Checklist for Qt 6.0 inclusion

This document is still in draft mode.

Qt 6 will introduce a lot of changes when compared to Qt 5. To begin with, Qt 6 requires C++17 which by itself excludes some compiles which were supported as part of Qt 5. Other changes are related to APIs, the build system (move from qmake to cmake as Qt's internal build system) or general infrastructure changes in the CI and test infrastructure. Given the deadline for the Qt 6.0 release at the end of 2020, it is likely that not all Qt modules will be ready for the deadline set by the 6.0 release schedule.

Ready-For-Qt6-Inclusion

The general list of Qt release criteria (e.g. string freeze, API reviews done, branching) as outlined in the general releases notes of every other Qt 5. release (e.g. release wiki for Qt 5.14) shall continue to apply. However those deadlines and gate criteria are considered to be as "too late" to make the final decision for inclusion. Therefore the notion of an earlier "Ready-for-Qt6-inclusion" checkpoint is being introduced. The current time suggestion for this checkpoint is end of June 2020. A more precise timeline will be suggested later on. Stay tuned.

During this earlier checkpoint each module is assessed against the criteria set out below. It is the maintainers responsibility to ensure that the data is provided for their module on this wiki page. The received feedback is used to evaluate the readiness of each individual module and in turn the readiness of Qt 6. It may also be used to define the list of Qt modules which are on track and may constitute a sufficiently large but nevertheless reduced set of Qt modules ready for Qt 6.0. If the set is deemed to small other considerations such as a delayed release schedule may be considered.

If the release criteria are not met/stated maintainers may choose to release their module via the next minor release after 6.0 in the series.

Release Criteria

• Port to cmake on target for completion
  • Target definition:
    • Library, examples & tests have been ported
    • The module is build & tested in the CI using cmake
• Continuous Integration for Qt 6
  • git repo is part of regular submodule update bot runs in dev (qt5.git/.gitmodules status != ignore)
• Other open comments serving as extenuating circumstances
• Backlog trajectory
  • Link to Jira stating the not completed and completed Qt 6.0 development tasks
• Review of already done API changes
  • Demonstrate an active review of existing API changes
• Porting information available
  • Simple list of completed API changes which may later be used to write Qt6 migration docs