# Release process
RepoPilot releases are prepared in the repository, verified locally and in CI, tagged from `main`, and published by the release workflow when the required secrets are configured.
## 1. Prepare the release
Update:
- `Cargo.toml` version
- `Cargo.lock` package version, if needed
- `package.json` version
- `CHANGELOG.md`
- `README.md` if user-facing behavior changed
Use the current date for the release entry in `CHANGELOG.md`.
## 2. Verify locally
```bash
cargo fmt --all -- --check
cargo clippy --all-targets --all-features -- -D warnings
cargo test --all
cargo package --list
cargo publish --dry-run
npm run test:npm
npm pack --dry-run
```
Review the package contents from `cargo package --list` before publishing.
## 3. Create release branch
```bash
git checkout -b release/vX.Y.Z
```
## 4. Commit
```bash
git add .
git commit -m "chore: prepare vX.Y.Z release"
```
## 5. Merge after CI passes
Open a pull request, wait for CI, review the package metadata and docs, then merge into `main`.
## 6. Tag
```bash
git checkout main
git pull
git tag vX.Y.Z
git push origin vX.Y.Z
```
The tag workflow builds GitHub Release artifacts, creates or updates the GitHub Release once, runs `cargo publish --dry-run`, publishes crates.io with `CRATES_IO_TOKEN`, publishes npm with `NPM_TOKEN`, and updates the Homebrew tap with `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`.
## 7. Verify publishing
After the tag workflow passes, verify all configured distribution channels:
```bash
cargo install repopilot --force
npm install -g repopilot@X.Y.Z
brew tap mykytastel/repopilot
brew install repopilot
repopilot --version
brew test repopilot
```
If a publishing secret is intentionally absent, publish that channel manually from the exact tagged commit and a clean worktree.
For Homebrew failures, check the custom tap first: `MykytaStel/homebrew-repopilot` must exist, contain a `Formula/` directory, and be writable by `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`.
## 8. Review GitHub Release
Title:
```text
RepoPilot vX.Y.Z — short release name
```
Include:
- highlights;
- install commands for npm, cargo, and quick install;
- upgrade command;
- example usage;
- React Native example when relevant;
- link to [CHANGELOG.md](../CHANGELOG.md).
Example release body:
````md
## Highlights
- ...
## Install
```bash
npm install -g repopilot
cargo install repopilot
```
## Upgrade
```bash
npm update -g repopilot
cargo install repopilot --force
```
## Example
```bash
repopilot review . --base origin/main
```
See [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/MykytaStel/repopilot/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md) for details.
````