[doc] update release-process.md and backports section of CONTRIBUTING

- Mention which directories contain the respective unsigned tarballs
- Clarify that bitcoin.conf might not need to be updated
- Specify where to put historical release notes if there is already
  something in release-notes.md
- Clarify what exactly is the problem with running guix-codesign more
  than once
- Correct number: 6 codesigned attestations are needed before uploading
  binaries
- Remove scp command which is outdated
- Remove server path which is outdated
- Specify that translations update should happen before branch-off, not
  before each release candidate
- Mention that you should notify lists when RCs are available
- Put "Archive the release notes" as a separate step, since creating the
  github release has a dependency on it.
- Put bitcoincore.org website updates as a separate step, since
  updating packaging repos may have a dependency on it.
- Update "bitcoin-dev mailing list" to "bitcoin-dev group"
- Document that maintainers should create PRs to collect backports
- Remove section about not uploading `*-debug` files, reader should
  upload all build artifacts.
- Torrent is created automatically, so delete instructions.
- Mention that server also generates ots file automatically.

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -417,11 +417,8 @@ Backporting
 
 Security and bug fixes can be backported from `master` to release
 branches.
-If the backport is non-trivial, it may be appropriate to open an
+Maintainers will do backports in batches and
-additional PR to backport the change, but only after the original PR
+use the proper `Needs backport (...)` labels
-has been merged.
-Otherwise, backports will be done in batches and
-the maintainers will use the proper `Needs backport (...)` labels
 when needed (the original author does not need to worry about it).
 
 A backport should contain the following metadata in the commit body:

doc/release-process.md

@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ Release Process
 
 ### Before every release candidate
 
-* Update translations see [translation_process.md](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/translation_process.md#synchronising-translations).
 * Update release candidate version in `configure.ac` (`CLIENT_VERSION_RC`).
 * Update manpages (after rebuilding the binaries), see [gen-manpages.py](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-manpagespy).
-* Update bitcoin.conf and commit, see [gen-bitcoin-conf.sh](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-bitcoin-confsh).
+* Update bitcoin.conf and commit changes if they exist, see [gen-bitcoin-conf.sh](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-bitcoin-confsh).
 
 ### Before every major and minor release
 
 * Update [bips.md](bips.md) to account for changes since the last release.
 * Update version in `configure.ac` (don't forget to set `CLIENT_VERSION_RC` to `0`).
 * Update manpages (see previous section)
-* Write release notes (see "Write the release notes" below).
+* Write release notes (see "Write the release notes" below) in doc/release-notes.md. If necessary,
+  archive the previous release notes as doc/release-notes/release-notes-${VERSION}.md.
 
 ### Before every major release
 
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Release Process
 
 #### Before branch-off
 
+* Update translations see [translation_process.md](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/translation_process.md#synchronising-translations).
 * Update hardcoded [seeds](/contrib/seeds/README.md), see [this pull request](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/27488) for an example.
 * Update the following variables in [`src/kernel/chainparams.cpp`](/src/kernel/chainparams.cpp) for mainnet, testnet, and signet:
   - `m_assumed_blockchain_size` and `m_assumed_chain_state_size` with the current size plus some overhead (see
@@ -161,6 +162,8 @@ Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoi
 
 ### macOS codesigner only: Create detached macOS signatures (assuming [signapple](https://github.com/achow101/signapple/) is installed and up to date with master branch)
 
+In the `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/x86_64-apple-darwin` and `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/arm64-apple-darwin` directories:
+
     tar xf bitcoin-osx-unsigned.tar.gz
     ./detached-sig-create.sh /path/to/codesign.p12
     Enter the keychain password and authorize the signature
@@ -168,6 +171,8 @@ Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoi
 
 ### Windows codesigner only: Create detached Windows signatures
 
+In the `guix-build-${VERSION}/output/x86_64-w64-mingw32` directory:
+
     tar xf bitcoin-win-unsigned.tar.gz
     ./detached-sig-create.sh -key /path/to/codesign.key
     Enter the passphrase for the key when prompted
@@ -175,18 +180,22 @@ Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoi
 
 ### Windows and macOS codesigners only: test code signatures
 It is advised to test that the code signature attaches properly prior to tagging by performing the `guix-codesign` step.
-However if this is done, once the release has been tagged in the bitcoin-detached-sigs repo, the `guix-codesign` step must be performed again in order for the guix attestation to be valid when compared against the attestations of non-codesigner builds.
+However if this is done, once the release has been tagged in the bitcoin-detached-sigs repo, the `guix-codesign` step must be performed again in order for the guix attestation to be valid when compared against the attestations of non-codesigner builds. The directories created by `guix-codesign` will need to be cleared prior to running `guix-codesign` again.
 
