Automated Release Workflow

Automates the git-flow release and hotfix process via GitHub Actions.

Workflows

1. Component Release (component-release.yml)

Triggered manually from the Actions tab via workflow_dispatch.

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
release_version	Yes	Release version (e.g. 1.0.0, 3.0.0v1)
release_type	Yes	main or hotfix
release_mode	Yes	approvable or auto-complete (ignored for hotfix)
source_branch	Hotfix only	Support branch for hotfix (e.g. support/1.x)

Release Modes

Main release — auto-complete (maintainers only)

1. Validates actor has maintainer/owner permission
2. git flow release start → changelog → release publish → release finish
3. Pushes to main, develop, and tags
4. Release is complete in a single run

Main release — approvable (anyone)

1. git flow release start → changelog → release publish
2. Creates a PR: release/<version> → develop
3. Stops and waits for PR approval
4. On approval, the second workflow finishes the release

Hotfix (always auto-complete)

1. Requires source_branch input (support branch)
2. git flow hotfix start → changelog → hotfix finish
3. Pushes only the source branch and tag (main/develop are NOT pushed)

2. Component Release Finish On Approval (component-release-finish-on-approval.yml)

Triggered automatically when a release/* PR targeting develop is approved.

What it does

1. Checks that the PR review decision is APPROVED
2. Checks out the release/* branch from remote
3. Runs git flow release finish (merges to main + develop, creates tag)
4. Pushes main, develop, and tags
5. Closes the PR with a comment

Prerequisites

Repository Settings

• Settings → Actions → General → Workflow permissions: Select "Read and write permissions"
• Settings → Actions → General: Check "Allow GitHub Actions to create and approve pull requests"

Branch Protection (for approvable mode)

• Enable "Require a pull request before merging" on develop
• Enable "Require approvals" with at least 1 required reviewer

Version Format

Accepted formats: 1.0.0, 1.2.3-rc1, 3.0.0v1, 1.0.0.beta2

Must start with major.minor.patch (digits), with an optional alphanumeric suffix.

Flow Diagrams

Auto-complete Release

Dispatch → validate version → authorize (maintainer check)
  → release start → changelog → release publish → release finish
  → push main + tags + develop → ✅ Done

Approvable Release

Dispatch → validate version
  → release start → changelog → release publish
  → create PR (release → develop) → ⏸️ Wait for approval

PR approved → finish-on-approval workflow triggers
  → release finish → push main + tags + develop
  → close PR → ✅ Done

Hotfix

Dispatch → validate version → validate source_branch
  → checkout main + source branch → hotfix start → changelog
  → hotfix finish → push source branch + tag → ✅ Done