# Command line

ReleaseKit currently provides four commands.

Print the executable version:

```sh
go run ./cmd/releasekit version
```

This prints `releasekit <version>` followed by a newline and exits with status 0.
The version comes from [`buildinfo.Version`](consumers/runtime-version.md).

Check a local candidate:

```sh
go run ./cmd/releasekit check [--repo DIR] [--config FILE] VERSION
```

`VERSION` must use stable `vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH` syntax. Options must precede the
version. The repository defaults to the current directory, and the profile
defaults to `<repository>/releasekit.json`. A successful command prints the
captured local commit and version. It checks the committed release note, local
Git state, and configured validation, but does not inspect remote availability
or publish a tag.

`check` writes errors and diagnostics to standard error. It returns status 0
after local validation, 1 after a candidate validation failure, and 2 for usage,
profile, or invalid-version errors. Unsupported argument sequences print usage
to standard error.

Publish a source tag:

```sh
go run ./cmd/releasekit publish [--repo DIR] [--config FILE] VERSION
```

`publish` reads the same product, remote, and validation settings as `check`.
It validates the candidate once, checks the authoritative remote, creates an
annotated local tag, and pushes only its exact tag object. It prints the
confirmed version, candidate commit, and tag object on success. Validation
progress and failed publication state are written to standard error. A signal
cancels the active operation; if it arrives during a push, the library's
bounded reconciliation determines whether the exact tag was accepted.

The command returns status 0 for confirmed publication, 1 for a known
publication failure or conflict, 2 for usage, profile, or invalid-version
errors, and 3 when the push outcome remains unknown. Unknown status must be
resolved against the authoritative remote before retrying. The
[maintainer procedure](release.md) selects the repository profile and gives
the source-release workflow.

Build selected application targets:

```sh
go run ./cmd/releasekit build [--repo DIR] [--config FILE] [--output DIR] VERSION
```

`build` requires a `build` object in the profile. It compiles the selected
targets with the requested version injected, checks the native `version`
invocation, and writes binaries plus the private `.releasekit-build.json`
receipt into `dist` by default. `--output` selects a different directory;
relative paths are resolved from the repository. Existing files with a selected
artifact name are preserved and cause an error. A complete nonempty build
writes a receipt only after compilation and smoke checking succeed. On partial
failure, standard error lists completed outputs and no receipt is written. An
empty target list returns the source commit without building or writing a
receipt.

The command returns status 0 on completion, 1 for build or output failure, and
2 for usage, profile, or invalid-version errors. It builds the current source
tree and does not perform candidate validation or remote publication. `check`
and `publish` run the same configured build after their one candidate
validation, using temporary output outside the worktree.