1---2name: release3description: Prepare, validate, document, tag, or publish a software release. Use when the user asks to cut a release, prepare release notes, update changelog, bump a version, create a tag, or validate release readiness.4---56# Release78## Input910- A version, branch, package, changelog scope, release target, or request to prepare or validate a release.11- Use explicit input first; otherwise infer from context, tags, changelog, branch, or repo conventions.12- Safest default: identify release conventions before changing files.1314## Workflow15161. **Identify release target**. Determine version, branch, package, environment, and whether this is a draft, dry run, or publish.172. **Inspect changes**. Review commits, merged PRs, changelog entries, and user-facing changes since the previous release.183. **Validate readiness**. Run relevant tests, typecheck, lint, build, packaging, migration, and smoke checks.194. **Handle versioning**. If the version changes, update package manifests, lockfiles, changelogs, and generated metadata that must stay consistent.205. **Align tag and version**. Keep the release version aligned with the git tag, such as version `2.0.2` and tag `v2.0.2`.216. **Update release docs**. Prepare changelog, release notes, migration notes, and known issues. If the release notes format is unclear, ask instead of inventing one.227. **Summarize before publishing**. Report branch, target version, tag, validation results, changed files, and release notes draft.238. **Create release artifact**. Tag, package, publish, or open the release only according to repo conventions and explicit user approval.249. **Report outcome**. Include version, artifacts, validation, skipped checks, and follow-up tasks.2526## Output2728- Release target and scope29- Matching version and tag30- Changelog or release notes31- Validation run32- Version/tag/artifact status33- Known issues and follow-up work3435## Guardrails3637- Do not create or push tags, publish releases, push release commits, or deploy without explicit user approval.38- Do not invent semantic version bumps; infer from repo rules or ask.39- Do not invent release notes format; infer from repo rules or ask.40- Do not hide failed or skipped validation.41- Preserve existing release conventions over generic release process.