# Release Procedure

This runbook implements the [release policy](policy/release.md). Promptkit
publishes source-only Go module tags from `main` to `origin`. A successful push
of the selected annotated tag, after its source commit is available on `main`,
completes the release. Do not wait for CI or Go module availability.

## Prepare The Candidate

Required tools are Git, Go with race-detector support, POSIX shell, and Python
3. Work from the repository root with push access to `origin`.

Use the latest Go installation available locally for the release tool, the
candidate validation, and the maintained examples. Make it the active `go`
command and record its version. Set Promptkit's consumer minimum to the initial
stable release of that Go series before committing the candidate:

```sh
export GOTOOLCHAIN=local
go version
release_go_version=$(go env GOVERSION)
release_go_series=${release_go_version#go}
release_go_series=${release_go_series%.*}
go mod edit "-go=${release_go_series}.0"
```

For example, Go 1.26.8 normally results in `go 1.26.0`. Keep a higher patch
minimum if a dependency or correctness fix requires it. Prepare module caches
before validation; this may update `go.sum` and belongs before the candidate
commit:

```sh
GOTOOLCHAIN=local go mod download
```

Choose an unused stable version and create `docs/releases/<version>.md` with a
title containing `Promptkit` and that exact version, a short summary, and any
relevant compatibility impact or upgrade instructions. No fixed section
headings are required. Describe a raised Go minimum and its compatibility
impact under the [versioning policy](policy/release.md#versioning-and-compatibility).
End each new note with the licensing footer below, using the selected version:

```markdown
[COPYRIGHT](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/vX.Y.Z/COPYRIGHT) | [LICENSE](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/vX.Y.Z/LICENSE) | [ATTRIBUTION](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit/src/tag/vX.Y.Z/docs/oss/attribution.md)
```

Check the footer paths against the candidate; the future tag need not resolve
remotely during preparation. Follow the [OSS policy](policy/oss.md) for these
links. Promptkit publishes no binaries, hosted download page, or other
asynchronous deliverables.

Retire completed roadmaps while preserving deferred work and repairing incoming
links. Review the intended changes through the ordinary development workflow,
commit the candidate on `main`, and push `main` to `origin` before publication.
Preparation may update module metadata; the release bootstrap and validation
preserve the committed candidate.

## Validate And Publish

For an optional local diagnostic of a committed candidate, run:

```sh
./scripts/releasekit.sh check vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
```

This is not a required step before publication. The upstream
[candidate-check contract](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ReleaseKit/src/tag/v0.2.0/docs/consumers/check.md)
describes its requirements.

Run the single publication command with the chosen version:

```sh
./scripts/release.sh vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
```

The familiar wrapper delegates to the native ReleaseKit executable selected in
`go.mod`. The committed [profile](../releasekit.json) selects the race-enabled
Go suite, full vet, committed Go formatting, local Markdown links, workspace
and filesystem replacement inspection, and semantic checks for the three
maintained offline consumer examples. ReleaseKit also verifies the committed
candidate and publication state, then publishes only the selected tag. Its
checks run once for this candidate; do not repeat them as a separate sign-off.

The native command returns status 0 for confirmed publication, 1 for a known
validation or publication failure, 2 for invalid input or profile, and 3 when
the push outcome remains unknown. Successful publication needs no remote
read-back, CI wait, or installation check. Provider probes and inference calls
are not part of validation.

## Catalog Profile Compatibility

The [release policy](policy/release.md#catalog-profile-compatibility) owns the
catalog compatibility boundary. This heading preserves older incoming links.

## Failure Recovery

For status 1, use the diagnostic to distinguish a validation failure from a
known publication conflict. Correct and commit candidate defects, push `main`,
and rerun publication with an unused version when appropriate. Status 2 means
the invocation or profile must be corrected.

For status 3, do not retry or remove the local tag until the remote outcome is
resolved. ReleaseKit reports the attempted version, tag object, and recovery
state, including the captured publication endpoint when available. Use that
endpoint—not merely the current `origin` URL—to query the exact tag; follow the
upstream
[failure-recovery procedure](https://gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ReleaseKit/src/tag/v0.2.0/docs/release.md#resolve-failures):

```sh
releasekit_endpoint='COPY_CAPTURED_ENDPOINT'
releasekit_version='vX.Y.Z'
test "$(git ls-remote --get-url -- "$releasekit_endpoint")" = "$releasekit_endpoint" &&
  git ls-remote --refs -- "$releasekit_endpoint" "refs/tags/$releasekit_version"
```

Compare the returned object ID with the reported tag object. An exact match
confirms publication. A missing ref confirms absence only when the endpoint
identity check and query both succeed. If either check fails, the outcome
remains unknown; correct the transport configuration and resolve it before
retrying. Only after authoritative absence is confirmed may an unpublished
local tag be removed before correcting the candidate or retrying. Never move,
overwrite, or delete a published tag.

## Policy Changes

Update the policy and this procedure together when changing release governance.
Consumers own their dependency-availability and release checks; their readiness
does not delay completion of a Promptkit release.