[RESULT][VOTE] Grails 9.0 (Groovy 6 catch-up priority), 8.1 (quick Spring Boot 4.1), 9.1 (Spring Boot 4.2), optional 8.2, and versioning principles

[James Fredley <ja...@apache.org>]

Hi everyone,

The vote for upcoming version focus has passed with five +1 binding 
votes and one +1 additional
votes. There were no 0 or -1 votes.

Vote thread:
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/2dx9ds4kzd5zbngjsgwxqokxv1jjr1z5

1. Grails 9.0.x – Groovy 6 catch-up (priority)
     1. Base it on Groovy 6.
     2. Enable invokedynamic by default.
        Turning invokedynamic off is not a viable default. In Groovy
6.0.0 the classic call-site implementation has moved out of groovy-core
into the separate groovy-callsite module and is on a path to
deprecation. Core dispatch already uses invokedynamic.
     3. Include the two PRs from Scott related to JSON changes on Spring
Boot 4.1, plus any other minor and quick PRs that can be merged in time.
     4. Target 9.0.0 for the end of November 2026.
     5. Ship it as a focused release that brings Grails current with
Groovy 6 without waiting for the next Spring Boot line. Apache Groovy 7
work has already started: https://github.com/apache/groovy

2. Grails 8.1.x – Quick release on Spring Boot 4.1
     1. Base it on 8.0.x.
     2. Keep it on Spring Boot 4.1.
     3. Release it rather quickly (near-term).
     4. Include only low-risk, ready changes that do not delay the release.

3. Grails 9.1.x – Spring Boot 4.2 upgrade
     1. Base it on Groovy 6 and Spring Boot 4.2.
     2. Target 2027 Q1. Aim to release within one month of Spring Boot
4.2 GA.
     3. Use this minor line for the Spring Boot 4.2 upgrade so the major
version bump is reserved for material breaking changes later.
     4. Set a firm target date to limit feature creep.

4. Grails 8.2.x – Optional / not preferred
     1. Would be based on Spring Boot 4.2 (still on Groovy 5).
     2. Small chance of doing this release. Preference is not to ship 8.2.x.
     3. Prefer to do the Spring Boot 4.2 upgrade on the 9.x line (Groovy
6) so we do not support Spring Boot 4.2 on both Groovy 5 and Groovy 6.

5. Grails 10 (Groovy 7) – start branch soon
     1. Start the branch in the next few months.
     2. Base it on Groovy 7.
     3. Work on it in parallel with Groovy 7 development so Grails is
ready when Groovy 7 is released.
     4. Target release once Groovy 7 is released.
     5. This will be the next major, driven by the Groovy major (and
aligned with any Spring Boot major if timing works).

Thanks,
James Fredley
Apache Grails PMC Chair