prepare for release 0.6.1 (#541)

* update versions for release 0.6.1

* add release checklist

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Upcoming
 
+
+# v0.6.1
+
 ### Improvements
 * Added support for Numpy 2 and h5py 3.12, and pinned PyNWB to <3.0 temporarily. [#536](https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/nwbinspector/pull/536)
 

docs/developer_guide.rst

@@ -56,3 +56,32 @@ a linux system, run
     export NWBI_SKIP_NETWORK_TESTS=1
 
 in your environment before running ``pytest``.
+
+
+Making a Release
+----------------
+
+To prepare a release, follow these steps and make a new pull request with the changes:
+
+    1. Update the ``CHANGELOG.md`` header with the upcoming version number and ensure all upcoming changes are included.
+    2. Update the version string in ``pyproject.toml``.
+    3. Check the requirements versions and update if needed.
+    4. Update dates in ``docs/conf.py`` and ``license.txt`` to the current year if needed.
+
+After merging, follow these steps:
+
+    1. Create a new git tag. Pull the latest dev branch, then run the following commands (updating the release version)
+       to create the tag and push to GitHub.
+
+    .. code-block::
+
+        release=X.Y.Z
+        git tag ${release} --sign -m "nwbinspector ${release}"
+        git push --tags
+
+    2. On the `GitHub tags <https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/nwbinspector/tags>`_ page, click "..." -> "Create release" on the new tag.
+       Fill in the release notes from the ``CHANGELOG.md`` and publish the release.
+    3. Publishing a release on GitHub will trigger the ``auto-publish.yml`` action on the CI that will publish the package on PyPi.
+    4. Conda-forge maintains a bot that regularly monitors PyPi for new releases of packages that are also on conda-forge.
+       When a new release is detected, the bot will create a pull request. Follow the instructions in that pull request to update any requirements.
+       Once the PR is approved and merged, a new release will be published on conda-forge.

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "nwbinspector"
-version = "0.6.0"
+version = "0.6.1"
 description = "Tool to inspect NWB files for best practices compliance."
 readme = "README.md"
 authors = [