed. Run `grep "# TODO" **/*.py` to find all potential TODOs.
+  - [ ] All tests pass in the ["Tests" workflow](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/actions/workflows/test.yml).
+  - [ ] All tests pass in the ["GPU Tests" workflow](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/actions/workflows/gpu_test.yml).
+  - [ ] All tests pass in the ["Hypothesis" workflow](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/actions/workflows/hypothesis.yaml).
+  - [ ] Check that downstream libraries work well (maintainers can make executive decisions about whether all checks are required for this release).
+    - [ ] Xarray (@jhamman @dcherian @TomNicholas)
+        - Zarr's upstream compatibility is tested via the [Upstream Dev CI worklow](https://github.com/pydata/xarray/actions/workflows/upstream-dev-ci.yaml).
+        - Click on the most recent workflow and check that the `upstream-dev` job has run and passed. `upstream-dev` is not run on all all workflow runs.
+        - Check that the expected version of Zarr-Python was tested using the `Version Info` step of the `upstream-dev` job.
+        - If testing on a branch other than `main` is needed, open a PR modifying https://github.com/pydata/xarray/blob/90ee30943aedba66a37856b2332a41264e288c20/ci/install-upstream-wheels.sh#L56 and add the `run-upstream` label.
+    - [ ] Titiler.Xarray (@maxrjones)
+        - [Modify dependencies](https://github.com/developmentseed/titiler/blob/main/src/titiler/xarray/pyproject.toml) for titiler.xarray.
+        - Modify triggers for running [the test workflow](https://github.com/developmentseed/titiler/blob/61549f2de07b20cca8fb991cfcdc89b23e18ad05/.github/workflows/ci.yml#L5-L7).
+        - Push the branch to the repository and check for the actions for any failures.
+
+**Release**:
+
+- [ ] Go to https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/releases.
+  - [ ] Click "Draft a new release".
+  - [ ] Choose a version number prefixed with a `v` (e.g. `v0.0.0`). For pre-releases, include the appropriate suffix (e.g. `v0.0.0a1` or `v0.0.0rc2`).
+  - [ ] Set the description of the release to: `See release notes https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/stable/release-notes.html#release-0-0-0`, replacing the correct version numbers. For pre-release versions, the URL should omit the pre-release suffix, e.g. "a1" or "rc1".
+  - [ ] Click on "Generate release notes" to auto-fill the description.
+  - [ ] Make a release by clicking the 'Publish Release' button, this will automatically create a tag too.
+- [ ] Verify that release workflows succeeded.
+  - [ ] The latest version is correct on [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/zarr/).
+  - [ ] The stable version is correct on [ReadTheDocs](https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/stable/).
+
+**After release**:
+
+- [ ] Review and merge the pull request on the conda-forge [zarr-feedstock](https://github.com/conda-forge/zarr-feedstock) that will be automatically generated.
+
+---
+
+- [ ] Party :tada:

docs/developers/contributing.rst

@@ -339,36 +339,6 @@ breaking changes may be more frequent than usual.
 Release procedure
 -----------------
 
-Pre-release
-~~~~~~~~~~~
-1. Make sure that all pull requests which will be included in the release
-   have been properly documented as changelog files in the :file:`changes/` directory.
-2. Run ``towncrier build --version x.y.z`` to create the changelog, and commit the result
-   to the main branch.
-
-Releasing
-~~~~~~~~~
-1. Go to https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/releases
-2. Click "Draft a new release".
-3. Choose a version number prefixed with a `v` (e.g. `v0.0.0`).
-   For pre-releases, include the appropriate suffix (e.g. `v0.0.0a1` or `v0.0.0rc2`).
-4. Set the description of the release to::
-
-    See release notes https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/stable/release-notes.html#release-0-0-0
-
-   replacing the correct version numbers. For pre-release versions,
-   the URL should omit the pre-release suffix, e.g. "a1" or "rc1".
-5. Click on "Generate release notes" to auto-fill the description.
-
-After creating the release, the documentation will be built on
-https://readthedocs.io. Full releases will be available under
-`/stable <https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/stable>`_ while
-pre-releases will be available under
-`/latest <https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/latest>`_.
-
-Post-release
-~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-- Review and merge the pull request on the
-  `conda-forge feedstock <https://github.com/conda-forge/zarr-feedstock>`_ that will be
-  automatically generated.
+Open an issue on GitHub announcing the release using the release checklist template:
+`https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/issues/new?template=release-checklist.md <https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/issues/new?template=release-checklist.md>`_.
+The release checklist includes all steps necessary for the release.