# Backport runbook
The nine steps of [branch for release](../method/07-branch-for-release.md) as commands: the chapter owns each step's why, this page owns its how. Only when someone on an older version needs a fix without the newer work — the line is a second trunk, taking the same protection, the same release request, and the same verification, and only the cut and the cherry-pick are new; the line's own life, candidate cycle and retirement included, is `rk guide release-lines`, and this page is the fix crossing over. `<line>` is the line's `major.minor`, and `<repo>` is the project path, filled in by `rk guide backport` where detection resolves it. The commands are the operator's to run: an agent serves a runbook and states the command, and runs one only where the operator's request named that step.
## 1. Cut the line from its tag
Automated: `rk lines open <line> --base "v<version>" --apply`, which seats the line per the workflow mode; the hand forms below are what it runs.
On branches:
```bash
git fetch origin --tags --force
git checkout -b release/<line> "v<version>" && git push -u origin release/<line>
# check: the branch is created at the tag and pushed with its upstream set
# already cut: the checkout refuses the existing branch; git checkout release/<line> and go to 2
```
On worktree:
```bash
git fetch origin --tags --force
rk worktree add release/<line> --base "v<version>" --apply && cd ../<project>@release-<line>
git push -u origin release/<line>
# check: the line takes its explicit base and its own seat; the main checkout stays on master
# already cut: the add adopts the existing branch instead, and reports satisfied when its seat stands
```
## 2. Protect the release lines
Once per repository, covering every `release/*` line.
```bash
rk setup step protect-release-lines --target . --apply
# check: reports applied the first time and satisfied after; 3 proves it either way
```
## 3. Prove the protection
```bash
rk setup check --target .
# check: protect-release-lines reports satisfied
```
## 4. Fix on the trunk first
Test plus fix, one request, squash-merged through the trunk's one path — `rk guide setup` step 4 owns that path. Note the resulting trunk commit; 5 carries it across.
## 5. Cherry-pick only that commit onto the line
On branches:
```bash
git checkout release/<line> && git cherry-pick <commit> && git push
# check: the pick lands cleanly and the push is a plain push; nothing else travels
```
On worktree:
```bash
cd ../<project>@release-<line> && git cherry-pick <commit> && git push
# check: the pick lands in the line's own seat; nothing else travels
```
## 6. Wait for the line's CI
On github:
```bash
gh run watch --repo <repo> --exit-status \
"$(gh run list --repo <repo> --workflow <ci workflow> \
--commit "$(git rev-parse HEAD)" --limit 1 --json databaseId -q '.[0].databaseId')"
# check: completes with 'success'; the CI workflow is the project's own
```
On gitlab:
```bash
glab ci status --wait
# check: the line's pipeline passes
```
## 7. Read the line's own release request
On github:
```bash
gh pr list --repo <repo> --state open --base release/<line>
# check: a release request proposing the line's patch version
```
On gitlab:
```bash
glab mr list
# check: a release request against the line, proposing its patch version
```
## 8. Release the line
Run `rk guide release` steps 3 to 6 against the line, with `--base release/<line>` and `origin/release/<line>` wherever they name the trunk; the same automation tags the line's patch there. A line's request is never armed, so its merge is yours: step 4 renders the unarmed form when the style resolves to `lines`.
## 9. Delete the branch when the line dies
Automated: `rk lines retire <line> --apply` covers the local half below and refuses while a commit the line holds is unreachable from its tags; the remote deletion stays yours.
```bash
git push origin --delete release/<line>
# check: the line's tags still resolve; the chapter owns why they make the deletion safe
```
Then the local half — a release line is protected from every automatic prune, so its seat and branch retire by hand:
```bash
git worktree remove ../<project>@release-<line>
git branch -D release/<line>
# check: rk worktree list no longer names the seat
```