diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 0405c7f4..0b7bad0d 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -1,6 +1,85 @@
 # vis.js history
 http://visjs.org
 
+## 2016-11-05, version 4.17.0
+
+### General
+
+- Generate source-maps in develop-branch (#2246)
+- Implemented #2181: Ignore the "dist" folder in the develop-branch (#2245)
+- Updates DataSet and DataView remove event payload (#2189, #2264)
+- Added a Gitter chat badge to README.md (#2179)
+- Adds `oldData` to the update event payload in DataView (#2174)
+- Prevent moment.js deprecation warning (#2089)
+- Fixed #2170: Improved the contribution docs (#1991, #2158, #2178, #2183, #2213, #2218, #2219)
+- Implemented #1969: generate individual css files for network and timeline (#1970)
+- Cleanup bower.json (#1968)
+- Removed feature-request page from website (TODO)
+- Distinguish better between `devDependencies` and `dependencies` (#1967)
+- Typos and minor docs improvements (#1958, #2028, #2050, #2093, #2222, #2223, #2224)
+- Replaced `gulp-minify-css` with `gulp-clean-css` (#1953)
+
+### Network
+
+- Fixed HTML in nodes example to work in Safari (#2248, #2260)
+- Fixed #2100: "zoom" improvements; `clusterByConnection` bugfix (#2229)
+- Implemented #2073: New example to export/import current network as JSON (#2152)
+- Fixed #1718, #2122: Fix blur edge for dense networks (#2124)
+- Russian, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese locale (#2111, #2184, #2188, #2052)
+- Implemented #1993: edge-endpoint 'circle' (#2066)
+- Implemented #972, #1920: advanced Clustering (#2055)
+- Removed restriction to allow clusters of a single node. (#2013)
+- Improved label positioning in ellipses (#2011)
+- Fixed #1857: Fixed node positioning with improved Layout:true (#1987)
+- Fixed issue with selecting edges drawn close to another (#1922)
+- Fixed getPoint for same node edges (#1907)
+
+### Timeline / Graph2D
+
+- Fixed #2261: Bugs with mousewheel events (#2262)
+- Implemented #1506: Date-Time-Tooltip while item dragging (#2247)
+- Fixed background items with no groups (#2241)
+- Fixed #2015: Fixes and improvements for data-serialization (#2244)
+- Implemented #1881: Drag and Drop into a timeline (#2238)
+- Implemented #1955: Added zoomIn and zoomOut functions (#2239)
+- Implemented #2027: Auto-detect Right-To-Left orientation from DOM attributes (#2235, #2237)
+- German locale (#2234)
+- Option `zoomKey` added for mouse wheel support (#2197, #2216, #2217)
+- Implements #2193: Horizontal scrollbar (#2201)
+- Implements #272, #466, #1060: Vertical scrollbar (#2196, #2197, #2228, #2231)
+- Fixed #2173: Italian locale (#2185)
+- Example for react.js support (#2153, #2206, #2211)
+- Allow custom label formatting via functions (#1098, #2145)
+- Fix Vertical visibility for all item types (#2143)
+- Fixed #2057: Right-To-Left orientation docs (#2141)
+- Small bugfix to prevent null pointer exception (#2116)
+- Add missing require for util module (#2109)
+- Fixed #2092: Gaps between timeline items (#2107)
+- Fixed #2064: Fixed position of box item (#2106)
+- Implemented #773, #1367: `itemover` and `itemout` events (#2099)
+- Fixed #27023: Use `requestAnimationFrame` to throttle redraws ()#2091)
+- Hide vertically hidden ranged items in groups that are not visible (#2062)
+- Fixed #2032: fixes BoxItem's initial width if content width is dynamic (#2035)
+- Use css styles instead of delete image (#2034)
+- Implemented #2014: weekday marks in other zoomlevel (#2016)
+- Fixed #1625: only use `shape.radius` if available (#2005)
+- Fixed incorrect documentation URL (#1998)
+- Added example for zoom functions (#1986)
+- Fixed #1156: Vertical scrolling when dragging (#1976)
+- Minor fix in docs (#1972)
+- Fixed handlebars example (#1946)
+- Fixed #1723: Problems in the time axis bar if using `hiddenDates` (#1944)
+- Timestep setMoment fix (#1932)
+- Fixed #1853: Content overflow (#1862)
+- Bugfix (#1822)
+- Fix right orientation axis for Graph2D (f516cb0)
+
+### Graph3D
+
+- Minor improvements and major source restructuring (#2157, #2159, #2160, #2162, #2165, #2166, #2167, #2168, #2171, #2175, #2176, #2182, #2195, #2199, #2200, #2202, #2204, #2208, #2209, #2210, #2212, #2214, #2215, #2227, #2230)
+- Improvements for graph3d legend support (#1940)
+- Advanced Tooltips (#1884)
+
 
