> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.redbrickai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Releases

> Create point-in-time snapshots of your project tasks for consistent exports.

`Releases` let you capture a point-in-time snapshot of the tasks in a project. This gives you a stable dataset that you can revisit later for exports, QA, and traceability, even as the project continues to change.

A release can include either:

* only Ground Truth tasks
* all tasks across all stages

## Create a Release

<Steps>
  <Step title="Step 1: Open the Releases page">
    Open your project and select the **Releases** tab from the project navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Step 2: Create the snapshot">
    Click **Create Release**, then select a **Release Name** and **Stage Filter**.

    Use the following rules when naming a release:

    * the name must be unique within the project
    * the name can contain letters, numbers, spaces, and `_ - / . , ( )`
    * the name can be up to 50 characters long

    The **Stage Filter** controls which tasks are included:

    * **Ground Truth**: include only finalized Ground Truth tasks
    * **All stages**: include tasks from every stage in the project
  </Step>

  <Step title="Step 3: Wait for processing to finish">
    Release creation runs asynchronously. After you submit the form, the release will appear in the table and move through its processing states until it is ready to use.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  In consensus projects, releases can only be created from <strong>Ground Truth</strong> tasks.
</Warning>

## Release Statuses

Each release has a status that shows its current lifecycle:

* **Creating**: the release has been requested
* **Processing**: the snapshot is being built
* **Successful**: the release is ready to use
* **Failed**: the release could not be created
* **Removing**: the release is being deleted

## Work with a Release

Once a release is available, you can use it in several ways:

* **View tasks** opens the [Data Page](/project-pages/data-page) with that release applied as a filter
* the Data Page also exposes a **Release** filter, so you can combine a release with other filters such as stage, assignee, or date
* [Task Analytics](/projects/project-and-task-analytics) can show which releases include a given task
* **Delete** permanently removes the release and any archive associated with it

Releases are useful when you need a reproducible dataset for audits, reviews, benchmark comparisons, or handoffs to downstream teams.

## Generate a Downloadable Archive

<Warning>
  Creating a release does <strong>not</strong> create a downloadable archive by itself. The
  dashboard download becomes available after the release has been exported with the CLI or Python
  SDK.
</Warning>

After a release reaches **Successful**, you can export it programmatically and then download the generated archive from the Releases page.

### Export a Release with the CLI

If you have already configured the RedBrick CLI and created a local project directory, run the following command from that project directory:

```bash theme={null}
redbrick releases export "March Release"
```

To rebuild the archive for an existing release, use:

```bash theme={null}
redbrick releases export "March Release" --refresh
```

You can then return to the Releases page in the dashboard and use **Download**.

For CLI setup details, see:

* [CLI Overview](/python-sdk/cli-overview/home)
* [Creating and Cloning Projects](/python-sdk/cli-overview/creating-and-cloning-projects)

### Export a Release with the Python SDK

If you are working in Python, you can export a release directly from a `Project` object:

```python theme={null}
import redbrick

project = redbrick.get_project(
    org_id="...",
    project_id="...",
    api_key="...",
)

list(project.releases.export_release("March Release"))
```

The SDK writes the exported files to a local folder named after the project and release.

For SDK setup details, see:

* [Python SDK Overview](/python-sdk/sdk-overview/home)
* [Installation and API Keys](/python-sdk/installation-and-api-keys)

## Related Pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card href="/project-pages/data-page" title="Data Page">
    View and filter the tasks included in a release.
  </Card>

  <Card href="/projects/project-and-task-analytics" title="Project and Task Analytics">
    Review analytics that include release context for individual tasks.
  </Card>

  <Card href="/python-sdk/cli-overview/home" title="CLI Overview">
    Set up the CLI before exporting releases from a local project directory.
  </Card>

  <Card href="/python-sdk/sdk-overview/home" title="Python SDK Overview">
    Use the SDK when you need a scripted release export workflow.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>