# Ac Git Release

> Full release workflow including changelog validation, squash, rebase, push, merge to main, and GitHub release preparation. Triggers on keywords: release, create release, publish release, tag release

- Skill: `waterplanai/ac-git-release` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add waterplanai/ac-git-release`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/waterplanai/ac-git-release/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: WaterplanAI (https://skillmd.com/u/waterplanai)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/waterplanai/ac-git-release

---


# Release Command

Full release workflow: validate changelog, prepare a squashed release commit and tag, sync the VERSION file plus repo/package version metadata, rebase, push, and merge to `main`.

**No arguments required** - auto-detect the current branch, release version, and release inputs.

## Compatibility Note

This pi wrapper preserves the original release workflow but performs the former milestone-preparation steps directly because `ac-tools-milestone` does not ship as a separate pi wrapper in the current package surface.

## Context Awareness

Before any destructive history rewrite, use `/skill:ac-git-git-safe` to inspect the dry-run plan and confirm the exact squash/tag steps you intend to execute.

## Phase 1: Prepare the Release Locally

### 1.1 Pre-Flight

Verify all of the following before rewriting history:
- git state is clean
- branch is not `main`
- commits exist ahead of `origin/main`
- `CHANGELOG.md` has a populated `[Unreleased]` section
- the next release version can be derived from `VERSION` or the latest `v*.*.*` tag

Suggested checks:
```bash
git status --short
git fetch origin main
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
git log --oneline origin/main..HEAD
git tag -l 'v*.*.*' | sort -V | tail -1
test -f VERSION && cat VERSION
test -f CHANGELOG.md && sed -n '/\[Unreleased\]/,/^## /p' CHANGELOG.md
```

### 1.2 Determine Release Inputs

Capture these values for the rest of the flow:
- `BRANCH`: current branch name
- `VERSION`: next release tag (prefer patch bump from `VERSION`, otherwise patch bump from latest semantic tag)
- `COMMITS_INCLUDED`: the commit list that will be squashed

### 1.3 Prepare the Squashed Release Commit

Use the same dry-run-first safety rules as `ac-git-git-safe`:
1. propose the exact squash plan before executing
2. create a backup branch before rewriting history
3. squash the commits ahead of `origin/main` into one conventional commit
4. keep `CHANGELOG.md` aligned with the release contents
5. create an annotated tag for `{VERSION}` on the squashed commit
6. do **not** push yet

After the squash/tag step succeeds, capture:
- `VERSION`
- `BRANCH`
- `SQUASH_SHA`
- the final squashed commit message
- the commit list that was included

If local preparation fails: **STOP** - show the error and do not proceed.

## Phase 1.5: Sync `VERSION`, package manifests, and version-pinned install docs

After the local squash/tag preparation succeeds, ensure the tracked version file, shipped package manifests, and pinned install examples all match the released version.

### 1.5.1 Normalize the plain version
```bash
PLAIN_VERSION=$(printf '%s' "{VERSION}" | sed 's/^v//')
```

### 1.5.2 Update `VERSION`
Set the `VERSION` file contents to `{PLAIN_VERSION}` exactly.

### 1.5.3 Update the repository root package metadata
Update the repository root `package.json` version field to `{PLAIN_VERSION}`.

Then refresh the root lockfile so the tracked version stays aligned:

```bash
npm install --package-lock-only --ignore-scripts --no-audit --no-fund
```

### 1.5.4 Update every shipped package manifest under `packages/*/package.json`
For each package manifest:
- set its own `version` field to `{PLAIN_VERSION}`
- update every internal `@agentic-config/*` dependency pin to `{PLAIN_VERSION}`
- keep exact sibling-version alignment intact across the monorepo package set

This includes the umbrella package plus all shipped plugin packages.
Use a scripted edit rather than hand-editing selected manifests so no package is skipped.

### 1.5.5 Update version-pinned install docs
Update these tracked files to use the released version values:
- `README.md`
- `docs/getting-started.md`
- `docs/distribution.md`
- `packages/README.md`

Required sync rules:
- primary git-tag examples for this repository must use `WaterplanAI/agentic-config@{VERSION}`
- branch-based dev examples may keep `@main` or another branch example when the intent is explicitly local testing/dev rather than a release tag
- keep existing wording intact unless a pinned version string must change
- npm distribution should remain documented as future work unless the repository has explicitly enabled and validated that path

### 1.5.6 Commit the sync if anything changed
```bash
git add VERSION package.json package-lock.json packages/*/package.json README.md docs/getting-started.md docs/distribution.md packages/README.md
if ! git diff --cached --quiet; then
  git commit -m "docs(release): sync version references for {VERSION}"
fi
```

Notes:
- This step is mandatory when the root package version, any `packages/*/package.json` manifest, pinned git-tag examples, or the `VERSION` file changed.
- If this creates a follow-up commit after the local squash/tag step, the existing tag re-create step below must move `{VERSION}` to the new `HEAD`.

