From fb568753979cf5e20255fc49522b7dd05e310912 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Revital Barletz <Revital.barletz@octopus.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:08:40 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] docs: Add release checklist step to reference the
 release-specific instructions file (#25854)

Signed-off-by: Revital Barletz <Revital.barletz@octopus.com>
Co-authored-by: Peter Jiang <35584807+pjiang-dev@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Regina Voloshin <regina.voloshin@codefresh.io>
---
 .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md             |  1 +
 .../templates/minor_version_upgrade.md        | 46 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 47 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 docs/operator-manual/templates/minor_version_upgrade.md

diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md
index a77b52efec..5a7b3e081e 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ Target GA date: ___. __, ____
      Thanks to all the folks who spent their time contributing to this release in any way possible!
      ```
  - [ ] Monitor support channels for issues, cherry-picking bugfixes and docs fixes as appropriate during the RC period (or delegate this task to an Approver and coordinate timing)
+ - [ ] After creating the RC, open a documentation PR for the next minor version using [this](../../docs/operator-manual/templates/minor_version_upgrade.md) template.
 
 ## GA Release Checklist
 
diff --git a/docs/operator-manual/templates/minor_version_upgrade.md b/docs/operator-manual/templates/minor_version_upgrade.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..afd9c346a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operator-manual/templates/minor_version_upgrade.md
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# vX.Y to X.Z
+
+## Breaking Changes
+
+<!-- What changed that could affect your setup:
+Deprecated flags / behavior removals 
+Deprecated fields 
+Other incompatible behavior or semantics changes between versions
+ (Add list here) -->
+
+## Behavioral Improvements / Fixes
+
+<!-- Operational stability and performance fixes:
+Minor stability, reconciler improvements, bug fixes -->
+
+## API Changes
+
+<!-- Changes in API surface:
+Any removal of fields or changed API defaults -->
+
+## Security Changes
+
+<!-- Changes in security behavior:
+Any removal of sensitive fields or changed authentication defaults -->
+
+## Deprecated Items
+
+<!-- Flags / behavior to be removed in future releases
+Any deprecated config API or CLI flags -->
+
+## Kustomize Upgraded
+
+<!-- Bundled Kustomize version bump:
+Any breaking behavior 
+Notes about specific upstream behavior changes (e.g., namespace propagation fixes). -->
+
+## Helm Upgraded
+
+<!--  Bundled Helm version bump:
+Any breaking behavior 
+Verify if your charts depend on any features tied to Helm versions. -->
+
+## Custom Healthchecks Added
+
+<!-- New built-in health checks added in this release:
+Add any new CRD health support added in this version. -->