[Release] v0.18.0 release schedule #17412

Last release v0.17.0 was proposed at the end of July. and the release day is 25 July, more detail refer v0.17.0 release schedule. It has been almost three months since July. According to our RFC-0067 about quarter-based releases, I hope to release v0.18.0 version at the end of Oct 2024. It's meaningful especially for AI infra companies which needs regularly merge with release version.
In order to continue with our agreed release cycle as per discussion in RFC#67 , I'd like to propose a schedule for our next TVM release: v0.18.0.

This schedule is tentative and may change as we progress through the process. In case dates change, this thread will be kept updated.

The proposed schedule is:

• 8 Oct. 2024 Following three actions should be continuous and coherent:
  • Make version modification twice as two commits: first to v0.18.0 on main branch; second to v0.19.dev0 on main branch in one PR, and merged without squash (required). Why do this first referring discuss on v0.14.0 release: [release][Dont Squash] Update version to 0.18.0 and 0.19.0.dev on main branch #17461
  • A branch v0.18.0 to be created from main on first commit: https://github.com/apache/tvm/tree/v0.18.0
  • A tag named v0.18.0.rc0 created on first commit: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.18.0.rc0
  • A tag named v0.19.dev0 created on second commit: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.19.dev0
• 12 Oct. 2024 - Cherry-picking soft deadline
  • During this time any reasonable change can be merged, comment on this issue with the commit you would like added to the release branch
• 16 Oct. 2024 - Cherry-picking hard deadline
  • During this time only critical changes will be merged, comment on this issue with the commit you would like added to the release branch as well as the reasoning for adding it
  • Consider Features Discussion before Next Release v0.18.0 #17391
• 16 Oct. 2024 - Draft release notes published: [Release] v0.18.0 Release Candidate Notes #17468
• 16 Oct. 2024 - Prepare release candidate packaging v0.18.0.rc0 and uploading
  • Create tag v0.18.0.rc0: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.18.0.rc0
  • Github release page from tag: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.18.0.rc0
  • Upload to Apache repo: https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/tvm/tvm-v0.18.0-rc0/
• 16 Oct. 2024 - Release voting opens: [VOTE] Release Apache TVM v0.18.0.rc0 #17471
• 21 Oct. 2024
  • Voting result: [RESULT][VOTE] Release Apache TVM v0.18.0 #17489
  • Create a new release tag v0.18.0 on last commit on release branch: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.18.0
  • Change pre-release as latest release: https://github.com/apache/tvm/releases/tag/v0.18.0.rc0
  • Upload the binaries to Apache mirrors:
• 21 Oct. 2024 - Release date
• 22 Oct. 2024 - Update the TVM Website

Call for release managers: In case you want to be involved in upcoming releases, please manifest your interest in this thread and we'll try to organise. 😆

See also:

• Release steps
• TVM release process docs.

cc @apache/tvm-committers @Hzfengsy @vinx13 @areusch @Mousius @tqchen @AndrewZhaoLuo @Johnson9009