fix: move the release instructions to the repository

RELEASE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Release instructions
+
+This page contains the steps to make a release and some helpful resources to get you started.
+
+Create an issue and copy/paste the steps below to release a new version. Close the issue when it is done.
+
+These steps should be taken in order to create a new release![^release-refs]
+
+```md
+**Double check for quality-control**
+
+- [ ] There are no [open issues with a `impact: block-release` label](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/labels/impact%3A%20block-release)
+
+**Prepare the codebase for a new version**
+
+- [ ] Bump `__version__` in [`__init__.py`](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/blob/main/src/pydata_sphinx_theme/__init__.py#L16)
+- [ ] Update our [version switcher `.json` file](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/blob/main/docs/_static/switcher.json) with the new version
+- [ ] Make a release commit: `git commit -m 'bump: 0.1.9 → 0.2.0'`
+- [ ] Push the RLS commit `git push upstream main`
+- [ ] If a **release candidate** is needed, tick this box when we're now ready for a full release.
+
+**Make the release**
+
+- [ ] [Start a new GitHub release](https://github.com/pandas-dev/pydata-sphinx-theme/releases/new)
+  - Call the release the current version, e.g. `v0.2.0`
+  - In the **`Choose a Tag:`** dropdown, type in the release name (e.g., `v0.2.0`) and click "Create new tag"
+  - In the **`Target:`** dropdown, pin it to the release commit that you've just pushed.
+  - Generate the automatic release notes, eventually manually specify the previous version (useful when several release candidate have been made)
+- [ ] Confirm that the release completed
+  - [The `publish` github action job](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/blob/main/.github/workflows/publish.yml#L31) has completed successfully in the [actions tab](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/actions).
+  - [The PyPI version is updated](https://pypi.org/project/pydata-sphinx-theme/)
+- [ ] Hide the previous patch version build in the RDT interface if needed.
+- [ ] Celebrate, you're done!
+
+[^release-refs]: Taken from [the release checklist in our wiki](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/wiki/Release-checklist). See [the release documentation](https://pydata-sphinx-theme.readthedocs.io/en/latest/contribute/policies.html#release-policy) for an overview of release processes.
+```

docs/community/practices/release.md

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Anybody is encouraged to make a new release if:
 
 - It has been more than a month since the last release.
 - OR a significant change has been made to our code that warrants a release.
-- AND there are no open issues with a [{guilabel}`block-release`](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-desc+label%3Ablock-release) label.
+- AND there are no open issues with a [{guilabel}`impact: block-release`](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/labels/impact%3A%20block-release) label.
 
 ### Release candidates
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Follow these steps to make a release:
 
 - (optionally) **Create a [GitHub milestones](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/milestones)** to organize the issues that should be resolved as part of a new release.
 - **Decide if it's time** to make a release be reading [](releases:when) and decide if it is time for a release.
-- **Copy the release checklist into a new issue**. We have [a release checklist in our wiki](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/wiki/Release-checklist#release-instructions).
+- **Copy the [release checklist](https://github.com/pydata/pydata-sphinx-theme/blob/main/RELEASE.md) into a new issue**.
 - **Complete the checklist**. That's it!
 
 ## Choosing a version increment