doc: improve release guide

Specify that $VERSION should include the `v` when replacing
REPLACEME in documentation.

PR-URL: #17677
Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <[email protected]>
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <[email protected]>
Reviewed-By: Jeremiah Senkpiel <[email protected]>
Reviewed-By: Luigi Pinca <[email protected]>
Reviewed-By: Daniel Bevenius <[email protected]>

Author: evanlucas

doc/releases.md

@@ -157,6 +157,15 @@ were first added in this version. The relevant commits should already include
 `sed -i "s/REPLACEME/$VERSION/g" doc/api/*.md` or
 `perl -pi -e "s/REPLACEME/$VERSION/g" doc/api/*.md`.
 
+*Note*: `$VERSION` should be prefixed with a `v`
+
+If this release includes any new deprecations it is necessary to ensure that
+those are assigned a proper static deprecation code. These are listed in the
+docs (see `doc/api/deprecations.md`) and in the source as `DEP00XX`. The code
+must be assigned a number (e.g. `DEP0012`). Note that this assignment should
+occur when the PR is landed, but a check will be made when the release built
+is run.
+
 ### 4. Create Release Commit
 
 The `CHANGELOG.md`, `doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_*.md`, `src/node_version.h`, and