My git release script

I always had issues remembering how to create releases. So in order to standardise things, I wrote this script:

• ghrelease

So whenever I am ready to release I would then just issue the command:

./ghrelease vX.Y.Z

Pre-requisistes:

You obviously need git. But also you would need github-cli.

Your repository must also be clean, without any pending commits.

You must be on the default branch (usually main or master), unless doing a pre-release.

Optionally, you may have a wfscripts/checks directory containing checking scripts.

What happens on release

1. remote --tags will be synchronised with local tags.
2. if a tag of the same name already exists then, release will be stopped.
3. check if we are on the default branch (unless pre-release)
4. check if there are any uncomitted changes.
5. If available, wfscripts/checks is run using run-parts
6. Will create release notes based on log entries since the last release (previous annotated tagged commit)
7. VERSION or version.h is updated and comitted.
8. A new annotated tag is created.
9. Commits and tags are push to remote (origin).
10. Release is created using github-cli.

Pre-releases

You can create pre-releases. These do not have to be on the default branch. To do this use the --rc (Release candidate) option:

./ghrelease vX.Y.Z-rcN

This will create a release in github but tag it as pre-release.

After release, you may delete all pre-release candidates:

./ghrelease --purge