-Due to a newer version we need to use add_labels instead of just labels -The backport PR will now also copy the milestones in case the milstones were set
527 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
527 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
# Automated Backport Workflow
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This document describes the automated backport workflow for the LND project.
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## Table of Contents
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1. [Overview](#overview)
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2. [How to Use](#how-to-use)
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3. [Workflow Triggers](#workflow-triggers)
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4. [Label Format](#label-format)
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5. [Workflow Steps](#workflow-steps)
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6. [Handling Conflicts](#handling-conflicts)
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7. [Multiple Backports](#multiple-backports)
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8. [Technical Details](#technical-details)
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9. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
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## Overview
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The automated backport workflow simplifies the process of backporting merged PRs from the `master` branch to release branches (e.g., `v0.20.x-branch`, `v0.19.x-branch`).
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Instead of manually creating branches, cherry-picking commits, and creating PRs, maintainers can simply add a label to the master PR, and the workflow handles the rest.
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## How to Use
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### Basic Usage
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1. **Merge a PR to master** (or have it already merged)
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2. **Add a backport label** in the format: `backport-v<version>-branch`
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- Example: `backport-v0.20.x-branch`
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3. **The workflow automatically**:
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- Validates the target branch exists
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- Cherry-picks the commits
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- Creates a new PR targeting the release branch
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- Adds the `no-changelog` label (since release notes are in the master PR)
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### Example Scenario
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```
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Day 1, 10:00 - PR #1234 "Fix critical bug" merged to master
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Day 1, 10:30 - Add label: backport-v0.20.x-branch
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Day 1, 10:31 - Workflow creates PR #1235 automatically
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Title: "[v0.20.x-branch] Backport #1234: Fix critical bug"
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Base: v0.20.x-branch
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Labels: no-changelog
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Day 1, 14:00 - Maintainer reviews and merges PR #1235
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```
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## Workflow Triggers
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The backport workflow triggers in two scenarios:
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### Scenario 1: Label Before Merge
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```
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1. Open PR #1234
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2. Add label: backport-v0.20.x-branch
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3. Review and approve PR
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4. Merge PR #1234
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5. → Workflow triggers on PR close event
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6. → Backport PR #1235 created immediately
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```
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### Scenario 2: Label After Merge
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```
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1. Open PR #1234
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2. Review, approve, and merge PR #1234
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3. Later... decide it needs backporting
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4. Add label: backport-v0.20.x-branch
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5. → Workflow triggers on label event
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6. → Backport PR #1235 created immediately
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```
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Both scenarios work identically.
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## Label Format
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### Valid Labels
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Labels **must** start with `backport-v` to trigger the workflow:
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- ✅ `backport-v0.20.x-branch` → backports to `v0.20.x-branch`
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- ✅ `backport-v0.19.x-branch` → backports to `v0.19.x-branch`
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- ✅ `backport-v0.18.x-beta-branch` → backports to `v0.18.x-beta-branch`
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### Invalid Labels (Will NOT Trigger)
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These labels are ignored by the workflow:
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- ❌ `backport candidate` - discussion label only
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- ❌ `backport-candidate` - doesn't start with `backport-v`
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- ❌ `backport-needed` - doesn't start with `backport-v`
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- ❌ `needs-backport` - wrong prefix
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This allows you to use discussion labels without accidentally triggering backports.
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### Label to Branch Mapping
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The label format directly maps to the target branch:
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```
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Label: backport-v0.20.x-branch
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↓ (removes "backport-" prefix)
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Branch: v0.20.x-branch
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```
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## Workflow Steps
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The workflow executes the following steps when triggered:
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### Step 1: Checkout Repository
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```yaml
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- Fetches the full git history
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- Checks out the base branch (usually master)
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```
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### Step 2: Validate Target Branches
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```bash
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For each backport label:
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1. Extract branch name from label
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backport-v0.20.x-branch → v0.20.x-branch
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2. Check if branch exists in remote repository
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git ls-remote --heads origin v0.20.x-branch
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3. If branch doesn't exist:
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- Log error message
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- Add branch to missing_branches list
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4. After checking all labels:
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- If any branches are missing → FAIL workflow
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- If all branches exist → Continue
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```
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**Example validation output:**
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```
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All labels: ["backport-v0.20.x-branch", "bug-fix", "backport-v0.19.x-branch"]
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Found backport labels:
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backport-v0.20.x-branch
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backport-v0.19.x-branch
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Checking if branch exists: v0.20.x-branch
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✓ Branch 'v0.20.x-branch' exists
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Checking if branch exists: v0.19.x-branch
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✓ Branch 'v0.19.x-branch' exists
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✓ All target branches validated successfully
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```
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### Step 3: Create Backport PRs
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For each valid backport label, the workflow:
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1. **Creates a new branch**
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- Branch name: `backport-<pr-number>-to-<target-branch>`
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- Example: `backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch`
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- Based on: the target release branch
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2. **Cherry-picks commits**
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- Uses `git cherry-pick` (not merge or rebase)
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- Cherry-picks all commits from the original PR
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- Preserves commit messages and authorship
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- Skips merge commits
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3. **Creates a new PR**
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- Title: `[v0.20.x-branch] Backport #1234: <original-title>`
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- Base branch: `v0.20.x-branch`
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- Head branch: `backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch`
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- Labels: `no-changelog` (automatically added)
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4. **PR Description**
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```markdown
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Backport of #1234
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Original PR: https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/1234
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---
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[Original PR description here]
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```
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## Handling Conflicts
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The workflow handles merge conflicts gracefully using the `draft_commit_conflicts` strategy.
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### When Cherry-pick Succeeds
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```
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1. Cherry-pick completes cleanly
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2. Creates regular PR (ready for review)
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3. PR is NOT in draft mode
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4. Maintainer can review and merge immediately
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```
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### When Cherry-pick Has Conflicts
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```
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1. Cherry-pick encounters conflicts
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2. Workflow commits the conflict markers:
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<<<<<<< HEAD
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[code from release branch]
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=======
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[code from master PR]
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>>>>>>> commit-hash
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3. Creates DRAFT PR
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4. PR description indicates there were conflicts
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5. Manual resolution required:
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a. git fetch origin
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b. git checkout backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch
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c. Resolve conflicts in affected files
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d. git add <resolved-files>
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e. git commit -m "Resolve backport conflicts"
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f. git push origin backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch
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g. Mark PR as "Ready for review" in GitHub UI
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6. Maintainer reviews and merges
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```
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### Conflict Resolution Best Practices
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- **Review the original PR**: Understand what changed
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- **Check the release branch**: Understand why conflicts occurred
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- **Test after resolving**: Run tests locally before pushing
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- **Update commit message**: Explain what conflicts were resolved and how
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- **Request review**: Don't merge without review, even after resolving conflicts
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## Multiple Backports
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You can backport to multiple release branches simultaneously by adding multiple labels.
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### Example: Backport to Two Branches
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```
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PR #1234 merged with labels:
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- backport-v0.20.x-branch
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- backport-v0.19.x-branch
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Workflow creates TWO backport PRs:
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PR #1235:
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Title: [v0.20.x-branch] Backport #1234: Original title
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Base: v0.20.x-branch
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Labels: no-changelog
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PR #1236:
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Title: [v0.19.x-branch] Backport #1234: Original title
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Base: v0.19.x-branch
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Labels: no-changelog
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```
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### Independent Processing
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Each backport is processed independently:
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- One backport may succeed while another has conflicts
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- One backport may fail validation while another succeeds
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- Each backport creates a separate branch and PR
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- Each backport PR is reviewed and merged independently
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### Example with Mixed Results
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```
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PR #1234 with labels:
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- backport-v0.20.x-branch → ✓ Clean cherry-pick, regular PR created
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- backport-v0.19.x-branch → ✗ Conflicts, draft PR created
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- backport-v0.99.x-branch → ✗ Branch doesn't exist, workflow fails
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```
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In this case:
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1. PR #1235 to v0.20.x-branch is ready for review
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2. PR #1236 to v0.19.x-branch needs conflict resolution
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3. No PR created for v0.99.x-branch (validation failed)
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4. Remove the incorrect label and add the correct one. The workflow will
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re-trigger when you add the new label.
