commandkit/docs/release.md

# CommandKit release procedure

## Scope and release order

CommandKit publishes source-only Go module releases. Each module has an
independent version and immutable annotated tag. A successful source-tag push
completes the source release. A separate local delivery command can publish a
Gitea release page; there are no binaries,
checksums, or other delivery assets. CI, module proxy availability, and consumer
installation are not completion gates.

Publish in dependency order: core, then `ckconfig`, then `ckprompt`. The
integration modules require the preceding CommandKit releases, so prepare and
publish each module only after its CommandKit dependencies are available. A root
release runs only the root module's default suite; it need not run suites for
independently released integrations.

Use branch `main`, remote `origin`, and expected effective push endpoint
`ssh://git@forge.maximumdirect.net:22222/base-layer/commandkit.git`. The selected
module profile enforces the endpoint. The maintainer needs the selected
[release toolchain](#release-toolchain), Git push access, and a POSIX shell.
This procedure follows the [release policy](policy/release.md); release-note
footers follow the [OSS discoverability policy](policy/oss.md#discoverability).

ReleaseKit v0.8.0 (`go.maximumdirect.net/releasekit`) owns candidate validation,
publication guards, tag creation, tag publication, and outcome reporting.
Its pinned public contracts are the
[CLI reference](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/cli.md),
[profile reference](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/config.md),
the [publication guide](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/consumers/publish.md),
and the [delivery guide](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/consumers/delivery.md).
The repository selects one default module suite per invocation. The launcher
uses the root module’s registered tool with native host settings and read-only
module metadata.

## Release toolchain

The selected release toolchain is **Go 1.26.8**. Each module declares a consumer
minimum of **Go 1.26.0**. Maintainers use Go 1.26.8 for dependency preparation,
candidate validation, and ReleaseKit execution. The
[consumer guide](consumers/guide.md#go-compatibility) and
[release policy](policy/release.md#consumer-minimum-and-release-toolchain)
describe these selections.

Select Go 1.26.8 on `PATH`; the launcher uses `GOTOOLCHAIN=local`. If needed,
install it with the standard Go tools:

```sh
GOWORK=off GOTOOLCHAIN=local go install golang.org/dl/go1.26.8@latest
go1.26.8 download
export PATH="$(go1.26.8 env GOROOT)/bin:$PATH"
hash -r
GOWORK=off GOTOOLCHAIN=local go version
```

## Modules, versions, notes, and shared files

Select exactly one module with the launcher:

| Selector | Physical module directory | Release note | Full tag |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `core` | repository root | `docs/releases/<version>.md` | `<version>` |
| `ckconfig` | `integrations/ckconfig` | `integrations/ckconfig/docs/releases/<version>.md` | `integrations/ckconfig/<version>` |
| `ckprompt` | `integrations/ckprompt` | `integrations/ckprompt/docs/releases/<version>.md` | `integrations/ckprompt/<version>` |

Use a fresh stable semantic version (`vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`) for the selected
module. Before `v1.0.0`, a minor release may change a documented contract when
its note explains the impact and consumer action. Never reuse a published
version. Each release note starts with a product title and exact version, gives
a proportionate summary and compatibility guidance, and ends with immutable
links to that module's local grant, license, and attribution paths. The full tag
in each URL includes the integration directory where applicable. For future
notes, use `https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/commandkit/src/tag/FULL_TAG/`
followed by the repository-relative path: `COPYRIGHT`, `LICENSE`, and
`docs/oss/attribution.md` for core, or those paths prefixed with the selected
integration directory. Future tag URLs need not resolve before publication.

All three release profiles explicitly select the repository-root `COPYRIGHT`,
`LICENSE`, and `docs/oss/attribution.md` through `validation.shared_files`.
ReleaseKit requires these committed files to exist in the candidate. The list
does not expand Go validation scope; see the pinned [profile reference](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/config.md).

Each integration also distributes its own `COPYRIGHT`, `LICENSE`, and
`docs/oss/attribution.md`. These module-local materials are separate from the
explicit root shared-file list and remain subject to the [OSS policy](policy/oss.md).
Automatic module file inputs include applicable module-local files and stop at
independent nested-module boundaries. Their inclusion does not itself enable
license or content validation.

Each profile selects Go formatting, Markdown links, workspace-file and local
replacement checks, and forbids the committed `.releasekit/gitea-token` path.
These upstream checks inspect committed inputs; module file selection stops at
independent module boundaries, while the forbidden path covers the repository.
They do not replace domain review. Publication also runs the selected module’s
standard offline suite and ReleaseKit’s candidate/note and publication guards.