## Phase 2: Rebase onto `origin/main`

After the local squash/tag preparation succeeds:

### 2.1 Fetch Latest
```bash
git fetch origin main
```

### 2.2 Check Rebase Need
```bash
git rev-list HEAD..origin/main --count
```

If count > 0, `main` has advanced and a rebase is required.

### 2.3 Perform Rebase
```bash
git rebase origin/main
```

If rebase conflicts:
1. show conflicting files with `git status`
2. provide resolution guidance
3. wait for the user to resolve conflicts manually
4. continue with `git rebase --continue`
5. if the user aborts, run `git rebase --abort`
   - note that `{VERSION}` still points to the pre-rebase squashed commit until Phase 3 updates it

## Phase 3: Re-create Tag If Rebase Changed SHA

### 3.1 Check If Tag Needs Update
```bash
TAG_SHA=$(git rev-list -n1 {VERSION})
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
```

If `TAG_SHA != HEAD_SHA`:

### 3.2 Delete Old Tag
```bash
git tag -d {VERSION}
```

### 3.3 Create New Tag on Rebased Commit
```bash
git tag -a {VERSION} -m "Release {VERSION}"
```

## Phase 4: Push Branch and Tag

### 4.1 Force Push Branch
```bash
git push --force-with-lease origin {BRANCH}
```

Due to squash + possible rebase, force push is required.

### 4.2 Push Tag
```bash
git push origin {VERSION}
```

If the tag already exists on remote from an earlier failed attempt:
```bash
git push --delete origin {VERSION}
git push origin {VERSION}
```

## Phase 5: Merge to `main`

### 5.1 Confirmation Gate

**STOP HERE** and show:

```
Ready to merge to main:
- Branch: {BRANCH}
- Version: {VERSION}
- Commit: {HEAD_SHA short}

This will:
1. Checkout main
2. Pull latest
3. Fast-forward merge from {BRANCH}
4. Push main

Proceed with merge to main? (yes/no)
```

**Wait for explicit `yes`**. Any other response aborts the merge while keeping the release branch/tag valid.

### 5.2 Execute Merge (on `yes`)

```bash
git checkout main
git pull origin main
git merge --ff-only {BRANCH}
```

If fast-forward fails:
```
Fast-forward merge failed. This means main has diverged.

Options:
(A) Force merge (creates merge commit)
(B) Abort - investigate manually

Choose (A/B):
```

**On `A`:**
```bash
git merge {BRANCH} -m "chore(release): merge {BRANCH} for {VERSION}"
```

**On `B`:** STOP - check out back to `{BRANCH}`.

### 5.3 Push Main
```bash
git push origin main
```

## Phase 6: Final Report

Display summary:

```
## Release Complete

### Version Released
- Tag: {VERSION}
- Commit: {FINAL_SHA}
- Message: {commit message first line}
- VERSION file: synced to {PLAIN_VERSION}
- Root package metadata: synced in package.json and package-lock.json
- Shipped package manifests: synced across packages/*/package.json
- Version-pinned docs: synced in README.md, docs/getting-started.md, docs/distribution.md, and packages/README.md

### Commits Included
{COMMITS_INCLUDED}

### Branch Status
- Feature branch: {BRANCH} (pushed)
- Main branch: merged and pushed
- Tag: {VERSION} (pushed)

### Remote URLs
- Branch: {remote URL for branch}
- Main: {remote URL for main}
- Release: {remote URL for tag}

### Cleanup (optional)
To delete feature branch:
  git branch -d {BRANCH}
  git push origin --delete {BRANCH}
```

## Abort Conditions

| Condition | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Local release preparation fails | STOP: Show the validation/squash/tag error |
| Rebase conflicts unresolved | STOP: Provide manual resolution steps |
| Push fails | STOP: Show error and suggest manual push |
| Fast-forward merge fails | Offer force merge or abort |
| User declines merge | Release is valid, just not merged to `main` |

## Usage

```bash
# Full auto - no arguments needed
/skill:ac-git-release
```

The command will:
1. validate release prerequisites and derive the release inputs
2. prepare the squashed release commit and annotated tag locally
3. rebase onto `origin/main`
4. re-tag if needed
5. push branch and tag
6. merge to `main` with confirmation
7. report the final release state