To clarify my understanding (from some questions i got offline): The quarterly alphas do not impose restrictions of any kind, and are cut off trunk.
The end-of-year (April) alpha is cut from a new release branch, and then we start our QA release lifecycle steps. ref: - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/Release+Cadence+and+Alpha+Releases - https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/Release+Lifecycle The second link might need some small updates/corrections ? > On 2 Feb 2026, at 19:12, Mick <[email protected]> wrote: > > Wonderful Josh! > I'm happy to step in now and cut January's 6.0-alpha1 release. > > Then 6.0-alpha2 will be due in April. > This is according to our agreed upon quarterly alphas and then the process to > GA starting in Apri. > IIUC. > > > > >> On 2 Feb 2026, at 18:44, Josh McKenzie <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Update: just merged JDK21 support to trunk. No blockers from my side on >> cutting 6.0-alpha1 >> >> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026, at 11:20 AM, Josh McKenzie wrote: >>> >>> >>> JDK21 support is very very close to merging. Just some final touch-up on >>> the docker and Jenkinsfile stuff. CI is all clear and it's rebased as of >>> this morning. >>> >>> With any luck we'll have that merged today and, pending any further >>> feedback on this thread, we'll be ready to cut an alpha-1. >>> >>> On Sun, Feb 1, 2026, at 11:43 PM, Štefan Miklošovič wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> Hi guys, >>>> >>>> should we not coordinate the 6.0 release somehow? Does it still hold >>>> that we are aiming to release it this April (1) ? It is two months >>>> from now which honestly feels like "tomorrow" heh, given how this >>>> space moves. >>>> >>>> We do want Java 21 in there, right? How is that going? Anything else >>>> we should include there? What are the general vibes around 6.0 in >>>> April? >>>> >>>> (1) >>>> https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CASSANDRA/Release+Cadence+and+Alpha+Releases >>>> >>>> Regards >>>> >>> >> >