 ### Windows and macOS codesigners only: Commit the detached codesign payloads
 
 ```sh
 pushd ./bitcoin-detached-sigs
-# checkout the appropriate branch for this release series
+# checkout or create the appropriate branch for this release series
-rm -rf ./*
+git checkout --orphan <branch>
+# if you are the macOS codesigner
+rm -rf osx
 tar xf signature-osx.tar.gz
+# if you are the windows codesigner
+rm -rf win
 tar xf signature-win.tar.gz
 git add -A
-git commit -m "point to ${VERSION}"
+git commit -m "<version>: {osx,win} signature for {rc,final}"
 git tag -s "v${VERSION}" HEAD
 git push the current branch and new tag
 popd
@@ -216,45 +225,36 @@ popd
 
 Then open a Pull Request to the [guix.sigs repository](https://github.com/bitcoin-core/guix.sigs).
 
-## After 3 or more people have guix-built and their results match
+## After 6 or more people have guix-built and their results match
 
-Combine the `all.SHA256SUMS.asc` file from all signers into `SHA256SUMS.asc`:
+After verifying signatures, combine the `all.SHA256SUMS.asc` file from all signers into `SHA256SUMS.asc`:
 
 ```bash
 cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
 ```
 
 
-- Upload to the bitcoincore.org server (`/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION}/`):
+- Upload to the bitcoincore.org server:
-    1. The contents of each `./bitcoin/guix-build-${VERSION}/output/${HOST}/` directory, except for
+    1. The contents of each `./bitcoin/guix-build-${VERSION}/output/${HOST}/` directory.
-       `*-debug*` files.
 
        Guix will output all of the results into host subdirectories, but the SHA256SUMS
        file does not include these subdirectories. In order for downloads via torrent
        to verify without directory structure modification, all of the uploaded files
        need to be in the same directory as the SHA256SUMS file.
 
-       The `*-debug*` files generated by the guix build contain debug symbols
+       Wait until all of these files have finished uploading before uploading the SHA256SUMS(.asc) files.
-       for troubleshooting by developers. It is assumed that anyone that is
-       interested in debugging can run guix to generate the files for
-       themselves. To avoid end-user confusion about which file to pick, as well
-       as save storage space *do not upload these to the bitcoincore.org server,
-       nor put them in the torrent*.
-
-       ```sh
-       find guix-build-${VERSION}/output/ -maxdepth 2 -type f -not -name "SHA256SUMS.part" -and -not -name "*debug*" -exec scp {} user@bitcoincore.org:/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION} \;
-       ```
 
     2. The `SHA256SUMS` file
 
-    3. The `SHA256SUMS.asc` combined signature file you just created
+    3. The `SHA256SUMS.asc` combined signature file you just created.
 
-- Create a torrent of the `/var/www/bin/bitcoin-core-${VERSION}` directory such
+- After uploading release candidate binaries, notify the bitcoin-core-dev mailing list and
-  that at the top level there is only one file: the `bitcoin-core-${VERSION}`
+  bitcoin-dev group that a release candidate is available for testing. Include a link to the release
-  directory containing everything else. Name the torrent
+  notes draft.
-  `bitcoin-${VERSION}.torrent` (note that there is no `-core-` in this name).
 
-  Optionally help seed this torrent. To get the `magnet:` URI use:
+- The server will automatically create an OpenTimestamps file and torrent of the directory.
+
+- Optionally help seed this torrent. To get the `magnet:` URI use:
 
   ```sh
   transmission-show -m <torrent file>
@@ -265,32 +265,33 @@ cat "$VERSION"/*/all.SHA256SUMS.asc > SHA256SUMS.asc
   Also put it into the `optional_magnetlink:` slot in the YAML file for
   bitcoincore.org.
 
-- Update other repositories and websites for new version
+- Archive the release notes for the new version to `doc/release-notes/release-notes-${VERSION}.md`
+  (branch `master` and branch of the release).
 
-  - bitcoincore.org blog post
+- Update the bitcoincore.org website
 
-  - bitcoincore.org maintained versions update:
+  - blog post
-    [table](https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/commits/master/_includes/posts/maintenance-table.md)
+
+  - maintained versions [table](https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/commits/master/_includes/posts/maintenance-table.md)
+
+  - RPC documentation update
+
+      - See https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/blob/master/contrib/doc-gen/
+
+
+- Update repositories
 
   - Delete post-EOL [release branches](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/branches/all) and create a tag `v${branch_name}-final`.
 
   - Delete ["Needs backport" labels](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/labels?q=backport) for non-existing branches.
 
-  - bitcoincore.org RPC documentation update
-
-      - See https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoincore.org/blob/master/contrib/doc-gen/
-
   - Update packaging repo
 
       - Push the flatpak to flathub, e.g. https://github.com/flathub/org.bitcoincore.bitcoin-qt/pull/2
 
       - Push the snap, see https://github.com/bitcoin-core/packaging/blob/main/snap/local/build.md
 
-  - This repo
+  - Create a [new GitHub release](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/new) with a link to the archived release notes
-
-      - Archive the release notes for the new version to `doc/release-notes/` (branch `master` and branch of the release)
-
-      - Create a [new GitHub release](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases/new) with a link to the archived release notes
 
 - Announce the release: