From 285899f3c5c454a656b53562768eb9236bfc29d3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: rkiel <cygnus@pobox.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2017 18:26:36 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] 5-README: README.md

---
 RELEASE.md | 156 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
 1 file changed, 138 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 07a323c..1559852 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -1,37 +1,157 @@
 [<<back](README.md)
 
-## Release utility
+## Release
+
+`release` is a command line utility to make working with releases easier.  Releases are built and managed using branches and tags.  
+
+Official release versions are tagged using a simplified [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/) format.  The tags start with the letter `v` followed by MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH.
+
+Before a release is tagged with a version, a release candidate branch can be created and used for development.  The intent of the release candidate branch is to be short-term support for multiple developers and deployment to test environments.  They are prefixed by `rc`.
 
 ### Usage
 
-This utility is built around release branches and tags.
-
-Release branches have specific format: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (i.e 0.2.3).
-
-Release tags have specific format: vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (i.e. v0.2.2).
-
-#### Init
-
-To initialize a new release, go to the standard branch.
-
+```bash
+release create version
+release finish
+release help
+release join version
+release leave
+release list
+release start (major|minor|patch) [from] version
+release tab [pattern]
+release trash local-branch-confirmation
 ```
+
+#### Create
+
+Create an official release tag.
+
+```bash
+release create version
+```
+
+You must be on the `master` branch.  The latest code will be pulled from `master` and a tag created for the last commit.  For example, the following command will create a `v1.0.0` tag.
+
+```bash
+release create 1.0.0
+```
+
+#### Start
+
+Create a shared, release candidate branch.
+
+```bash
+release start (major|minor|patch) [from] version
+```
+
+The `version` specified must be an existing official release version.  The `major`, `minor`, and `patch` options will increment the new version number accordingly.  For example, to create a patch update, the following command will create a `rc1.0.1` release candidate branch.
+
+```bash
 git checkout master
+release start patch from 1.0.0
 ```
 
-Use the `init` subcommand with a version number.
+Once the shared release candidate branch has been created, use `feature` to create and manage personal feature branches.
 
-```
-release init 1.0.0
+#### Join
+
+Join in on using a shared, release candidate branch that someone else has previously created using the `start` command.
+
+```bash
+release join version
 ```
 
-For example, a new tag will be created called `v1.0.0`.
+The `version` specified must be an existing release candidate branch version.  A local tracking branch will be created.  For example, the following command will create `rc1.0.1` as a local tracking branch.
 
-#### Major
+```bash
+git checkout master
+release join 1.0.1
+```
 
-#### Minor
+Once you have joined the shared release candidate branch, use `feature` to create and manage personal feature branches.
 
-#### Path
+#### Leave
+
+Stop using a shared, release candidate branch but leave it intact for others to continue using.
+
+```bash
+release leave
+```
+
+Your local tracking branch will be forcibly removed.  If there are any local changes on the branch, they will be lost.  For example, the following command will remove `rc1.0.1` as a local tracking branch.
+
+```bash
+git checkout rc1.0.1
+release leave
+```
 
 #### Finish
 
+Finish the release candidate and create an official release.
+
+```bash
+release finish
+```
+
+The latest code from the release candidate branch will be pulled and a tag created.  The shared release candidate branch will then be removed.  For example, the following command will create `v1.0.1` version tag and removed `rc1.0.1` branch.
+
+```bash
+git checkout rc1.0.1
+release finish
+```
+
+#### List
+
+Display a listing of the current version tags and release candidate branches.
+
+```bash
+release list
+```
+
 #### Trash
+
+Throw away the release candidate.
+
+```bash
+release trash local-branch-confirmation
+```
+
+The shared release candidate branch will be forcibly removed and no version tag will be created.  The release candidate branch must be checked out and entered as the `local-branch-confirmation`.  For example, the following command will remove the `rc1.0.1` release candidate branch.
+
+```branch
+git checkout rc1.0.1
+release trash rc1.0.1
+```
+
+#### Tab
+
+Support `bash` tab completion.
+
+```branch
+release tab [pattern]
+```
+
+In your `.bashrc`, include the following function.
+
+```bash
+function get_release_commands()
+{
+  if [ -z $2 ] ; then
+    COMPREPLY=(`release tab`)
+  else
+    COMPREPLY=(`release tab $2`)
+  fi
+}
+```
+
+In your `.bashrc`, associate your function with the `release` command.
+
+```bash
+complete -F get_release_commands release
+```
+
+Of course, this has already been done for you if, in your `.bashrc`, you include the following:
+
+```bash
+source ~/GitHub/rkiel/git-utilities/dotfiles/bashrc
+```