release-cut.yml

# Step 1: Starts the release process by creating a release/candidate branch.
# Generates a changelog PR for review (step 2).
name: "Release: Cut"

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      commit_sha:
        description: 'Commit SHA to cut from (leave empty for latest main)'
        required: false
        type: string

permissions:
  contents: write
  actions: write

jobs:
  cut-release:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          ref: ${{ inputs.commit_sha || 'main' }}

      - name: Check for existing release/candidate branch
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: |
          if git ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin release/candidate &>/dev/null; then
            echo "Error: release/candidate branch already exists"
            echo "Please finalize or delete the existing release candidate before starting a new one"
            exit 1
          fi

      - name: Create and push release/candidate branch
        run: |
          git checkout -b release/candidate
          git push origin release/candidate
          echo "Created branch: release/candidate"

      - name: Trigger Release Please
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: |
          gh workflow run release-please.yml --repo ${{ github.repository }} --ref release/candidate
          echo "Triggered Release Please workflow"