Add Kafka Connect artifact publish to release process

kafka-connect/build.gradle

@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ project(':iceberg-kafka-connect:iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime') {
         into('doc/') {
           from "$projectDir/main/LICENSE"
           from "$projectDir/main/NOTICE"
+          from "$projectDir/main/README.md"
+        }
+        into('etc/') {
+          from "$projectDir/main/etc"
         }
         into('assets/') {
           from "${processResources.destinationDir}/iceberg.png"
@@ -230,10 +234,6 @@ project(':iceberg-kafka-connect:iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime') {
     }
   }
 
-  // there are no Maven artifacts so disable publishing tasks...
-  project.afterEvaluate {
-    project.tasks.matching { it.group == 'publishing' }.each {it.enabled = false}
-  }
 
   tasks.jar.enabled = false
 
@@ -249,6 +249,17 @@ project(':iceberg-kafka-connect:iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime') {
   check.dependsOn integrationTest
 
   assemble.dependsOn distZip, hiveDistZip
+
+  // Configure publishing for the distribution zip
+  afterEvaluate {
+    publishing {
+      publications {
+        apache(MavenPublication) {
+          artifact distZip
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 project(':iceberg-kafka-connect:iceberg-kafka-connect-transforms') {

kafka-connect/kafka-connect-runtime/main/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<!--
+  - Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+  - or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+  - distributed with this work for additional information
+  - regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+  - to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+  - "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+  - with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+  -
+  -   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+  -
+  - Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+  - software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+  - "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+  - KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+  - specific language governing permissions and limitations
+  - under the License.
+  -->
+
+# Apache Iceberg Sink Connector
+
+A Kafka Connect sink connector for writing data from Apache Kafka into Apache Iceberg tables.
+
+Documentation: https://iceberg.apache.org/docs/latest/kafka-connect/
+
+License: Apache License 2.0

kafka-connect/kafka-connect-runtime/main/etc/iceberg-sink.properties.example

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+# or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+# distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+# to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+# "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+# software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+# Iceberg Sink Connector - Example Configuration
+# https://iceberg.apache.org/docs/latest/kafka-connect/
+name=iceberg-sink
+connector.class=org.apache.iceberg.connect.IcebergSinkConnector
+tasks.max=1
+topics=events
+iceberg.tables=db.table_name
+iceberg.catalog.type=rest
+iceberg.catalog.uri=https://your-catalog-uri
+iceberg.catalog.warehouse=your-warehouse

kafka-connect/kafka-connect-runtime/src/main/resources/manifest.json

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     "logo": "assets/iceberg.png",
     "type": "organization",
     "url": "https://iceberg.apache.org",
-    "username": "iceberg"
+    "username": "apache"
   },
 
   "support": {

site/docs/how-to-release.md

@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ To build and publish the convenience binaries, run the `dev/stage-binaries.sh` s
 dev/stage-binaries.sh
 ```
 
+!!! Note
+    The staged binaries include the Kafka Connect runtime distribution
+    (`iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime-<VERSION>.zip`), which bundles the connector
+    with all required dependencies for Kafka Connect plugin installation.
+
 Next, you need to close the staging repository:
 
 1. Go to [Nexus](https://repository.apache.org/) and log in
@@ -297,6 +302,25 @@ Java artifacts are available from Maven Central.
 Thanks to everyone for contributing!
 ```
 
+#### Confluent Marketplace Submission
+
+After the release is published to Maven Central, the Kafka Connect runtime distribution
+can be [submitted to](https://docs.confluent.io/platform/current/connect/confluent-hub/contributing.html)
+[Confluent Marketplace](https://www.confluent.io/hub/) for broader distribution.
+
+To submit to Confluent Hub:
+
+1. [Contact the Confluent Hub team](mailto:confluent-hub@confluent.io) with the Maven Central URL for the distribution zip:
+
+      ```
+      https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/apache/iceberg/iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime/<VERSION>/iceberg-kafka-connect-runtime-<VERSION>.zip
+      ```
+
+2. Confluent will publish to the Marketplace
+
+!!! Note
+    This step is optional and can be performed by any PMC member after the release is finalized.
+
 #### Update revapi
 
 Create a PR in the `iceberg` repo to make revapi run on the new release. For an example see [this PR](https://github.com/apache/iceberg/pull/6275).