name

setup-tagpr

description

Set up tagpr for automated release management in a repository. tagpr automatically creates and updates pull requests for unreleased items, tags them when merged, and creates GitHub Releases. Use this skill when users want to (1) introduce tagpr to their repository, (2) set up automated releases with tagpr, (3) configure tagpr with goreleaser for Go projects, (4) enable immutable releases with tagpr, or (5) set up release workflow for TypeScript/Node.js projects.

Setup tagpr

This skill guides you through setting up tagpr for automated release management.

What is tagpr?

tagpr is a GitHub Actions tool that:

Automatically creates pull requests for pending releases
Suggests semantic version increments based on commit history
Tags commits when PRs merge
Creates GitHub Releases automatically

Prerequisites

GH_PAT (Personal Access Token): tagpr requires a GitHub Personal Access Token with repo and workflow permissions to push tags and trigger subsequent workflows. Create a PAT and add it as a repository secret named GH_PAT.

Why not GITHUB_TOKEN? The default token cannot trigger other workflows when pushing tags, which is required for release workflows.

Setup Workflow

Determine the project type:
- Go project with goreleaser? → See references/goreleaser-integration.md
- TypeScript/Node.js project? → Follow "TypeScript/Node.js workflow" below
- Other projects → Follow "Standard workflow" below
Standard workflow:
1. Create GH_PAT and add as repository secret
2. Create .tagpr configuration file
3. Create GitHub Actions workflow file
TypeScript/Node.js workflow:
1. Create GH_PAT and add as repository secret
2. Create .tagpr configuration file with versionFile and command
3. Create GitHub Actions workflow with asset upload

Configuration Files

.tagpr Configuration

Create .tagpr file at the repository root.

Standard configuration (version from git tags only):

[tagpr]
    releaseBranch = main
    versionFile = -
    vPrefix = true
    release = draft

Go project with version.go:

[tagpr]
    releaseBranch = main
    versionFile = version.go
    vPrefix = true
    release = draft

TypeScript/Node.js project (e.g., Obsidian plugin):

[tagpr]
    releaseBranch = main
    versionFile = manifest.json,package.json
    vPrefix = true
    changelog = true
    release = draft
    majorLabels = major
    minorLabels = minor
    command = npm run build

Configuration Options

Option	Description	Default
`releaseBranch`	Target branch for releases	`main`
`versionFile`	File(s) containing semantic version. Use `-` for git tags only. Multiple files can be comma-separated	-
`vPrefix`	Whether tags include `v` prefix (e.g., `v1.2.3`)	`true`
`release`	GitHub Release creation: `true`, `draft`, or `false`. Use `draft` for immutable releases	`true`
`changelog`	Enable/disable changelog updates	`true`
`command`	Command to run before release (for build/file modifications)	-
`majorLabels`	Custom labels for major version increment	`tagpr:major`
`minorLabels`	Custom labels for minor version increment	`tagpr:minor`
`commitPrefix`	Customize commit message prefix	`[tagpr]`

GitHub Actions Workflow

See references/workflow-templates.md for workflow templates.

Goreleaser Integration

For Go projects using goreleaser, see references/goreleaser-integration.md.

Version Determination

tagpr determines the next version using:

Label-based: If merged PRs have labels:
- tagpr:major or major → Major version bump
- tagpr:minor or minor → Minor version bump
- No label → Patch version bump
Manual override: Edit the version file or apply labels to the tagpr PR

Verification Steps

After setup, verify by:

Push a commit to the release branch
Check that tagpr creates a release PR
Merge the release PR
Verify that a tag and GitHub Release are created