docs: add docs on how to cut releases

README.md

@@ -20,9 +20,4 @@ To this end, it provides a low-level API with a small set of functions, which se
 * [Tutorial: Deploying Your First Bitcoin Dapp](https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/samples/deploying-your-first-bitcoin-dapp/)
 * [Tutorial: Developing Bitcoin Dapps Locally](https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/developer-docs/integrations/bitcoin/local-development)
 
-## Disclaimer
-
-The Bitcoin canister is still in beta and does not yet implement the specification fully. The missing functionality includes (but is not limited to):
-
-* Block validation
-* The wait-for-quiet mechanism
+For developers contributing to this repo, please see the [development guide](/development-guide.md).

development-guide.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Development Guide
+
+## Preparing Releases
+
+The canisters in this repository are deployed in production by submitting proposals to the Internet Computer's [Network Nervous System](https://internetcomputer.org/nns).
+
+Below are the steps needed to cut a release:
+
+### Bitcoin Canister
+
+1. Locally, from the same commit as the release is intended, build the canisters by running `docker build -t canisters .`.
+2. Extract the wasm of the Bitcoin Canister by running `docker run --rm --entrypoint cat canisters /ic-btc-canister.wasm.gz > ic-btc-canister.wasm.gz`.
+3. Compute the checksum of the canister by running `sha256sum ic-btc-canister.wasm.gz`.
+4. On the [releases page](https://github.com/dfinity/bitcoin-canister/releases), click on "Draft a new release". Make sure the right commit is selected.
+5. Create a new tag with the name: `release/<yyyy-mm-dd>`.
+6. Set the title to be: `Bitcoin Canister Release (<yyyy-mm-dd>)`.
+7. Add release notes. Github can generate the release notes by clicking on "Generated Release Notes". Modify as needed.
+8. Add the commit hash of the Bitcoin Canister's wasm from step 3 to the release notes.
+9. Attach the Bitcoin Canister's wasm to the release notes (and nothing else).
+10. Check the "Set as a pre-release" box to indicate that this release hasn't been deployed to production yet.
+11. Once the Bitcoin mainnet canister is upgraded to this version, uncheck the "Set as a pre-release" box to indicate that it's deployed.
+
+### Watchdog Canister
+
+1. Locally, from the same commit as the release is intended, build the canisters by running `docker build -t canisters .`.
+2. Extract the wasm of the Watchdog Canister by running `docker run --rm --entrypoint cat canisters /watchdog-canister.wasm.gz > watchdog-canister.wasm.gz`.
+3. Compute the checksum of the canister by running `sha256sum watchdog-canister.wasm.gz`.
+4. On the [releases page](https://github.com/dfinity/bitcoin-canister/releases), click on "Draft a new release". Make sure the right commit is selected.
+5. Create a new tag with the name: `watchdog/release/<yyyy-mm-dd>`.
+6. Set the title to be: `Watchdog Canister Release (<yyyy-mm-dd>)`.
+7. Add release notes. Github can generate the release notes by clicking on "Generated Release Notes". Modify as needed.
+8. Add the commit hash of the Watchdog Canister's wasm from step 3 to the release notes.
+9. Attach the Watchdog Canister's wasm to the release notes (and nothing else).
+10. Check the "Set as a pre-release" box to indicate that this release hasn't been deployed to production yet.
+11. Once the Watchdog for the Bitcoin mainnet canister is upgraded to this version, uncheck the "Set as a pre-release" box to indicate that it's deployed.