Deprecate releasing a realtime channel that isn't detached (RTS4b) by SimonWoolf · Pull Request #1250 · ably/ably-pubsub-java

SimonWoolf · 2026-10-09T03:35:34Z

Implements the RTS4b deprecation from spec 6.3.0 (ably/specification#557).

Spec 6.3.0 replaces RTS4a, where channels.release() implicitly detaches the channel, with RTS4e, where releasing a channel that isn't INITIALIZED, DETACHED or FAILED is an error (90011). This SDK keeps the current behaviour until the next major version but now logs a deprecation warning when release() is called on a channel in any other state. To avoid the warning, call channel.detach() and wait for it to complete before calling channels.release(name).

Logs a warning in AblyRealtime.Channels.release for non-terminal states.
Updates the release() docs (javadoc and the pubsub-adapter KDoc).
Adds UTS-derived tests for RTS4c and RTS4d, and a test for the warning.

The behaviour change for the next major is in #1251. Reference ably-js PRs: ably/ably-pubsub-js#2322 (deprecation) and ably/ably-pubsub-js#2323 (next major).

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Summary by CodeRabbit

Behavior Changes
- Releasing a realtime channel while it is attached or in a state other than initialized, detached, or failed still releases it and logs a deprecation warning.
- Releasing a channel in these states is deprecated and is expected to throw an error in the next major version.
Tests
- Added coverage for releasing nonexistent, initialized, detached, and attached channels.

coderabbitai · 2026-10-09T03:35:51Z

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lib/src/main/java/io/ably/lib/realtime/AblyRealtime.java

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Walkthrough

Channel release removes and marks the channel as released. It logs a deprecation warning for states other than INITIALIZED, DETACHED, or FAILED, then continues cleanup. Documentation describes the deprecation and planned error in the next major version. Tests cover release across channel states.

Changes

Channel release behavior

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Release warning and coverage `lib/src/main/java/io/ably/lib/realtime/AblyRealtime.java`, `lib/src/test/kotlin/io/ably/lib/uts/unit/realtime/ChannelsCollectionTest.kt`, `pubsub-adapter/src/main/kotlin/com/ably/pubsub/Channels.kt`	The release implementation removes and marks the channel as released, then warns for states other than INITIALIZED, DETACHED, or FAILED before continuing cleanup. Documentation describes the deprecation and planned error in the next major version. Tests cover nonexistent, initialized, detached, and attached channels.

Priority: ⬇️ Low

Estimated code review effort: 2 (Simple) | ~10 minutes

Change: Feature

Suggested reviewers: raphaelfakhri

Merge Risk: ⚪ Minimal · up to 3462e

Channel release continues its cleanup while warning for a captured state outside the permitted states. No material merge-blocking behavior is established.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4 | ❌ 1

❌ Failed checks (1 warning)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Docstring Coverage		Docstring coverage is 50.00% which is insufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%. Docstring coverage is scoped to functions touched by this diff. Analyzed 6 functions across 3 files.	Write docstrings for the functions missing them to satisfy the coverage threshold.

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check		Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check		The title clearly identifies the main change: deprecating release of a realtime channel while it is attached. It is concise and relevant to the changeset.
Linked Issues check		Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check		Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.

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🟢 Approval recommended

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What changed in this PR

Deprecates releasing realtime channels that are not in terminal states while preserving current behavior.

Changes:

Adds deprecation warnings for non-terminal channel releases.
Updates Java and Kotlin documentation.
Adds release and warning tests.

File	Description
`pubsub-adapter/src/main/kotlin/com/ably/pubsub/Channels.kt`	Updates release KDoc.
`lib/src/test/kotlin/io/ably/lib/uts/unit/realtime/ChannelsCollectionTest.kt`	Adds release behavior and warning tests.
`lib/src/main/java/io/ably/lib/realtime/AblyRealtime.java`	Adds deprecation warning logic.

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sacOO7 · 2026-10-09T09:55:30Z

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coderabbitai · 2026-10-09T09:55:37Z

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ttypic

LGTM

Spec 6.3.0 deletes RTS4a, under which release() detaches the channel and then removes it, and replaces it with RTS4e, under which releasing a channel that isn't INITIALIZED, DETACHED or FAILED raises 90011 instead. RTS4b lets SDKs that already implement the old behaviour keep it until their next major version, provided they log a deprecation warning when release() is called on a channel in any other state. Also add UTS-derived tests for RTS4c and RTS4d, and a test for the deprecation warning. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

SimonWoolf mentioned this pull request Oct 9, 2026

Make releasing a realtime channel that isn't detached an error (RTS4c-e) #1251

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SimonWoolf merged commit 3dfbf65 into main Oct 20, 2026
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SimonWoolf deleted the release-deprecate-implicit-detach branch October 20, 2026 18:53

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Deprecate releasing a realtime channel that isn't detached (RTS4b) - #1250

Deprecate releasing a realtime channel that isn't detached (RTS4b)#1250
SimonWoolf merged 1 commit into
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