# github-release

github-release takes a GitHub library through release preparation: it reviews changes, selects a SemVer bump, writes a changelog, and opens a PR.

- skill · `type=skill` · GitHub Copilot · 741 installs · ★ 40418
- Author: github · official GitHub repository
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/HEAD/skills/github-release/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/github-release

## What it does

github-release guides a single-package GitHub repository through a release workflow. It checks the environment, updates `main`, finds the latest tag with `git`, reviews the public source diff, and reads the commit log. The skill uses those signals to separate API changes, new public symbols, bug fixes, and internal edits.

The first four steps are read-only. After the version is confirmed, it creates a release branch, updates the version, formats a Keep a Changelog entry, and opens a PR. It requires an authenticated `gh` CLI and `git`; the working tree must be clean, and the commands must run inside a GitHub repository.

Install it when you want GitHub Copilot to follow a defined release sequence. Check the scope first if the repository contains multiple packages.

## Requirements
- Works with: GitHub

## Install

### GitHub Copilot (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-release
```

2. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install github/awesome-copilot github-release
```

3. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/github-release/SKILL.md`

### Claude Code

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-release -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/github-release/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/github-release/

### Codex

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/github-release/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/github-release/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --path skills/github-release
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/github-release/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/HEAD/skills/github-release/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- choose the next version from API changes
- find the latest release tag in Git
- turn the diff and commit log into a changelog
- create a release branch and PR
- check whether the working tree is ready

## Example prompts
- Prepare a new library release and show the checks before changing anything.
- Review changes since the latest tag and suggest the SemVer version.
- Write a Keep a Changelog entry and open the release PR.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: ba52f0d30738169d.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE ba52f0d30738169d
````text
---
name: github-release
description: >
  Guides IA through releasing a new version of a GitHub library end-to-end.
  Handles SemVer versioning and Keep a Changelog formatting automatically.
compatibility: "requires: gh CLI and git"
---

# GitHub Release Skill

This skill automates the full release workflow for a single-package GitHub repository,
from analysis through changelog authoring and PR creation. It relies exclusively on
`gh` (GitHub CLI) and `git` no other tools needed.

Steps 1 - 4 are **read-only reconnaissance** nothing is written to the repo until
Step 5, once the version number is confirmed.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill whenever the user wants to cut a new release, publish a new version,
bump a version, create a release branch, generate a changelog, or open a release PR
on a GitHub repository. Trigger even if the user says something casual like "let's
ship a new version" or "time to release".

---

## Prerequisites

Examples below include both Bash and PowerShell variants; Windows users should prefer
the PowerShell blocks.

Before starting, verify the environment:

```bash
gh auth status                        # must be authenticated
gh repo view --json nameWithOwner     # must be inside a GitHub repo
git status                            # working tree should be clean
```

If any check fails, stop and tell the user what to fix before continuing.

Then ask the user one question:

> *"Which directory contains your library's public-facing source code?
> (e.g. `src/`, `lib/`, `pkg/` - used to focus the diff on what consumers
> actually see. Press Enter to scan the whole repo.)"*

Store the answer as `PUBLIC_PATH`. If empty, `PUBLIC_PATH` is `.` (repo root).
Exclude these paths from all diffs regardless: `tests/`, `test/`, `spec/`,
`__tests__/`, `docs/`, `*.lock`, `*-lock.json`, `*.sum`, generated files
(files with a "do not edit" header comment), and build artefacts.

---

## The 9-Step Release Workflow

Work through every step in order. Show the user what command you're about to run and
its output. Pause and ask for confirmation only when explicitly noted.

---

### Step 1 - Ensure main is up to date

```bash
git checkout main
git pull origin main
```

Stay on `main` for now. The release branch is created in Step 5, after the version
is confirmed.

---

### Step 2 - Grab the latest version tag

> **Why not `gh release list`?** GitHub Releases are an optional layer on top of Git
> tags. Many repos tag releases with `git tag` without ever creating a GitHub Release,
> so `gh release list` can return empty even when version tags exist. Reading tags
> directly from git is the reliable source of truth.

```bash
# Fetch all tags from remote to ensure local view is current
git fetch --tags

# Find the latest version tag, sorted semantically
# --sort=-version:refname handles 1.10.0 > 1.9.0 correctly (unlike alphabetical)
PREV_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-version:refname | grep -E '^v?[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)
echo "Latest tag: $PREV_TAG"
```

```PowerShell
# Fetch all tags from remote to ensure local view is current
git fetch --tags

# Find the latest version tag, sorted semantically
# --sort=-version:refname handles 1.10.0 > 1.9.0 correctly (unlike alphabetical)
$prevTag = git tag --sort='-version:refname' | `
  Select-String '^[vV]?\d+\.\d+\.\d+' | `
  Select-Object -First 1 -ExpandProperty Line
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE ba52f0d30738169d

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the ba52f0d30738169d tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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