ci(release): rc runs publish a github prerelease with standalone assets

codejunction · Oct 10, 2026 · Oct 10, 2026 · Oct 10, 2026 · Oct 10, 2026 · Oct 10, 2026
commit 82004b952ab9f3ad307c7bb3f90b3d4b3f02db0e
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       version:
-        description: "Release candidate version for PyPI, e.g. 0.0.5rc1 (not committed; pyproject is patched in the build)"
+        description: "Release candidate, e.g. 0.0.5rc1: PyPI + a GitHub prerelease (not committed; pyproject is patched in the build)"
         required: true
 
 permissions:
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ jobs:
           path: standalone/
 
   github-release:
-    # tagged releases only; release candidates live on PyPI (their standalone builds stay workflow artifacts)
-    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    # a tag makes the release; a release candidate makes a prerelease v<rc> on the branch's commit, so the
+    # installers can fetch its standalone build (prereleases never show as releases/latest, so no OTA offer)
     needs: [pypi, standalone]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
@@ -132,6 +132,12 @@ jobs:
           pattern: standalone-*
           path: standalone/
           merge-multiple: true
-      - env:
+      - if: github.event_name == 'push'
+        env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: gh release create "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" dist/* standalone/* --title "shelldeck $GITHUB_REF_NAME" --generate-notes
+      - if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          TAG: v${{ inputs.version }}
+        run: gh release create "$TAG" dist/* standalone/* --prerelease --target "$GITHUB_SHA" --title "shelldeck $TAG (release candidate)" --notes "Release candidate from $GITHUB_REF_NAME. Install: SHELLDECK_VERSION=${{ inputs.version }} with install.ps1 / install.sh, or uv tool install shelldeck==${{ inputs.version }}."
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ uv tool install --force -e .        # global sd/shelldeck from this checkout (th
   - `install.ps1` / `install.sh`: one-line installers (uv, then `uv tool install shelldeck`; `SHELLDECK_SOURCE` overrides the source and CI feeds it the built wheel; `UV_NO_MODIFY_PATH` skips PATH edits).
   - `.github/workflows/ci.yml`: lint, a Windows+Ubuntu × py3.12–3.14 test matrix, and an installer smoke test.
   - `release.yml`: on a `v*` tag, reuses CI, checks the tag matches the pyproject version, then builds, publishes to PyPI (trusted publishing, environment `pypi`) and creates the GitHub release.
-    - Manual run (`workflow_dispatch`, input `version`) publishes a release candidate from a `feature/` or `fix/` branch: `x.y.zrcN` only, newer than pyproject, patched into pyproject in the build (never committed), no tag or GitHub release. It lives in `release.yml` because the PyPI trusted publisher is bound to that file.
+    - Manual run (`workflow_dispatch`, input `version`) publishes a release candidate from a `feature/` or `fix/` branch: `x.y.zrcN` only, newer than pyproject, patched into pyproject in the build (never committed), no git tag pushed, but a GitHub prerelease `v<rc>` on the branch's commit with the wheel and standalone assets (`releases/latest` skips prereleases, so OTA never offers an rc). It lives in `release.yml` because the PyPI trusted publisher is bound to that file.
   - README screenshots live in `docs/assets/`. `docs/superpowers/` and `plans/` are local-only (gitignored).
 - `chapters/`: spec corpus for a future agent platform, not implemented. `_ref_code/`: reference only.