Merge pull request #656 from scala/dotty-release

Announce release of Dotty 0.1.2-RC1

Author: heathermiller

blog/_posts/2017-05-31-first-dotty-milestone-release.md

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+---
+layout: blog
+post-type: blog
+title: Announcing Dotty 0.1.2-RC1, a major step towards Scala 3
+author: Dmytro Petrashko
+by: Dmytro Petrashko
+authorImg: /images/petrashko.jpg
+---
+
+Today, we are excited to release Dotty version 0.1.2-RC1.  This release
+serves as a technology preview that demonstrates new language features
+and the compiler supporting them.
+
+
+<!--more-->
+
+## Why is this important?
+
+_Dotty_ is the project name for a language and compiler that
+is slated to become Scala 3.0. This is an ongoing development,
+transparently developed as open source software. The Dotty project
+started more than 4 years ago. It reached a major milestone in 2015 by
+achieving
+[bootstrap](http://dotty.epfl.ch/blog/2015/10/23/dotty-compiler-bootstraps.html),
+that is, showing that the new compiler could compile itself.  Today we
+have reached another milestone with this first release of the
+codebase. Developments will not stop here, but they will in the future
+all be part of regular time-based releases.
+
+## How can you try it out?
+
+You have several alternatives: use the `sbt-dotty` plugin, get a standalone
+installation, or try it online on [Scastie].
+
+### sbt
+Using sbt 0.13.13 or newer, do:
+
+```
+sbt new lampepfl/dotty.g8
+```
+
+This will setup a new sbt project with Dotty as compiler. For more details on
+using Dotty with sbt, see the
+[example project](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty-example-project).
+
+### Standalone installation
+
+Releases are available for download on the _Releases_
+section of the Dotty repository: 
+https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty/releases
+
+We also provide a [homebrew](https://brew.sh/) package that can be installed by running
+
+```
+brew install lampepfl/brew/dotty
+```
+
+### Scastie
+
+[Scastie], the online Scala playground,
+supports Dotty. 
+You can try it out there without installing anything.
+
+# What’s in the 0.1.2-RC1 technology preview?
+This technology preview demonstrates new language features planned for Scala 3:
+
+  - [Intersection Types](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/intersection-types.html)
+  - [Union Types](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/union-types.html)
+  - [Trait Parameters](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/trait-parameters.html)
+  - [Enumerations](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/enums.html)
+  - [Algebraic Data Types](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/adts.html)
+  - [By-Name Implicits](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/reference/implicit-by-name-parameters.html)
+
+We also ship with tools that help you try out the Dotty platform:
+
+  - [IDE features for Visual Studio Code](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/usage/ide-support.html)
+  - [sbt support, including retro-compatibility with Scala 2](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty-example-project)
+
+See here for the full [release notes](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/release-notes/0.1.2.html).
+
+## Release schedule
+
+Starting from this release, we are adopting a time-based release schedule:
+- Nightly builds will be published, for those wanting to be at the forefront of
+  development.
+- Every 6 weeks, a release candidate will be cut based on the latest nightly build.
+- Every 6 weeks, the latest release candidate becomes a release.
+
+At the end of 6 weeks, the milestone will be promoted to a stable release.
+See here for the full [version number explanation](http://dotty.epfl.ch/docs/usage/version-numbers.html).
+
+## What are the next steps?
+
+Over the coming weeks and months, we plan to work on the following topics:
+
+ - [Integrate Local optimizations developed in Dotty linker](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty/pull/2513);
+ - [Add Language-level support for HMaps and HLists](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty/pull/2199);
+ - [Port global optimizations from Dotty linker](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty/pull/1840).
+
+If you want to get your hands dirty with any of this, now is a good
+moment to get involved! Join the team of contributors, including
+Martin Odersky ([@odersky](https://twitter.com/odersky))
+Dmitry Petrashko ([@DarkDimius](https://twitter.com/DarkDimius)),
+Guillaume Martres ([@smarter](https://github.com/smarter)),
+Felix Mulder ([@felixmulder](https://twitter.com/felixmulder)),
+Nicolas Stucki ([@nicolasstucki](https://github.com/nicolasstucki)),
+Liu Fengyun ([@liufengyun](https://github.com/liufengyun)),
+Olivier Blanvillain ([@OlivierBlanvillain](https://github.com/OlivierBlanvillain)),
+and others!
+
+## Library authors: Join our community build
+
+Dotty now has a set of libraries that are built against every nightly snapshot.
+Currently this includes scalatest, squants and algebra.
+Join our [community build](https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty-community-build)
+ to make sure that our regression suite includes your library.
+
+
+To get started, see <https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty>.
+
+
+[Scastie]: https://scastie.scala-lang.org/?target=dotty