Replace UPDATE.txt with links to d.o documentation

Good idea. +1

This updates UPDATE.txt to refer the user to drupal.org documentation for each of the scenarios in the issue summary.

Per #4, should the URLs be converted to their node IDs for simplicity and line lengths (and perhaps any URL path alias changes)? I went ahead and addressed this, as some URLs exceeded the 80 character limit.

I also did a few copy changes across the document for consistency.

I standardized headers and spacing, both in bulleted lists, headers, and sections.

I also separated out the composer and point-release combined copy and re-instantiated the composer header, as the pairing of the two sections read really awkward to me. I expanded the point releases to define what each release-type was, for clarity's sakes.

For review with interdiff.

We should link to the aliases, they're more likely to be redirected if the location on d.o changes.

Got it. Re-rolled with aliases restored.

The patch should make a similar change to UPGRADE.txt too.

Marking this as still 'Needs Work' for someone else if they have some availability to do.

Thanks for jumping in on this @Webbeh!

Re #6

The patch should make a similar change to UPGRADE.txt too.

There is no UPGRADE.txt in HEAD. That is a file added in the patch for #3090183: UPGRADE.txt only mentions migrating from Drupal 6 and 7, UPDATE.txt only mentions 8-8 updates, but doesn't seem necessary here as UPDATE.txt covers all of the use cases in a concise enough manner to not necessitate a second file.

Thanks for working on this. Massively in favor of reducing this unmaintainable text to links to the handbook.

A few things I think we need to fix:

1. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   +This document provides links to resources on how to update or upgrade your
   

   "Update or upgrade" here sounds redundant. We should abandon the useless distinction between "update" and "upgrade". I'd say "update or migrate".

2. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
    MINOR AND PATCH VERSION UPDATES
   ...
   +Minor and patch versions are updates such as:
   + * Patch releases (e.g. 9.1.2 to 9.1.3)
   + * Scheduled minor releases (e.g 9.3.5 to 9.4.0)
   

   So... right now this section is not useful. It's not giving any instrutions.

   We should at least add a paragraph something like:

   Minor and patch updates are done either with Composer or manually depending on how the site was installed. Refer to the sections below on updating with Composer or updating manually for tarball/zip installations.

   That could use wordsmithing but something along those lines.
    

3. We're also actually totally missing a section on upgrading with not-Composer. We should have a similar stub for "Upgrading manually (for tarball or zip installations" that links those docs directly.

4. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   -3. Determine if your project is managed by Composer.
   -
   -   On a typical Unix/Linux command line, this can be determined by running the
   -   following command (replace /PATH/TO/composer with the appropriate location
   -   for your system):
    
   -     /PATH/TO/composer info drupal/core
   

   This is useful information and helps the user pick which of composer vs. manual updates they should do. I'd include it.

5. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   + * Beta to final releases (e.g. 9.1.0-beta to 9.1.0)
   

   9.1.0-beta is not a tag we'd have. One could say 9.1.0-beta2.

6. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   +  composer:
   

   "Composer" should be capitalized.

7. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   + * First, the Drupal 8 site must be prepared for Drupal 9:
   +   https://www.drupal.org/docs/9/how-to-prepare-your-drupal-7-or-8-site-for-drupal-9/upgrading-a-drupal-8-site-to-drupal-9
   + * Second, the Drupal 8 codebase must be updated to Drupal 9:
   +   https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/upgrade/upgrading-between-drupal-8-major-versions-eg-from-drupal-8-to-drupal-9
   + * Finally, navigate to /update.php to initiate the upgrade process.
   

   Rather than saying "First", "second", etc. let's just make it a numbered list?

   Also I'd add a blank line after each bullet for readability.

8. +++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
   @@ -1,242 +1,42 @@
   +Refer to the Migrate guide for upgrade process details:
   

   I would say "for details on this process" to make it clear it's related to the paragraph above, and because normal people don't know or understand our distinction between "upgrade" and "update".

Each point in comment #10 was applied - interdiff and patch attached.

"Update or upgrade" here sounds redundant. We should abandon the useless distinction between "update" and "upgrade". I'd say "update or migrate".

Of particular note is the move from 'upgrade and update' to 'update' - I've applied this across the TXT file, with the only two exclusions being URLs that still have the string present.

We're also actually totally missing a section on upgrading with not-Composer. We should have a similar stub for "Upgrading manually (for tarball or zip installations" that links those docs directly.

This was applied as a new section mirroring the update text for Composer, but linking to https://www.drupal.org/docs/user_guide/en/security-update-core.html . Is there a better URL or guide this should link to, instead?

Thanks @Webbeh!

One thing:

+++ b/core/UPDATE.txt
@@ -1,42 +1,77 @@
+   https://www.drupal.org/docs/user_guide/en/security-update-core.html

Interesting; we have duplicate documentation here. The content looks correct, but I think probably we want https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/update/update-core-manually which is a child page of the link in the release notes and a sibling to the Composer section.

Agreed on #12, new URL applied replacing the URL. Interdiff and patch attached.

All points of @xjm are addressed.
The patch looks good.
Tested all links in Update.txt and they all work.
Back to RTBC.

OK, this looks great now. Committed to 9.1.x, and cherry-picked back through 8.8.x as a patch-eligible documentation improvement. Thanks!

Closed #3090183: UPGRADE.txt only mentions migrating from Drupal 6 and 7, UPDATE.txt only mentions 8-8 updates as a duplicate.