github-action-nodejs-release

This GitHub Action automates the release process for Node.js projects, similar to the Maven Release Plugin for Java projects.

Features

• Automatically reads current version from package.json
• Creates and pushes Git tags
• Creates GitHub releases
• Updates package.json with the next version
• Supports semantic versioning (major, minor, patch)
• Defaults to minor version increments
• Uses built-in GitHub Actions authentication

Authentication

This action uses the GITHUB_TOKEN that is automatically provided by GitHub Actions. You don't need to create or manage any Personal Access Tokens (PAT). The GITHUB_TOKEN is:

• Automatically created for each workflow run
• Scoped to the current repository
• Automatically expires after the workflow completes
• Requires explicit permissions configuration in your workflow

Usage

Add the following to your GitHub workflow (e.g., .github/workflows/release.yml):

name: Release
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      release-type:
        description: 'Release type (major, minor, patch)'
        required: false
        default: 'minor'

jobs:
  release:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      contents: write  # Required for creating releases and tags
      
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0  # Required for git history
          
      - name: Create Release
        uses: your-username/nodejs-release-action@v1
        with:
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          release-type: ${{ github.event.inputs.release-type }}

Workflow Permissions

The action requires the following permissions to function:

• contents: write - For creating tags, releases, and updating files

You can configure these permissions in two ways:

1. In the workflow file (recommended):

jobs:
  release:
    permissions:
      contents: write

2. In repository settings:
   • Go to Settings > Actions > General
   • Scroll to "Workflow permissions"
   • Select "Read and write permissions"

Inputs

Input	Description	Required	Default	Notes
github-token	GitHub token for authentication	Yes	N/A	Use ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
release-type	Type of release (major, minor, patch)	No	minor	Determines version increment

Action Behavior

When executed, the action will:

1. Verify repository permissions
2. Read the current version from package.json
3. Calculate the new version based on release-type
4. Create and push a new git tag
5. Create a GitHub release
6. Update package.json with the new version
7. Commit and push the changes

Error Handling

The action will fail if:

• Working directory is not clean
• Required permissions are not configured
• Invalid release type is specified
• Unable to push tags or create release
• package.json is not found or invalid

Examples

Basic Usage

- name: Create Release
  uses: your-username/nodejs-release-action@v1
  with:
    github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

Specifying Release Type

- name: Create Major Release
  uses: your-username/nodejs-release-action@v1
  with:
    github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
    release-type: major

Development

To contribute to this action:

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Make your changes
4. Run tests:

npm test

5. Submit a pull request

License

MIT

Notes

• The action requires a clean working directory
• Commits will be made using the GitHub Actions bot
• All git operations are performed with the provided GITHUB_TOKEN
• Action runs in a Docker container for consistency