Swift 2.2 Release Process

Swift 2.2 is the first official release of Swift after Swift was released as open source. It will be a mostly source-compatible release with Swift 2.1, containing a large number of core improvements (e.g., bug fixes, enhancements to diagnostics, faster generated code) without many significant visible changes to the language itself. It is intended to be an intermediate point between Swift 2 and Swift 3, with Swift 3 containing more disruptive changes to both the language and Standard Library.

→ swift.org/blog/swift-2.2-release-process/

Swift 2.2 marks the first official release after Swift became open source. It stays mostly compatible with Swift 2.1 and focuses on core fixes, better diagnostics, and faster code without big language changes. The release includes Swift on Linux, LLDB, and the REPL but leaves out the Core Libraries and Package Manager. It branches from master on January 13, 2016, with a planned release between March and May 2016. Changes after branching must meet strict criteria, and the process involves release managers, pull requests, and growing restrictions as the release nears.