Add notes on how to release to CONTRIBUTING (#797)

* Add notes on how to release to CONTRIBUTING

* Update apps/vscode/CONTRIBUTING.md

Co-authored-by: Julia Silge <[email protected]>

* Update apps/vscode/CONTRIBUTING.md

Co-authored-by: Julia Silge <[email protected]>

* Update apps/vscode/CONTRIBUTING.md

Co-authored-by: Julia Silge <[email protected]>

---------

Co-authored-by: Julia Silge <[email protected]>

Author: vezwork

apps/vscode/CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -39,3 +39,24 @@ Here is the process:
 - If you need to set breakpoints in the LSP, you'll have to select the launch configuration `Attach to VS Code LSP server` and run that as well. You should see your LSP breakpoints bind (go from grayed out to red dots) as soon as the debugger is attached to the LSP.
 
   Note that if you close the dev window and stop the extension debugging session, you'll have to manually close the LSP debugging session.
+
+# Releasing and Publishing
+
+You can find [the releases of this repository here](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/releases).
+
+The VSCode extension is published on the [Microsoft Visual Studio Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=quarto.quarto) as well as the [Open VSX Registry](https://open-vsx.org/extension/quarto/quarto).
+
+Here are the steps for making a release and publishing:
+
+1. Note the version in `apps/vscode/package.json`.
+2. Check that the topmost version in `apps/vscode/CHANGELOG.md` matches the version you saw in `apps/vscode/package.json`. Next to that version number, it should say "(Unreleased)". Replace "(Unreleased)" with "(Release on YYYY-MM-DD)" with the current date filled in. Please also ensure that the changelog includes descriptions of all the changes in the release. [example PR](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/pull/794/files).
+3. Open the ["Publish VSCode Extension to Marketplaces" workflow page](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/actions/workflows/publish.yaml) and run the workflow, after checking the box to confirm that the version and changelog are up-to-date. [example workflow run](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/actions/runs/17108094709/job/48522198389).
+4. If the action was successful, then it will have published the extension to both marketplaces and also created a new release. Navigate to the [releases page](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/releases) and edit the description of your release to contain the same bullet points as the changelog for that version.
+5. To prepare for next release, please now bump the minor version in `apps/vscode/package.json` and add a new heading in `apps/vscode/CHANGELOG.md` with that bumped version number next to "(Unreleased)". [example PR](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto/pull/795/files).
+
+The circle of life, er, I mean, releasing and publishing is now complete.
+
+## Troubleshooting Releasing and Publishing
+
+### The "Publish VSCode Extension to Marketplaces" workflow failed
+Check the logs of the action run. If publishing to Visual Studio Marketplace failed, it is likely because the key for this marketplace and the key has expired. [Julia](https://github.com/juliasilge) owns this key. Please message her in this case.