## Prepare and publish one candidate

Prepare dependencies in the selected module before the candidate is finalized.
Do this after the preceding CommandKit module has been published and before the
selected candidate suite is run. For `core`, run the command at the repository
root; for integrations, run it from that module directory. Commit any resulting
`go.mod` or `go.sum` changes with the release candidate. The sum files must
reflect dependencies actually downloaded for that module; do not fabricate
future sums.

Then commit the selected module's release note and all intended candidate
changes on `main`, and publish the candidate commit to `origin`. Set one
module directory and version from the table above, then run the corresponding
publication command:

```sh
module_dir=.
(cd "$module_dir" && GOWORK=off GOTOOLCHAIN=local go mod download)
# Commit reviewed dependency changes and the selected module's note on main.
git push origin HEAD:refs/heads/main
./scripts/release core vX.Y.Z
# For integrations use: ./scripts/release ckconfig vX.Y.Z
# or: ./scripts/release ckprompt vX.Y.Z
```

Run only the command for the selected module. Its profile runs the complete
offline deterministic default suite once for that module, checks candidate and
remote guards, creates the annotated tag from the matching note, and pushes
only that full tag. `./scripts/releasekit core check vX.Y.Z` is an optional
diagnostic, not a required pre-publication step: publication repeats validation.
Use the relevant integration selector and its version when diagnosing that
module. Inspect the registered tool with `./scripts/releasekit version`. The
launcher does not push `main`; publish the
candidate commit first. Successful source publication does not wait for CI,
proxy availability, or downstream installation.

## Completion and ambiguous publication

A successful push to the expected endpoint completes the source release.
ReleaseKit also attempts to save private publication evidence under the
repository's Git common directory, shared by linked worktrees. It reports the
saved record path or a recording warning separately from publication status;
a storage failure does not change publication status. Records can contain
credential-bearing endpoints. Retain them privately while recovery is needed
and remove them when their recovery value expires; retention is maintainer-owned.

On an ambiguous result, use the recovery command printed for that invocation's
saved record. To discover records and explicitly select the matching attempt,
the shared helper can also be used:

```sh
./scripts/releasekit publication-attempts
./scripts/releasekit reconcile --record /absolute/path/to/attempt.json
```

Replace the example record path with the saved path for the intended attempt.
Relative record paths resolve from the repository root.
Discovery lists local evidence without querying remotes or selecting an attempt.
Reconciliation observes the recorded endpoint, full tag, and tag object without
rerunning candidate validation or changing tags. It distinguishes confirmed
publication, current absence, conflict, and an unresolved observation. Current
absence does not prove that a version was never published. The pinned
[CLI reference](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/cli.md#recover-a-saved-publication-attempt-or-discover-local-attempts)
owns recovery statuses and structured output; the
[publication guide](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/consumers/publish.md#retain-and-reconcile-publication-evidence)
describes record storage and recovery entry points.

If no usable record was saved, use the exact endpoint, full tag, and annotated
tag object reported by that invocation. Query only that exact tag ref at the
captured endpoint. An exact tag-object match confirms publication, a different
object is a conflict, successful output without the ref shows current absence,
and a failed query leaves the result unresolved. Do not infer the captured
endpoint's state from another remote or a rewritten URL. Resolve unknown
publication state before retrying.

ReleaseKit may retain a local tag after a failed push. Remove an unpublished
local tag only after proving absence at the captured endpoint and confirming
that the tag was never published or used by another release channel. Never
move, overwrite, recreate, or delete a published tag. Resolve conflicts with a
fresh version; corrections to published source require a new version.

## Hosted delivery

After source publication, check out the original tagged source with a clean
worktree and index, then deliver the selected module's page:

```sh
./scripts/releasekit core deliver vX.Y.Z
# Or use ckconfig or ckprompt with that module's semantic version.
```

The profile derives the full module-specific tag from the version. Delivery
uses the checked-in release note as a page-only body and reports its own outcome
and URL separately from source publication. Retry later from the same original
tagged source. The pinned [delivery guide](https://forge.maximumdirect.net/base-layer/releasekit/src/commit/23203f235cc414c4ffe0fd3941030eb0c9f9943f/docs/consumers/delivery.md)
owns delivery and retry behavior.

A nonblank `RELEASEKIT_GITEA_TOKEN` takes precedence over the repository-relative
`.releasekit/gitea-token` file. Keep the credential directory ignored and retain
its local contents. Credentials and Gitea availability do not gate source
publication.