Skip to main content
Version: v4.2.23

Release Management Guide

This repository uses automated semantic versioning for releases. This document explains how the release system works and how to trigger releases.

How It Works​

The release system automatically increments versions following Semantic Versioning principles:

  • MAJOR version (e.g., 1.0.0 → 2.0.0): Breaking changes
  • MINOR version (e.g., 1.0.0 → 1.1.0): New features, backwards compatible
  • PATCH version (e.g., 1.0.0 → 1.0.1): Bug fixes, minor updates

Version Tracking​

The current version is stored in version.json at the repository root:

{
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "release_notes": "Release 1.0.0"
}

Triggering Releases​

1. Automatic Releases (via Pull Requests)​

When a Pull Request is merged to the main branch, a release is automatically triggered based on PR labels:

PR Labels for Version Control​

Add one of these labels to your PR to specify the version bump:

  • release:patch - For bug fixes and minor updates (default if no label)
  • release:minor - For new features that are backwards compatible
  • release:major - For breaking changes

Example:

# When creating a PR, add the appropriate label:
gh pr create --title "feat: Add new export format" --label "release:minor"

Breaking Changes Detection​

If your PR contains breaking changes (indicated by ! in title or BREAKING CHANGE in description), you MUST add the release:major label, or the PR checks will fail.

2. Manual Releases (via GitHub Actions)​

You can manually trigger a release from the GitHub Actions UI:

  1. Go to Actions → Automated Release
  2. Click Run workflow
  3. Select the version bump type: patch, minor, or major
  4. Click Run workflow

3. Command Line Manual Release​

Using GitHub CLI:

# Trigger a patch release
gh workflow run "Automated Release" --field version_bump=patch

# Trigger a minor release  
gh workflow run "Automated Release" --field version_bump=minor

# Trigger a major release
gh workflow run "Automated Release" --field version_bump=major

Release Process​

When a release is triggered, the system automatically:

  1. Calculates New Version: Based on current version and bump type
  2. Updates version.json: With the new version number
  3. Generates Release Notes: From commit messages since last release
  4. Creates Git Tag: In format v1.0.0
  5. Creates GitHub Release: With generated notes and assets
  6. Uploads Assets: Source code archives (.tar.gz and .zip)
  7. Runs Tests: Validates the release works correctly

Release Notes​

Release notes are automatically generated and include:

  • What's Changed: List of commits since last release
  • Changes by Type: Organized by conventional commit types (feat, fix, docs, etc.)
  • Installation & Usage: Quick start guide
  • Full Changelog: Link to compare view

Conventional Commit Messages​

For better release notes, use conventional commit format:

feat: add new feature
fix: resolve bug
docs: update documentation  
perf: improve performance
chore: maintenance tasks

Examples​

Creating a Feature PR​

# Create feature branch
git checkout -b feat/new-export-format

# Make changes and commit
git commit -m "feat: add JSON export format for compliance reports"

# Create PR with minor release label
gh pr create --title "feat: add JSON export format" --label "release:minor"

# When merged to main → triggers v1.1.0 release

Creating a Bug Fix PR​

# Create fix branch  
git checkout -b fix/excel-formatting

# Make changes and commit
git commit -m "fix: resolve Excel cell formatting issue"

# Create PR (patch is default)
gh pr create --title "fix: resolve Excel formatting issue"

# When merged to main → triggers v1.0.1 release

Creating a Breaking Change PR​

# Create feature branch
git checkout -b feat/api-redesign

# Make breaking changes and commit
git commit -m "feat!: redesign CLI interface

BREAKING CHANGE: --input flag renamed to --file"

# Create PR with major release label
gh pr create --title "feat!: redesign CLI interface" --label "release:major"

# When merged to main → triggers v2.0.0 release

Release Assets​

Each release includes:

  • Source Code: inventag-aws-v1.0.0.tar.gz and inventag-aws-v1.0.0.zip
  • Release Notes: Detailed changelog and installation instructions
  • Git Tag: v1.0.0 for version tracking

Monitoring Releases​

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  1. Release Not Triggered

    • Ensure PR is merged to main branch
    • Check for proper PR labels
    • Verify GitHub Actions are enabled

  2. Version Calculation Errors

    • Check version.json format is valid
    • Ensure semver dependency is installed

  3. Permission Errors

    • Verify repository has proper GitHub token permissions
    • Check that Actions have contents: write permission

Manual Recovery​

If a release fails, you can:

  1. Check the Actions logs for specific errors
  2. Fix any issues and re-run the workflow
  3. Manually create releases if needed using GitHub UI

Best Practices​

  1. Use Descriptive Commit Messages: Helps generate better release notes
  2. Test Before Merging: Ensure all tests pass
  3. Label PRs Appropriately: Use correct version bump labels
  4. Review Breaking Changes: Carefully consider major version bumps
  5. Monitor Releases: Check that releases complete successfully

For questions or issues with the release system, please check the GitHub Actions logs or create an issue.