Release Manager Skill

⚠️ CRITICAL: Git Tag Timing & Branch Management

MOST IMPORTANT: Git tagging MUST happen at the EXACT LAST MOMENT before pushing to remote, on the main/master branch ONLY.

The Absolute Rule

Git tag creation is the FINAL step before pushing - nothing comes after it except git push.

Tag Timing Rules

❌ WRONG: Tag during development/testing phase ❌ WRONG: Tag before final validation ❌ WRONG: Tag before merging to main/master ❌ WRONG: Tag on develop branch ❌ WRONG: Tag → then discover uncommitted files ❌ WRONG: Tag → then realize tests need to run ✅ CORRECT: All work complete → Merged to main/master → Tag (FINAL STEP) → Push

Branch Management Rules

• Development happens on: develop branch
• Release commits created on: develop branch
• Merge direction: develop → main (or master)
• Tag location: main (or master) branch ONLY
• Push order: Push main branch, then push tag

Why this matters:

• Premature tagging creates broken releases where the tag points to incomplete/untested code
• Tags on wrong branches cause version confusion and deployment issues
• Proper branch isolation ensures clean release history
• Tagging as the final step guarantees the tagged commit is exactly what gets published

Goals

• Automate the complete release workflow from evaluation to publication
• Ensure code quality and documentation completeness before release
• Provide interactive release management with human oversight
• Support both standard and emergency release scenarios
• CRITICALLY: Enforce proper git tag timing to prevent broken releases

Prerequisites

• Git repository with proper remote configuration
• Python development environment with required tools installed
• GitHub account with repository access permissions
• Proper version control setup (main/develop branches)
• Pre-commit hooks configured and working

Release Workflow Phases

Phase 1: Codebase Evaluation

1. Assess current Git status and branch position
2. Review recent commits and changes since last release
3. Check version numbers and changelog entries
4. CRITICAL: Verify all untracked files are handled (committed or .gitignore'd)
5. Verify working directory is clean (no uncommitted changes)
6. Evaluate overall project health and readiness

⚠️ NO git operations in this phase

Phase 2: Quality Assurance

1. Run comprehensive test suite
2. Execute pre-commit checks and linting
3. Validate documentation completeness
4. Check for breaking changes and migration guides

⚠️ NO git operations in this phase

Phase 3: Preparation

1. Update version numbers if needed
2. Finalize CHANGELOG entries
3. Update README and other documentation
4. Prepare release notes and announcements

⚠️ Changes made but NOT tagged yet

Phase 4: Execution (Critical Timing Phase)

DEVELOPMENT BRANCH: develop RELEASE BRANCH: main (or master)

1. VERIFY all changes are committed (check git status - clean working directory)
2. CREATE FINAL RELEASE COMMIT on develop branch
3. SWITCH to main/master branch: git checkout main (or master)
4. MERGE develop to main/master: git merge develop
5. VERIFY merge is clean (fast-forward preferred, or clean merge)
6. VERIFY on correct branch (main/master)
7. VERIFY working directory is still clean
8. CREATE GIT TAG on main/master ← THE FINAL STEP
   • This is the LAST action before pushing
   • NOTHING should happen after tagging except push
9. PUSH main/master branch to remote
10. PUSH tag to remote
11. Monitor CI/CD pipeline status

Phase 5: Verification

1. Confirm successful GitHub release creation
2. Verify PyPI package publication
3. Check documentation deployment
4. Send release notifications

Critical Git Tag Timing & Branch Rules

✅ CORRECT SEQUENCE:

1. Make all necessary code/documentation changes (on develop)
2. Verify git status - ensure ALL files are committed
3. Run complete tests and validation
4. Get final approval for release
5. Create final release commit on develop
6. Switch to main/master branch
7. Merge develop to main/master
8. Verify on correct branch (main/master)
9. Verify working directory is clean
10. CREATE GIT TAG on main/master (FINAL STEP - NOTHING AFTER THIS)
11. Push everything to remote

❌ INCORRECT SEQUENCES TO AVOID:

❌ Test → Tag → Fix issues → Push (Tag points to broken code)
❌ Develop → Tag → Test → Push (Tag created too early)
❌ Tag → Test → Fix → Push (Backwards workflow)
❌ Tag → Find uncommitted files → Commit → Tag wrong commit (Version confusion)
❌ Tag → Realize need to merge → Merge → Tag wrong commit (Wrong branch)
❌ Merge → Push → Remember to tag → Tag → Push tag (Tag missed the release)

Interactive Decision Points

The skill will pause at key decision points to allow human review:

• ✅ Pre-flight Check: Confirm release readiness assessment
• ✅ Quality Gate: Approve test results and code quality
• ✅ Final Approval: CRITICAL - Authorize git tag creation
• ✅ Post-release Verification: Confirm successful deployment

Error Handling & Rollback

Common Issues Handled:

• Tag created on wrong branch: Delete and recreate on correct branch
• Uncommitted changes discovered: Commit and restart tag process
• Test failures during QA phase: Fix and re-run tests before tagging
• Git conflicts during merge: Resolve and verify clean merge
• Version numbering inconsistencies: Validate across all files
• Documentation validation errors: Fix before proceeding
• CI/CD pipeline failures: Monitor and handle appropriately

Rollback Procedures:

• Automatic stash/unstash for failed operations
• Branch restoration from backup references
• Tag deletion for failed releases
• Commit reversion with explanatory messages

Configuration Options

Release Types:

• Standard Release: Full workflow with all checks
• Hotfix Release: Accelerated workflow for critical fixes
• Pre-release: Alpha/beta/rc versions with limited distribution
• Dry Run: Simulation mode without actual publishing

Safety Levels:

• Conservative: Strict checks, manual approvals at every step
• Balanced: Reasonable automation with key checkpoints
• Aggressive: Maximum automation, minimal human intervention

Success Criteria

A release is considered successful when:

• ✅ All tests pass consistently
• ✅ Pre-commit checks complete without errors
• ✅ Documentation is complete and accurate
• ✅ GIT TAG CREATED AT CORRECT MOMENT
• ✅ Version tags are properly pushed
• ✅ GitHub release is published successfully
• ✅ CI/CD pipelines complete successfully
• ✅ Package is available on PyPI

Emergency Procedures

For urgent releases:

1. Fast-track critical fixes through abbreviated workflow
2. Bypass non-essential checks with proper justification
3. Coordinate with team for expedited review
4. STILL FOLLOW PROPER TAG TIMING
5. Document emergency release rationale
6. Follow up with proper post-release validation

This skill ensures professional, reliable release management while maintaining flexibility for different scenarios and urgency levels.