Here is a proposed release schedule for 0.19.0, the next major release of Bitcoin Core. Like for previous major releases I've aimed for a release 6 months after the last ( #14438).

2019-09-01 :heavy_check_mark: 
---------------
- Open Transifex translations for 0.19
- Soft translation string freeze (no large or unnecessary string changes until release)
- Finalize and close translations for 0.17

2019-09-15 :heavy_check_mark: 
---------------
- Feature freeze (bug fixes only until release)
- Translation string freeze (no more source language changes until release)

2019-10-01 :heavy_check_mark: 
---------------
- Split off `0.19` branch from `master`
- Start RC cycle, tag and release `0.19.0rc1`
- Start merging for 0.20 on master branch

2019-11-03 :heavy_check_mark:
---------------
- Release 0.19.0 final (aim)

If any specific dates or timeframes are a problem for you, let me know.

**Edit:** schedule was moved two months back on 2019-05-07, for reference, the old schedule was:
```
2019-11-01    Soft translation string freeze
2019-11-15    Feature freeze
2019-12-01    Split off 0.19 branch from master
2020-01-03    Release 0.19.0 final (aim)
```
{
    
    
    std::string sha256_algo = SHA256AutoDetect();
    LogPrintf("Using the '%s' SHA256 implementation\n", sha256_algo);
    RandomInit();
    ECC_Start();
    globalVerifyHandle.reset(new ECCVerifyHandle());
    
    if (!InitSanityCheck())
        return InitError(strprintf(_("Initialization sanity check failed. %s is shutting down.").translated, PACKAGE_NAME));
    
    
    
    return LockDataDirectory(true);
}
bool AppInitLockDataDirectory()
{
    
    
    
    if (!LockDataDirectory(false)) {
        
        return false;
    }
    return true;
}
bool AppInitMain(InitInterfaces& interfaces)