FORK_AND_RELEASE.md

Fork + Release Guide

This guide covers both ways to launch Open Code from Code-OSS while keeping it releasable.

Option A — Connected Fork (recommended for easier sync)

1. Create a GitHub fork from microsoft/vscode.
2. Keep origin as your repo and add:

git remote add upstream https://github.com/microsoft/vscode.git
git fetch upstream

3. Create your main product branch from upstream:

git checkout -b open-code/main upstream/main
git push -u origin open-code/main

4. Periodically sync:

git fetch upstream
git checkout open-code/main
git rebase upstream/main
git push --force-with-lease origin open-code/main

Option B — Detached/Independent Fork

Use this if you do not want permanent upstream wiring.

1. Import Code-OSS history into your repository baseline.
2. Remove or avoid upstream remote.
3. Pull upstream changes on your own cadence (manual mirror/import).

You are still a downstream fork in engineering terms as long as your code lineage is from Code-OSS.

Release Baseline

Before public release:

• reproducible build docs
• signed binaries where required
• changelog + attribution discipline
• security policy and disclosure process
• extension strategy (Open VSX first)
• explicit credential handling policy (no plaintext secrets)

Definition of Releasable

Open Code is releasable when:

• Code-OSS lineage is documented,
• branch governance is clear,
• agent edit/review loop is stable,
• memory behavior is explicit and revocable,
• desktop artifacts are reproducible and publishable.