 ## 2016-04-18, version 4.16.1
 
@@ -304,9 +383,9 @@ http://visjs.org
 
 ### Timeline
 
-- Fixed #192: Items keep their group offset while dragging items located in 
+- Fixed #192: Items keep their group offset while dragging items located in
   multiple groups. Thanks @Fice.
-- Fixed #1118: since v4.6.0, grid of time axis was wrongly positioned on some 
+- Fixed #1118: since v4.6.0, grid of time axis was wrongly positioned on some
   scales.
 
 ### Network
@@ -364,9 +443,9 @@ http://visjs.org
 ### Timeline
 
 - Implemented support for group templates (#996). Thanks @hansmaulwurf23.
-- Implemented option `zoomKey` for both Timeline and Graph2d (see #1082). 
+- Implemented option `zoomKey` for both Timeline and Graph2d (see #1082).
   Thanks @hansmaulwurf23.
-- Fixed #1076: Fixed possible overlap of minor labels text on the TimeAxis. 
+- Fixed #1076: Fixed possible overlap of minor labels text on the TimeAxis.
 - Fixed #1001: First element of group style being cut.
 - Fixed #1071: HTML contents of a group not cleared when the contents is updated.
 - Fixed #1033: Moved item data not updated in DataSet when using an asynchronous
@@ -385,7 +464,7 @@ http://visjs.org
 
 - Fixed #970: Implemented options `dataColor`, `axisColor`, and `gridColor`.
 
-### Network 
+### Network
 
 - Fixed Hammerjs direction issue.
 - Fixed recursion error when node is fixed but has no position.
@@ -443,7 +522,7 @@ http://visjs.org
 
 ### General
 
-- Fixed #893, #911: the `clickToUse` option of Network, Graph2d, and Network 
+- Fixed #893, #911: the `clickToUse` option of Network, Graph2d, and Network
   was blocking click events in the web page.
 
 ### Timeline
@@ -785,7 +864,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
   strange behaviour in manipulation mode
 - Better cleanup after reconnecting edges in manipulation mode
 - Fixed recursion error with smooth edges that are connected to non-existent nodes
-- Added destroy method. 
+- Added destroy method.
 
 ## 2014-11-28, version 3.7.1
 
@@ -858,7 +937,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Fixed moving legend when postioned on the bottom and vertical dragging.
 - Optimised a serious slowdown on performance since hidden dates.
 
-- Accepted a large pull request from @cdjackson adding the following features (thank you!): 
+- Accepted a large pull request from @cdjackson adding the following features (thank you!):
 - Titles on the DataAxis to explain what units you are using.
 - A style field for groups and datapoints so you can dynamically change styles.
 - A precision option to manually set the amount of decimals.
@@ -923,7 +1002,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 ### DataSet
 
-- Event listeners of `update` now receive an extra property `data`, 
+- Event listeners of `update` now receive an extra property `data`,
   containing the changed fields of the changed items.
 
