Testing Semantic Release

Semantic Release automates the versioning and package publishing process based on commit messages. This ensures consistent releases and changelogs.

Dry Run

Use the following command to simulate a release without actually publishing:

pnpx semantic-release --debug --dry-run

Setup Environment Variables

To enable publishing, create an access token on the npm site and add it to GitHub as a secret.

Steps to Use Semantic Release

1. Install Semantic Release:

   pnpm install semantic-release --save-dev

2. Run Semantic Release:

   pnpx semantic-release

Key Features

• Automated Versioning: Determines the next version based on commit messages.
• Changelog Generation: Automatically updates the changelog.
• Publishing: Publishes the package to npm and creates a GitHub release.

Example Commit Messages

• fix: Correct minor typos in code (patch release)
• feat: Add new user authentication feature (minor release)
• BREAKING CHANGE: Update API endpoint structure (major release)
• chore: Maintenance or internal tooling updates that don't affect the app’s behavior (no release)
  • Example: chore: update dependencies
  • Example: chore: rename folder structure
• docs: Updates to content that does not affect the source code logic or application behavior (no release)
  • Example: docs: fix typo in README
  • Example: docs: add usage examples for CLI

Development Workflow

• Always create a branch from the next branch for any fixes or features.
• Merge changes back into the next branch with a proper commit message.
• If no release is required, use generic commit messages starting with chore, docs, etc.

Resources

• Semantic Release Documentation
• Commit Message Guidelines