---

name: Release Workflow description: Standardized release processes including versioning, changelog generation, and deployment automation.

Release Workflow

Overview

Release Workflow defines how code moves from development to production, including versioning, changelog generation, tagging, and deployment automation.

Core Principle: "Releases should be boring, predictable, and automated."

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1. Semantic Versioning (SemVer)

Format: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

• MAJOR: Breaking changes (1.0.0 → 2.0.0)
• MINOR: New features, backward compatible (1.0.0 → 1.1.0)
• PATCH: Bug fixes, backward compatible (1.0.0 → 1.0.1)

Examples

Copy1.0.0 → 1.0.1  (fix: resolve login bug)
1.0.1 → 1.1.0  (feat: add dark mode)
1.1.0 → 2.0.0  (BREAKING CHANGE: remove deprecated API)

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2. Automated Versioning with standard-version

Copy# Install
npm install --save-dev standard-version

# Add to package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "release": "standard-version",
    "release:minor": "standard-version --release-as minor",
    "release:major": "standard-version --release-as major"
  }
}

What standard-version does:

1. Bumps version in package.json
2. Generates CHANGELOG.md
3. Creates git commit
4. Creates git tag

Copy# Run release
npm run release

# Output:
✔ bumping version in package.json from 1.0.0 to 1.1.0
✔ outputting changes to CHANGELOG.md
✔ committing package.json and CHANGELOG.md
✔ tagging release v1.1.0

---

3. Changelog Generation

Automated CHANGELOG.md

Copy# Changelog

## [1.1.0] - 2024-01-15

### Features
- **auth**: add OAuth2 support (#123)
- **ui**: implement dark mode (#124)

### Bug Fixes
- **api**: resolve race condition in user creation (#125)
- **cart**: prevent negative quantities (#126)

### BREAKING CHANGES
- User API now requires authentication token

---

4. Git Tagging Strategy

Copy# Lightweight tag (not recommended)
git tag v1.0.0

# Annotated tag (recommended)
git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release version 1.0.0"

# Push tags
git push --follow-tags

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5. Release Branches

Git Flow

Copymain (production)
  ↑
release/1.1.0
  ↑
develop
  ↑
feature/new-feature

Trunk-Based Development

Copymain (production)
  ↑
feature/new-feature (short-lived)

---

6. GitHub Release Automation

Copy# .github/workflows/release.yml
name: Release

on:
  push:
    tags:
      - 'v*'

jobs:
  release:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      
      - name: Create GitHub Release
        uses: actions/create-release@v1
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
        with:
          tag_name: ${{ github.ref }}
          release_name: Release ${{ github.ref }}
          body_path: CHANGELOG.md
          draft: false
          prerelease: false
      
      - name: Build and Deploy
        run: |
          npm ci
          npm run build
          npm run deploy

---

7. Pre-release Versions

Copy# Alpha release
1.0.0-alpha.1

# Beta release
1.0.0-beta.1

# Release candidate
1.0.0-rc.1

# Creating pre-release
npm run release -- --prerelease alpha

---

8. Release Checklist Template

Copy## Release Checklist for v1.1.0

### Pre-Release
- [ ] All tests passing
- [ ] No critical bugs
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] CHANGELOG reviewed
- [ ] Breaking changes communicated

### Release
- [ ] Run `npm run release`
- [ ] Push tags: `git push --follow-tags`
- [ ] Verify CI/CD pipeline
- [ ] Monitor deployment

### Post-Release
- [ ] Verify production deployment
- [ ] Monitor error rates
- [ ] Announce release to team
- [ ] Update documentation site

---

9. Hotfix Workflow

Copy# Create hotfix branch from main
git checkout -b hotfix/1.0.1 main

# Make fix
git commit -m "fix: resolve critical security issue"

# Release hotfix
npm run release -- --release-as patch

# Merge to main and develop
git checkout main
git merge hotfix/1.0.1
git checkout develop
git merge hotfix/1.0.1

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10. Release Workflow Checklist

• Semantic Versioning: Following SemVer?
• Automated Versioning: standard-version configured?
• Changelog: Auto-generated from commits?
• Git Tags: Annotated tags created?
• CI/CD Integration: Automated deployment on tag?
• Release Notes: Published to GitHub Releases?
• Rollback Plan: Can we rollback if needed?
• Monitoring: Post-release monitoring in place?

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Related Skills

• 45-developer-experience/commit-conventions
• 45-developer-experience/repo-automation-scripts