# Release Manifest Management

> Generates and manages the release-manifest.json file. Use when you need to create or update the manifest file that specifies which products to include in a vN/release or vN/hotfix. Called by the release-management orchestration skill.

- Skill: `umbraco/release-manifest-management-2` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add umbraco/release-manifest-management-2`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/umbraco/release-manifest-management-2/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: umbraco (https://skillmd.com/u/umbraco)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/umbraco/release-manifest-management-2

---


# Release Manifest Manager

You are helping manage the `release-manifest.json` file for the Umbraco.Automate repository.

## Task

Generate `release-manifest.json` at the repository root. Products can be provided as a parameter or selected interactively via a numbered menu.

**Usage:**
- With products: `/release-manifest-management --products="Umbraco.Automate,Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict,Umbraco.Automate.Slack"`
- Interactive: `/release-manifest-management` (shows menu)

## About Release Manifests

- **Required** on `vN/release/*` branches (CI will fail without it)
- **Optional** on `vN/hotfix/*` branches (falls back to change detection if absent)
- Lists which products to package and release
- Format: JSON array of product names (e.g., `["Umbraco.Automate", "Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict"]`)

## Workflow

### Mode Detection

Check the initial prompt/task for a `--products` parameter:
- If `--products="Product1,Product2,..."` is present → Use **Automated Mode**
- If no products specified → Use **Interactive Mode**

### Automated Mode (products provided)

1. **Parse product list** from parameter (comma-separated)
2. **Discover available products** to validate:
    ```bash
    find . -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "Umbraco.Automate*" | sed 's|^\./||' | sort
    ```
3. **Validate** each product exists in the repository
4. **Skip to Generate Manifest** (step 5 below)

### Interactive Mode (no products provided)

1. **Discover products** - Find all `Umbraco.Automate*` directories at repository root:

    ```bash
    find . -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "Umbraco.Automate*" | sed 's|^\./||' | sort
    ```

2. **Display numbered menu** - Show all products with numbers:

    ```
    Select products to include in this release:

    1. Umbraco.Automate
    2. Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict
    3. Umbraco.Automate.Slack
    ```

3. **Get user selection** - Display the menu and wait for user response:
    - After showing the numbered list, ask the user to provide their selection
    - Do NOT use AskUserQuestion - just wait for the user to respond naturally
    - The user will type their selection in the chat
    - Parse their input, supporting multiple formats:
        - Comma-separated: `1,2,3`
        - Space-separated: `1 2 3`
        - Range notation: `1-3`
        - Special commands: `all`, `none`, `cancel`
        - Product names: `Umbraco.Automate, Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict`

4. **Validate selection** - Check that:
    - Numbers are within valid range (1 to N)
    - Product names exist (if names provided)
    - At least one product selected (unless intentionally empty)

### Common Steps (both modes)

5. **Generate manifest** - Write selected products to `release-manifest.json`:

    ```json
    ["Umbraco.Automate", "Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict"]
    ```

    - Use Write tool to create the file at repository root
    - Format as pretty-printed JSON with 2-space indentation
    - Sort products alphabetically

6. **Confirm creation** - Read and display the generated manifest

## Important Notes

- Always run from repository root
- Manifest is validated by CI on `vN/release/*` and `vN/hotfix/*` branches
- On release branches, CI ensures all changed products are in the manifest
- The file path must be `release-manifest.json` at the repository root
- This skill is typically invoked by the `/release-management` orchestration skill

## Example Flows

### Automated Mode (from release-management skill)

```
Skill invoked with: --products="Umbraco.Automate,Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict,Umbraco.Automate.Slack"

You discover products to validate against
You validate all provided products exist
You generate release-manifest.json:
[
  "Umbraco.Automate",
  "Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict",
  "Umbraco.Automate.Slack"
]

You confirm:
✓ Generated release-manifest.json with 3 products
```

### Interactive Mode (user selection)

```
User invokes: /release-manifest-management

You discover and display:
Select products to include in this release:

1. Umbraco.Automate
2. Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict
3. Umbraco.Automate.Slack

You ask: "Enter product numbers (comma or space-separated, e.g., 1,2,3) or type 'all' for all products:"

User types: "1,2"

You parse: 1=Umbraco.Automate, 2=Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict

You generate release-manifest.json:
[
  "Umbraco.Automate",
  "Umbraco.Automate.OpenIddict"
]

You confirm:
✓ Generated release-manifest.json with 2 products
```