Release Rollback Plan

Release rollback plan defines procedures for undoing problematic design system releases. When a release causes issues after publication, having a prepared rollback plan enables quick recovery. Planning for rollback before releases ensures teams can respond effectively under pressure.

What Is a Release Rollback Plan

A release rollback plan documents how to reverse a release that causes problems. This includes technical steps to restore previous versions, communication procedures to inform consumers, and decision criteria for when to rollback. Having a plan ready before issues occur enables faster, more confident response.

Rollback planning acknowledges that even well-tested releases can cause unexpected problems. Unforeseen consumer usage patterns, environmental differences, or edge cases may surface issues only after release. Prepared rollback procedures minimize damage when this occurs.

How Release Rollback Plans Work

Rollback planning involves defining procedures, establishing criteria, and preparing communication. Each element contributes to effective rollback execution.

Technical procedures specify how to restore previous versions. For npm packages, this might involve deprecating the problematic version and pointing consumers to the previous version. For internal registries, it might involve removing or flagging the problematic version. Procedures should be detailed enough to follow under stress.

Decision criteria establish when rollback is appropriate. Not every issue warrants rollback. Criteria might include severity thresholds (critical bugs affecting many consumers), scope thresholds (issues affecting core functionality), and time considerations (how long until a fix could be released). Clear criteria enable confident decisions.

Communication procedures define how to inform consumers. Rollback announcements should reach consumers quickly through appropriate channels. Messages should explain what happened, what consumers should do, and when normal service will resume.

Key Considerations

• Document rollback procedures before they are needed
• Test rollback procedures periodically to ensure they work
• Define clear criteria for rollback decisions
• Prepare communication templates in advance
• Assign authority for rollback decisions

Common Questions

What technical options exist for rolling back npm packages?

npm packages cannot be truly unpublished after 72 hours, limiting rollback options. However, several approaches can mitigate problematic releases.

Deprecation marks versions as problematic while keeping them available. Running npm deprecate package@version “message” adds a warning consumers see when installing. This does not prevent installation but discourages it.

Publishing a new patch version with the fix or reversion addresses the issue through normal versioning. Version 1.2.4 might revert changes from 1.2.3. This is often the cleanest approach.

Dist-tag management points default installation to a different version. Pointing the latest tag to the previous good version makes default installations get the older version. Consumers explicitly requesting the problematic version still get it.

For private registries with more control, versions may be removed entirely. This is the cleanest rollback but is not available for public npm packages after the 72-hour window.

Who should have authority to execute rollbacks?

Rollback authority should be clearly assigned to enable fast decisions. Too narrow authority risks delays when decision-makers are unavailable. Too broad authority risks inappropriate rollbacks.

Common approaches include designating specific team members with rollback authority, establishing on-call rotation that includes rollback decisions, or defining severity thresholds where different levels of authority apply.

The decision-maker needs enough context to assess severity and impact. Technical understanding helps evaluate the issue. Business context helps assess urgency. Combining perspectives, either in one person or through quick consultation, improves decisions.

Pre-approved criteria reduce the need for judgment calls. If clearly defined criteria are met (such as more than 10% of consumers reporting a specific error type), rollback proceeds automatically per the plan.

Summary

Release rollback plans prepare teams to recover quickly from problematic releases. Documented procedures, clear decision criteria, and prepared communications enable effective response under pressure. Testing rollback procedures periodically ensures they work when needed.