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## Technical Details
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### Workflow File
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Location: `.github/workflows/backport.yml`
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### Trigger Events
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```yaml
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on:
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pull_request_target:
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types: [closed, labeled]
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```
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- **closed**: Triggers when PR is closed (checks if merged)
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- **labeled**: Triggers when any label is added
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### Permissions Required
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```yaml
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permissions:
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contents: write # Create branches and commits
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pull-requests: write # Create and manage PRs
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issues: read # Read PR metadata
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```
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### Workflow Condition
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```yaml
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if: |
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github.event.pull_request.merged == true &&
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contains(join(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, ','), 'backport-v')
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```
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Only runs when:
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1. PR is actually merged (not just closed)
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2. At least one label contains `backport-v`
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### Label Pattern
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```yaml
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label_pattern: '^backport-(v.+)$'
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```
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Regex explanation:
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- `^` - Start of string
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- `backport-` - Literal text
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- `(v.+)` - Capture group: "v" followed by one or more characters
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- `$` - End of string
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Examples:
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- `backport-v0.20.x-branch` → matches, captures `v0.20.x-branch`
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- `backport-v0.19.x-branch` → matches, captures `v0.19.x-branch`
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- `backport-candidate` → doesn't match (no "v" after dash)
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### Cherry-pick Strategy
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```yaml
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merge_commits: skip
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```
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- Uses `git cherry-pick` for clean history
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- Skips merge commits (only cherry-picks actual changes)
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- Preserves original commit messages and authorship
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- Maintains PGP signatures where present
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### Conflict Resolution Strategy
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```yaml
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experimental: |
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conflict_resolution: draft_commit_conflicts
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```
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- Creates draft PR with conflict markers
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- Allows manual resolution
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- Preserves all context and metadata
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## Troubleshooting
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### Problem: Workflow Doesn't Trigger
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**Symptoms:**
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- Added `backport-v0.20.x-branch` label
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- No workflow run appears in Actions tab
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**Possible causes:**
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1. **Label format is wrong**
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- ❌ `backport-0.20.x-branch` (missing "v")
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- ✅ `backport-v0.20.x-branch`
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2. **PR is not merged**
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- Workflow only runs on merged PRs
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- Check PR status
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3. **Workflow is disabled**
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- Check `.github/workflows/backport.yml` exists
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- Check workflow is enabled in Settings → Actions
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### Problem: Workflow Fails with "Branch doesn't exist"
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**Error message:**
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```
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Error: Target branch 'v0.21.x-branch' does not exist (from label 'backport-v0.21.x-branch')
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Error: The following target branches do not exist: v0.21.x-branch
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Error: Please ensure the branch exists before adding the backport label
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```
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**Solution:**
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1. **Verify branch name:**
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```bash
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git ls-remote --heads origin | grep v0.21
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```
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2. **Check available release branches:**
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```bash
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git branch -r | grep origin/v0 | grep -v fork
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```
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3. **Fix the label:**
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- Remove incorrect label
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- Add correct label with existing branch name
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### Problem: Cherry-pick Has Conflicts
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**Symptoms:**
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- Backport PR created as DRAFT
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- PR description mentions conflicts
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- Branch has files with conflict markers
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**Solution:**
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1. **Fetch and checkout the branch:**
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```bash
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git fetch origin
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git checkout backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch
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```
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2. **Find conflicted files:**
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```bash
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grep -r "<<<<<<< HEAD" .
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```
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3. **Resolve each conflict:**
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- Open the file in an editor
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- Review both versions:
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```
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<<<<<<< HEAD
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[Release branch version]
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=======
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[Master PR version]
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>>>>>>> commit-hash
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```
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- Choose the correct code or merge both
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- Remove conflict markers
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4. **Commit the resolution:**
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```bash
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git add <resolved-files>
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git commit -m "Resolve backport conflicts for PR #1234
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Conflicts occurred due to [explanation].
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Resolution: [describe what you did]"
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git push origin backport-1234-to-v0.20.x-branch
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```
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5. **Mark PR ready for review:**
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- Go to PR on GitHub
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- Click "Ready for review"
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### Problem: Multiple Labels but Only One Backport Created
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**Symptoms:**
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- Added `backport-v0.20.x-branch` and `backport-v0.19.x-branch`
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- Only one PR created
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**Possible causes:**
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1. **One label format is wrong**
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- Check both labels start with `backport-v`
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- Fix incorrect label, workflow will retry
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2. **One branch doesn't exist**
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- Check workflow logs for validation errors
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- Verify both branches exist
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3. **Workflow still running**
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- Check Actions tab for in-progress runs
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- Wait for workflow to complete
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### Problem: Backport PR Missing `no-changelog` Label
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**Symptoms:**
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- Backport PR created successfully
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- CI fails on changelog check
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**Solution:**
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1. **Manually add the label:**
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- Add `no-changelog` label to the backport PR
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2. **Check workflow configuration:**
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- Verify `.github/workflows/backport.yml` has:
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```yaml
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add_labels: no-changelog
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```
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3. **Re-run the workflow:**
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- Remove and re-add the backport label on original PR
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- New backport PR will have correct label
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### Getting Help
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If you encounter issues not covered here:
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1. **Check workflow logs:**
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- Go to Actions tab
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- Click on the failed workflow run
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- Review step-by-step logs
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2. **Check workflow file:**
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- `.github/workflows/backport.yml`
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- Verify configuration matches this documentation
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3. **Manual backport:**
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- If automated backport fails repeatedly, you can backport manually:
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```bash
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# Create branch from target release branch
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git checkout v0.20.x-branch
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git checkout -b manual-backport-123-to-v0.20.x
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# Cherry-pick commits from the original PR
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git cherry-pick <commit-hash>
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# Resolve any conflicts, then:
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git add .
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git commit
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git push origin manual-backport-123-to-v0.20.x
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# Create PR targeting v0.20.x-branch with no-changelog label
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gh pr create --base v0.20.x-branch --label no-changelog
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```
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4. **Report issues:**
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- If you find a bug in the workflow
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- Open an issue with workflow logs and details
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