 ### Graph2d
@@ -984,7 +1063,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Fixed some positioning issues with the close button of the manipulation menu.
 - Added fontFill to Nodes as it is in Edges.
 - Implemented support for broken image fallback. Thanks @sfairgrieve.
-- Added multiline labels to edges as they are implemented in nodes. Updated 
+- Added multiline labels to edges as they are implemented in nodes. Updated
   multiline example to show this.
 - Added animation and camera controls by the method .moveTo()
 - Added new event that fires when the animation is finished.
@@ -1004,7 +1083,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Fixed option `autoResize` not working on IE in case of changing visibility
   of the Timeline container element.
 - Fixed an overflow issue with the dots of BoxItems when using groups.
-- Fixed a horizontal 1-pixel offset in the items (border width wasn't taken into 
+- Fixed a horizontal 1-pixel offset in the items (border width wasn't taken into
   account).
 - Renamed internal items from `ItemBox`, `ItemRange`, and `ItemPoint` to
   respectively `BoxItem`, `RangeItem`, and `PointItem`.
@@ -1105,10 +1184,10 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
   in the current window.
 - Added options `margin.item.horizontal` and  `margin.item.vertical`, which
   allows to specify different margins horizontally/vertically.
-- Removed check for number of arguments in callbacks `onAdd`, `onUpdate`, 
+- Removed check for number of arguments in callbacks `onAdd`, `onUpdate`,
   `onRemove`, and `onMove`.
 - Fixed items in groups sometimes being displayed but not positioned correctly.
-- Fixed range where the `end` of the first is equal to the `start` of the second 
+- Fixed range where the `end` of the first is equal to the `start` of the second
   sometimes being stacked instead of put besides each other when `item.margin=0`
   due to round-off errors.
 
@@ -1135,7 +1214,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 ### DataSet
 
-- Added .get() returnType option to return as JSON object, Array or Google 
+- Added .get() returnType option to return as JSON object, Array or Google
   DataTable.
 
 
@@ -1159,14 +1238,14 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 ### Network (formerly named Graph)
 
-- Renamed `Graph` to `Network` to prevent confusion with the visualizations 
+- Renamed `Graph` to `Network` to prevent confusion with the visualizations
   `Graph2d` and `Graph3d`.
   - Renamed option `dragGraph` to `dragNetwork`.
 - Now throws an error when constructing without new keyword.
-- Added pull request from Vukk, user can now define the edge width multiplier 
+- Added pull request from Vukk, user can now define the edge width multiplier
   when selected.
 - Fixed `graph.storePositions()`.
-- Extended Selection API with `selectNodes` and `selectEdges`, deprecating 
+- Extended Selection API with `selectNodes` and `selectEdges`, deprecating
   `setSelection`.
 - Fixed multiline labels.
 - Changed hierarchical physics solver and updated docs.
@@ -1189,7 +1268,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Implemented options `zoomable` and `moveable`.
 - Changed default value of option `showCurrentTime` to true.
 - Internal refactoring and simplification of the code.
-- Fixed property `className` of groups not being applied to related contents and 
+- Fixed property `className` of groups not being applied to related contents and
   background elements, and not being updated once applied.
 
 ### Graph
@@ -1211,7 +1290,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Select event now triggers repeatedly when selecting an already selected item.
 - Renamed `Timeline.repaint()` to `Timeline.redraw()` to be consistent with
   the other visualisations of vis.js.
-- Fixed `Timeline.clear()` not resetting a configured `options.start` and 
+- Fixed `Timeline.clear()` not resetting a configured `options.start` and
   `options.end`.
 
 ### Graph
@@ -1240,7 +1319,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - A newly created item is initialized with `end` property when option `type`
   is `"range"` or `"rangeoverflow"`.
 - Fixed a bug in replacing the DataSet of groups via `Timeline.setGroups(groups)`.
-- Fixed a bug when rendering the Timeline inside a hidden container. 
+- Fixed a bug when rendering the Timeline inside a hidden container.
 - Fixed axis scale being determined wrongly for a second Timeline in a single page.
 
 ### Graph
@@ -1315,7 +1394,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 ### Graph
 
 - Fixed color bug.
-- Added pull requests from kannonboy and vierja: tooltip styling, label fill 
+- Added pull requests from kannonboy and vierja: tooltip styling, label fill
   color.
 
