Added a description on how to publish

misc/how_to_publish.md

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# How to publish vis.js
+
+This document describes how to publish vis.js.
+
+
+## Build
+
+- Change the version number of the library in both `package.json` and `bower.json`.
+- Open `HISTORY.md`, write down the changes, version number, and release date.
+- Build the library by running:
+
+        npm update
+        npm run build
+
+This generates the vis.js library in the folder `./dist`.
+
+
+## Test
+
+- Test the library:
+
+        npm test
+
+- Open some of the example in your browser and visually check if it works as expected.
+
+
+## Commit
+
+- Commit the changes to the `develop` branch.
+- Merge the `develop` branch into the `master` branch.
+- Push the brances to github
+- Create a version tag (with the new version number) and push it to github:
+
+      git tag v0.3.0
+      git push --tags
+
+
+## Publish
+
+- Publish at npm:
+
+      npm publish
+
+- Test the published library:
+  - Go to a temp directory
+  - Install the library from npm:
+
+        npm install vis
+
+    Verify if it installs the just released version, and verify if it works.
+
+  - Install the libarry via bower:
+
+        bower install vis
+
+    Verify if it installs the just released version, and verify if it works.
+
+
+## Update website
+
+- Copy the `dist` folder from the `master` branch to the `github-pages` branch.
+- Copy the `examples` folder from the `master` branch to the `github-pages` branch.
+- Copy the `docs` folder from the `master` branch to the `github-pages` branch.
+- Create a packaged version of vis.js. Go to the `master` branch and run:
+
+        zip vis.zip dist docs examples README.md HISTORY.md LICENSE NOTICE -r
+
+- Move the created zip file `vis.zip` to the `download` folder in the
+  `github-pages` branch. TODO: this should be automated.
+
+- Go to the `github-pages` branch and run the following script:
+
+      node updateversion.js
+
+
+## Prepare next version
+
+- Switch to the `develop` branch.
+- Change version numbers in `package.json` and `bower.json` to a snapshot
+  version like `0.4.0-SNAPSHOT`.