Prepare v1.12.0 release (#8144)

Signed-off-by: Johan Fylling <johan.dev@fylling.se>

Author: johanfylling

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file. This
 project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
-## Unreleased
+## 1.12.0
+
+This release contains a mix of new features, performance improvements, and bugfixes. Notably:
+
+- Support for string interpolation in the Rego language
+- Faster compilation and runtime
+- Fixes published in the v1.11.1 release
 
 ### String Interpolation ([#4733](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/issues/4733))
 
@@ -40,6 +46,51 @@ String interpolation is a more readable and less error-prone substitute for the
 
 Authored by @johanfylling reported by @anderseknert
 
+> Help us out!
+>
+> New Rego language features are exciting, and we want to maximize their usefulness. If you come across tools and integrations in the community where string interpolation isn't properly handled, such as syntax highlighting, please [reach out](https://www.openpolicyagent.org/community) and let us know.
+
+### Runtime, SDK, Tooling
+
+- oracle: Refactor Oracle better support `some` and `every` ([#8105](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8105), [#8131](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8131), [#8138](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8138)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- plugins/bundle: Prevent ns-level polling by validating intervals ([#8082](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8082)) authored by @jjhwan-h
+- plugins/discovery: Initialize plugins before downloading ([#8071](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8071)) authored by @jt28828
+- topdown: Introduce sink for context cancellation
+  - topdown: Make `regex.replace` respect cancellation ([#8089](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8089)) authored by @srenatus
+  - topdown: Make `replace` and `strings.replace_n` respect cancellation ([#8089](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8089)) authored by @srenatus
+  - topdown: Use sink for `concat` ([#8090](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8090)) authored by @srenatus
+  - perf: Avoid extra allocation in sink if no cancel ([#8104](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8104)) authored by @anderseknert
+
+### Compiler, Topdown and Rego
+
+- ast/compile: Deal with error limit without panic/defer ([#8087](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8087)) authored by @srenatus
+- ast/parser: Check if we need to unescape at all ([#8135](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8135)) authored by @srenatus
+- perf: Improved visitor implementation (10% faster compilation) ([#8078](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8078)) authored by @anderseknert
+- perf: Reduce allocations handling terms ([#8116](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8116)) authored by @anderseknert
+- perf: Type-checker performance improvements ([#8143](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8143)) authored by @anderseknert
+
+### Docs, Website, Ecosystem
+
+- website: Add support for rego string interpolation syntax highlighting ([#8092](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8092)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- docs/ocp: Update "concepts" for v0.3.0 ([#8117](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8117)) authored by @srenatus
+- website: Show playground errors ([#8141](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8141)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- website: Update a number of links to their new location ([#8100](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8100)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- docs: Remove link to feedback form ([#8101](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8101)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- website: Remove survey bar ([#8136](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8136)) authored by @charlieegan3
+- docs: Update community contacts ([#8108](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8108)) authored by @charlieegan3
+
+### Miscellaneous
+
+- ast/checks_test: Fix flaky tests ([#8111](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8111)) authored by @srenatus
+- benchmarks: Install node v24 ([#8122](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8122)) authored by @srenatus
+- download: Fix when compiling with tag opa_no_oci ([#8070](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/issues/8070)) authored by @srenatus reported by @mg0083
+- tests: Race in TestStatusUpdateBuffer ([#8133](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8133)) authored by @thevilledev
+- workflow: Integrate benchmarks notebook ([#8121](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8121)) authored by @srenatus
+- workflows: Skip all tests in benchmarks run ([#8086](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8086)) authored by @srenatus
+- Dependency updates; notably:
+  - build: Bump golang from 1.25.4 to 1.25.5 ([#8107](https://github.com/open-policy-agent/opa/pull/8107)) authored by @srenatus
+  - build(deps): Bump google.golang.org/grpc from 1.76.0 to 1.77.0
+
 ## 1.11.1
 
 This is a bugfix release: