# Release

Track deployment gates and ship workflows as they become available.

Release is the shipping stage of the [Software Factory](/software-factory/overview). It tracks deployment gates, release workflows, and ship status so teams can see whether validated work is ready to reach users.

Use Release when shipping depends on more than a merge button: versioning, rollout checks, approval gates, deployment health, and follow-up documentation.

<Info>
  Release is in Private Preview. To request access, fill out the form at <a href="https://factory.ai/contact">factory.ai/contact</a> or contact your Factory account team.
</Info>

## What Release tracks

Release connects the final Software Factory stages:

1. **Readiness** from code review, QA, security review, and CI.
2. **Release preparation** such as changelog updates, version notes, migration checks, and ownership handoffs.
3. **Deployment gates** including rollout state, failed checks, and manual approval points.
4. **Post-ship feedback** from incidents, alerts, customer reports, and follow-up tasks.

## When to use it

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Release checklists" icon="list-check" href="#release-workflow">
    Keep recurring release steps visible before a ship window starts.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Deployment gates" icon="cloud" href="/enterprise/network-and-deployment">
    Track deployment constraints, environments, and rollout boundaries.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Validation handoff" icon="shield-check" href="/software-factory/code-review">
    Connect review and QA outcomes to release readiness.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Ship automation" icon="rotate" href="/software-factory/automations">
    Move repeatable release checks into persistent automations.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Release metrics

The Software Factory dashboard shows release throughput and gate health alongside the rest of the SDLC.

| Metric | What it indicates |
| --- | --- |
| Deployments | How many release workflows shipped in the selected time range. |
| Pass rate | The share of release gates that completed without intervention. |
| Cycle time | Time from validated work to shipped release. |
| Health | Whether release checks, deployment gates, and handoffs are configured. |

*Illustrative dashboard values; your numbers reflect your own connected automations.*

## Release workflow

| Step | What Droid can help with | What stays visible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prepare | Draft release notes, summarize merged work, check migration instructions | Owners, linked pull requests, and release scope |
| Verify | Run validation, review failures, compare rollout blockers | Gate status, pass rate, and unresolved blockers |
| Ship | Execute approved release steps or hand off to the deployment system | Deployment count, rollout state, and cycle time |
| Learn | Capture incidents, regressions, and follow-up work | Post-ship signals routed back into Triage or Validate |

<RelatedLinks>
  <RelatedLink href='/droid-exec/overview' title='Use Droid Exec'>
    For controlled headless release workflows.
  </RelatedLink>
  <RelatedLink href='/software-factory/incident-response' title='Incident Response'>
    Route post-ship signals back into automated investigation.
  </RelatedLink>
</RelatedLinks>