# Release Branches

Release branches have a name of `release-MAJOR.MINOR`. Essential Istio repositories are branched from master roughly 4
weeks prior to a new release. The `istio/istio.io` repository does not get branched until the release is ready
for publication.

This document outlines getting in new features after a new branch has been cut and the process for getting a PR
merged in before and after the first public release.

# Feature Freeze

[table of Translators](https://github.com/istio/operator/blob/e9097258cb4fbe59648e7da663cdad6f16927b8f/pkg/translate/translate.go#L110)
indexed by minor [version](../operator/pkg/version/version.go). This is because
mapping rules are only allowed to change between minor (not patch) versions.

The `IstioOperatorSpec` API fields are translated to the output manifest in two ways: