Agent-assisted release workflow

This guide shows where coding agents can help when someone creates a project from this template and prepares a first release.

For the broader setup checklist, start with TODO.md.

Deployment flow

flowchart LR
    A[Use the template] --> B[Project setup<br/>Codespaces or local]
    B --> C[Agent-assisted repository updates<br/>placeholders, docs, metadata, changelog]
    C --> D[Validation<br/>format, lint, preview, link checks]
    D --> E[Prepare release archive<br/>npm run release:prepare]
    E --> F[Commit release-artifacts<br/>site-tag.zip]
    F --> G[GitHub release]
    G --> H[Zenodo archive and DOI]

Where agents can intervene

  • Use the template: agents can explain the repository structure and identify which files still contain placeholders.
  • Project setup: agents can edit metadata, documentation, and support files after following .github/copilot-instructions.md.
  • Validation: agents can run formatting and changelog commands, then prepare preview-ready documentation changes for review.
  • Publication: maintainers should approve the Pages settings, commit the prepared release archive, merge or push the validated site changes to main, and publish the GitHub release, while agents prepare the repository state and release notes.

First-release checklist handoff

  1. Use TODO.md to split work into [Agent], [Shared], and [Manual] tasks.
  2. Use git commit -m "type: subject" for one focused Conventional Commit per logical change, then preview pending notes with npm run changelog:unreleased.
  3. Generate the full draft changelog with npm run changelog only when you are ready to update CHANGELOG.template.md.
  4. Review the preview before any production publication step.
  5. Run npm run release:prepare -- --tag vX.Y.Z, then commit the generated release-artifacts/site-vX.Y.Z.zip before the GitHub release is published.
  6. Enable GitHub Pages to use GitHub Actions, then let the Render and Publish workflow deploy the validated main branch outside the agent session.
  7. After Zenodo records the release, update GITHUB_REPO_ID, ZENODO_RECORD, and DOI placeholders in the project instance.
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