forcedotcom Pre-release Slack Announcement
Compose Slack message announcing new pre-release build to #platform-dev-tools.
Invoke: /announce-prerelease or when user asks to announce pre-release to Slack.
Steps
1. Identify versions
Get the pre-release version and current stable marketplace version:
# Get latest pre-release from GitHub
gh release list --repo forcedotcom/salesforcedx-vscode --limit 20 | grep -E "v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+" | head -1
# Current marketplace stable version
gh release list --repo forcedotcom/salesforcedx-vscode --exclude-pre-releases --limit 1
2. Extract changelog differences
Read packages/salesforcedx-vscode/CHANGELOG.md and extract changes between:
- Pre-release version (top of CHANGELOG)
- Current stable marketplace version
Focus on:
- New features (Added section)
- Bug fixes (Fixed section)
- Breaking changes (if any)
- Important notes
3. Compose Slack message
Format for #platform-dev-tools:
🚀 *Salesforce Extensions for VS Code v<version> Pre-release Available*
A new pre-release build is ready for testing on the marketplace.
*What's New:*
• <feature 1>
• <feature 2>
*Bug Fixes:*
• <fix 1>
• <fix 2>
*Testing:*
Install via VS Code Extensions → search "Salesforce" → switch to Pre-release version
Or install manually:
`code --install-extension salesforce.salesforcedx-vscode@<version>`
Please test and report any issues before the stable release.
📊 <link to GitHub release for full details>
Formatting rules:
- Use bullet points (•) for list items
- Keep descriptions concise (one line per item)
- Drop PR/issue numbers and technical details
- Include link to GitHub release
- Add emoji for visual appeal (🚀 🐛 ✨ 📊)
4. Show preview and send
Show composed message to user for review.
If Slack MCP available:
- Offer to post directly to
#platform-dev-tools - Or save as draft for user to send manually
Wait for user approval before posting.
5. Verify post
After sending, confirm message was posted successfully.
Best Practices
- Timing: Send announcement shortly after pre-release is published to marketplace
- Audience: Engineers testing pre-releases, not end users
- Tone: Encouraging testing/feedback, not "this is ready for everyone"
- Content: Focus on testable changes, not implementation details
- Links: Always include link to GitHub release for full details
Example Messages
Feature-focused pre-release
🚀 *Salesforce Extensions v68.1.0 Pre-release Available*
New features ready for testing:
*Added:*
• ✨ LWC inline documentation on hover
• ✨ Apex code actions for quick fixes
• 📊 Enhanced Apex language server performance
*Fixed:*
• 🐛 SOQL Builder syntax highlighting
• 🐛 Org Browser refresh issues
Install via Extensions view → search "Salesforce" → Pre-release version
Test and share feedback!
📋 Details: https://github.com/forcedotcom/salesforcedx-vscode/releases/tag/v68.1.0
Bug fix pre-release
🐛 *Salesforce Extensions v68.0.1 Pre-release - Bug Fixes*
Quick bug fix build ready for testing:
*Fixed:*
• Code completion crash on large files
• Deploy errors with LWC metadata
• Authentication token refresh issues
Install pre-release from Extensions view to verify fixes.
Thanks for reporting these issues!
📋 https://github.com/forcedotcom/salesforcedx-vscode/releases/tag/v68.0.1
Notes
- Pre-release announcements are optional - not every nightly needs announcement
- Use for significant changes or when requesting testing feedback
- Keep message brief - engineers can read full CHANGELOG if interested
- Encourage feedback and issue reporting