A new season: what to do

For: the programming lead and mentor at the start of a season. You need: last season’s robot project, and the new Competition Manual.

FTC changes the game every September. It changes the SDK (the FTC software your code builds on) at least once a year. Most of the library carries over unchanged. This page is the checklist, in order.

flowchart TB
    K["Kickoff"] --> M["1. Read the manual:<br/>rules that touch code"]
    M --> S["2. New FTC SDK<br/>in the robot project"]
    S --> L["3. Library: test on the new SDK,<br/>update, release"]
    L --> T["4. TeamCode: new robot from<br/>the starter kit"]
    T --> V["5. Game-specific parts<br/>(tags, field, mirroring)"]
    V --> D["6. Update docs + memory"]

1. Read the manual (the parts that touch code)

Search the new Competition Manual for these, and update README “Rules check” and anything below that changed:

Topic	Why it matters	2026-27 (BIOBUZZ, TU01)
Reusing software	can the library be used?	R304: allowed, also software made before Kickoff
Size limits / extension	soft limits are not enough	R105 B: limits must hold WITHOUT software
Match timing	MatchTimer lengths and cues	0:30 auto, 8 s transition, 2:00 TeleOp; cues 1:00 and 0:20
Field symmetry	Alliance.mirror	check: mirrored or rotated?
AprilTags	ids, sizes, do they move?	tags on moving HIVE cells: aim yes, localize no
Driver Station / controllers	gamepad buttons

Also check the Team Updates during the season.

2. New FTC SDK

In the robot project, follow FIRST’s instructions (usually: update build.dependencies.gradle and the FtcRobotController folder). Read the SDK release notes for breaking changes (2026-27: AprilTag detections split into single tags and clusters). Also check the SDK’s normal servo pulse (PwmControl.PwmRange.defaultRange: 600-2400 microseconds in SDK 12.0): the library’s servo degrees and .fullRange() assume it (ServoSetup.SDK_PULSE_LOW_US, SDK_PULSE_HIGH_US, and SimParts.SDK_LOW_US/SDK_HIGH_US in the simulator).

3. The library

Gradle is the tool that builds the code; ./gradlew ... runs it from the ftc-helper-lib folder.

1. Change ftcSdkVersion in library/build.gradle, examples/build.gradle and sim/build.gradle to the new version.
2. Build and test: ./gradlew :library:testDebugUnitTest :examples:assembleDebug :examples:testDebugUnitTest and python3 tools/check_docs.py.
3. Fix what broke (usually vision, sometimes hardware classes). Add a test for each fix.
4. Update docs/02-keep-up-to-date.md (the SDK version), README.md (“Works with”), the CHANGELOG.
5. Release a new version (see Contributing).

4. TeamCode: the new robot

1. Start from the robot in five files: ./gradlew :sim:newRobot writes them from your robot configuration. (Teams that use the starter kit copy its 6 files.)
2. RobotSettings: drive type, motor names, IMU mounting. TeleOp and every autonomous read it.
3. Robot: delete last year’s mechanisms, add this year’s (one PositionMotor/SpinMotor/servo line each). Keep anything that still fits.
4. Hardware Check, then tutorial 09’s tuning for the drivetrain.

5. Game-specific parts (in TeamCode, never in the library)

Thing	Where
Which AprilTag id or cluster name is the target	TeamCode constants; alliance().pick(blueId, redId)
Field positions, routes	your EasyAuto classes
A ROTATED field (not mirrored)	mirrorForRed() returns false in your autos: the same robot-relative route then works for both alliances. BIOBUZZ 2026-27 is rotated (its field CAD: each red part’s twin is turned half a turn about the centre).
Scoring heights, shot table	Robot positions (tunable), ShotTable
Match-time cues	MatchTimer.cueAt(...) in the TeleOp

If something is useful for ANY game (a new mechanism type, a sensor helper), put it in the library instead: Extending the library.

6. Docs and records

• Library: CHANGELOG, the module pages, the tutorials that changed, this page’s table.
• Robot project: its own README / design log.
• AI agents: AGENTS.md is read every session; update it if the rules or layout changed.