The Releases is in beta version, which means we are working to improve it. This feature is only available for stores using FastStore.
Managing an ecommerce operation requires the retailer to perform a series of store updates to the store, which are often interconnected. For example, carrying out an advertising campaign in which different storefront elements need to be configured.
The Releases is the VTEX module that allows the retailers to manage their releases in order to coordinate the planning, creation, scheduling and publication of changes to the store.
A release means a change or a group of changes that can be published together. The main benefits of using releases are:
- The optimization of the platform performance: publishing grouped changes eliminates processing queues.
- Greater operational efficiency by simplifying the management of related changes.
- Greater control when testing and reviewing modifications prior to their publication.
- Ease in scheduling or deleting groups of modifications.
In the beta version, releases must be CMS-related, because other VTEX platform modules are not yet included. To use the Releases, you must configure the CMS as described in Installing Releases on VTEX Headless CMS.
The feature can be accessed through the VTEX Admin Releases navigation menu, where you'll find the following pages:
- Calendar: Allows you to manage scheduled releases, with a weekly or monthly view.
- Releases: Allows you to manage all releases, with a list view.
Status of releases
A release can have different statuses from its creation to its publication or deletion, for example. On the Calendar and Releases pages, the status of each release is displayed associated with a color, as shown in the table below:
| Status | Color | Definition |
|---|---|---|
Scheduled | Blue | There is a date set for publishing the release. |
Not scheduled | Gray | There is no date set for publishing the release. |
Queued | Green (flashing) | The publication of the release is in the deployment stage and no action by the retailer is required for the release to get to the next status, which can be Publishing or Publishing failed. |
Publishing | Green (flashing) | The VTEX platform is processing the release publication request. No action by the retailer is required for the release to get to the next status, which can be Published, Publication failed or Unpublished. |
Published | Green | The release has been published and the changes are visible in the storefront. |
Unpublished | Gray | The release is no longer published and, therefore, the changes are not visible in the storefront. The unpublished release is not deleted, it is archived and can be published again at any time. |
Publication failed | Red | An error occurred and the release has not been published. In these cases, the retailer may try to publish the release again or schedule a new publication date. |