 
@@ -1333,11 +1412,11 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 - Fixed edge color bug.
 - Fixed select event bug.
-- Clarified docs, stressing importance of css inclusion for correct display of 
+- Clarified docs, stressing importance of css inclusion for correct display of
   navigation an manipulation icons.
 - Improved and expanded playing with physics (configurePhysics option).
 - Added highlights to navigation icons if the corresponding key is pressed.
-- Added freezeForStabilization option to improve stabilization with cached 
+- Added freezeForStabilization option to improve stabilization with cached
   positions.
 
 
@@ -1348,8 +1427,8 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Changed navigation CSS. Icons are now always correctly positioned.
 - Added stabilizationIterations option to graph.
 - Added storePosition() method to save the XY positions of nodes in the DataSet.
-- Separated allowedToMove into allowedToMoveX and allowedToMoveY. This is 
-  required for initializing nodes from hierarchical layouts after 
+- Separated allowedToMove into allowedToMoveX and allowedToMoveY. This is
+  required for initializing nodes from hierarchical layouts after
   storePosition().
 - Added color options for the edges.
 
@@ -1365,7 +1444,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 ### Timeline
 
-- Fixed a bug with options `margin.axis` and `margin.item` being ignored when 
+- Fixed a bug with options `margin.axis` and `margin.item` being ignored when
   setting them to zero.
 - Some clarifications in the documentation.
 
@@ -1374,7 +1453,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 
 ### Graph
 
-- Added Physics Configuration option. This makes tweaking the physics system to 
+- Added Physics Configuration option. This makes tweaking the physics system to
   suit your needs easier.
 - Click and doubleClick events.
 - Initial zoom bugfix.
@@ -1405,7 +1484,7 @@ it future proof for maintainability, extendability and clarity. A summary of new
 - Performance improvements.
 - Fixed scroll to zoom not working on IE in standards mode.
 - Added hierarchical layout option.
-- Overhauled physics system, now using Barnes-Hut simulation by default. Great 
+- Overhauled physics system, now using Barnes-Hut simulation by default. Great
   performance gains.
 - Modified clustering system to give better results.
 - Adaptive performance system to increase visual performance (60fps target).
diff --git a/misc/how_to_publish.md b/misc/how_to_publish.md
index f96117d8..e5adde14 100644
--- a/misc/how_to_publish.md
+++ b/misc/how_to_publish.md
@@ -6,16 +6,25 @@ This document describes how to publish vis.js.
 ## Build
 
 - Change the version number of the library in `package.json`.
+
+        npm version major|minor|patch
+        git commit -m "bumped package.json version to X.XX.X"
+
 - Open `HISTORY.md`, write down the changes, version number, and release date.
+  (Changes since last release: `git log \`git describe --tags --abbrev=0\`..HEAD --oneline`)
+
+- Update external dependencies
+
+        npm install -g npm-check-updates
+        npm-check-updates -u
+        git commit -a -m "updated external dependencies"
+
 - Build the library by running:
 
         npm prune
         npm update
         npm run build
 
-This generates the vis.js library in the folder `./dist`.
-
-
 ## Test
 
 - Test the library:
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6d82f185..a3f634f3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "vis",
-  "version": "4.16.1",
+  "version": "4.17.0",
   "description": "A dynamic, browser-based visualization library.",
   "homepage": "http://visjs.org/",
   "license": "(Apache-2.0 OR MIT)",
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@
     "gulp-rename": "^1.2.2",
     "gulp-util": "^3.0.7",
     "merge-stream": "^1.0.0",
-    "mocha": "^2.4.5",
+    "mocha": "^3.1.2",
     "rimraf": "^2.5.2",
     "uglify-js": "^2.6.2",
     "uuid": "^2.0.1",
     "webpack": "^1.12.14",
-    "yargs": "^4.2.0"
+    "yargs": "^6.3.0"
   }
 }