Release Management
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:
- Explain what a release is and how it differs from a single deployment
- Plan a release window with appropriate risk mitigation
- Connect this directly to Module 40's CI/CD pipeline
Prerequisites: "Logging and Debugging Production Issues"
A release vs a single deployment
Module 40 covered the mechanics of deploying source-controlled code to production. A release is the broader, planned event around that deployment — bundling several completed sprint stories (Lesson 2) together, choosing a low-risk time window, communicating to affected stakeholders, and having a plan ready if something goes wrong.
Choosing a release window
Deploying a major change during peak business hours (say, during a retail org's busiest sales period) maximizes the number of real users affected if something breaks. A planned release window — often outside business hours, or during a known lower-traffic period — reduces the blast radius of a problem, even with thoroughly tested code (Module 31), simply because unexpected issues can still occur.
Being ready to roll back
git revert <commit-hash>
sf project deploy start --target-org productionThis is Module 40's exact deployment mechanism, used in reverse — a release plan should always include a concrete rollback path (reverting the specific commit and redeploying), decided before the release happens, not improvised under pressure if something does go wrong.
Exercise
As a comment, explain why a rollback plan should be decided before a release happens, not improvised afterward if something breaks.
Show hint
Think about decision quality under pressure versus with a clear head.
Release Management Quiz
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Summary
A release is a planned, coordinated act of shipping a set of changes to production — building directly on Module 40's deployment mechanics, with the additional discipline of timing, communication, and rollback readiness.