By name: vv-release description: Quick release workflow for VVCode - bump version, build, and package the extension
VVCode Release
Quick release workflow for VVCode - bump version, build, and package the extension.
Overview
This workflow helps you:
- Update the version number in package.json
- Install all dependencies
- Build the production bundle
- Generate the VSIX package file
Step 1: Confirm or Update Version
1.1: Check Current Version
First, read the current version from package.json:
cat package.json | grep '"version"'
1.2: Ask User to Confirm or Update
Show the current version to the user and ask:
- "当前版本是 X.X.X，是否使用此版本进行发布？"
- If the user confirms: proceed to Step 2 with the current version
- If the user wants to change: ask what version number to release (e.g., 1.1.3, 1.2.0, 2.0.0)
1.3: Update Version (if needed)
If the user wants to update the version, use npm version:
npm version <new-version> --no-git-tag-version
For example:
- Patch release (1.1.2 → 1.1.3):
npm version patch --no-git-tag-version - Minor release (1.1.2 → 1.2.0):
npm version minor --no-git-tag-version - Major release (1.1.2 → 2.0.0):
npm version major --no-git-tag-version - Specific version:
npm version 1.1.3 --no-git-tag-version
Verify the version was updated:
cat package.json | grep '"version"'
1.4: Save the Version Number
Save the confirmed/updated version number for use in later steps (changelog, summary, etc.).
Step 2: Update Changelog
Before building, update the CHANGELOG.md with the new version's changes.
2.1: Read Current Changelog
Read the current CHANGELOG.md to see the format and existing entries:
head -50 CHANGELOG.md
2.2: Generate Draft Changelog
First, try to auto-generate a draft changelog from git commits since the last release.
2.2.1: Get Last Release Tag
Find the last version tag:
git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-v:refname | head -1
If no tag exists, use the first commit:
git rev-list --max-parents=0 HEAD
2.2.2: Get Commit Messages
Get commits since the last release:
git log <last-tag-or-first-commit>..HEAD --oneline --no-merges
2.2.3: Categorize Commits
Analyze the commit messages and try to categorize them into:
- Added: commits with "add", "feat", "feature" keywords
- Changed: commits with "change", "update", "refactor" keywords
- Fixed: commits with "fix", "bug", "resolve" keywords
- Deprecated: commits with "deprecate" keyword
- Removed: commits with "remove", "delete" keyword
- Security: commits with "security", "vulnerability" keyword
Generate a draft changelog in the format:
### Added
- [auto-generated items based on commits]
### Changed
- [auto-generated items based on commits]
### Fixed
- [auto-generated items based on commits]
Remove empty categories.
2.3: Ask for User Input
Show the auto-generated draft changelog to the user and ask:
"我已根据 git 提交记录自动生成以下 changelog 草稿：
[SHOW DRAFT CHANGELOG]
请选择：
- 直接使用这个自动生成的版本
- 在此基础上修改（请告诉我需要修改的内容）
- 完全手动输入新的 changelog"
Wait for user choice and input:
- If option 1: use the draft as-is
- If option 2: apply the user's modifications to the draft
- If option 3: ask the user to provide the complete changelog content
Changelog categories reference:
- Added: New features
- Changed: Changes in existing functionality
- Fixed: Bug fixes
- Deprecated: Soon-to-be removed features
- Removed: Removed features
- Security: Security fixes
2.4: Generate Final Changelog Entry
Create the final changelog entry with:
- Version number (from Step 1)
- Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
- User-confirmed/modified changes (from Step 2.3)
Format:
## [VERSION] - YYYY-MM-DD
[FINAL_CHANGELOG_CONTENT]
2.5: Show Preview and Confirm
Present the complete new changelog entry to the user and ask for final confirmation:
- Show the full entry that will be added
- Ask: "请确认以上最终的 changelog 内容是否正确？如需修改，请告诉我具体要改什么。"
Wait for user confirmation or modification request.
2.6: Update CHANGELOG.md
Once confirmed, update CHANGELOG.md by inserting the new entry after the header:
Use the replace_in_file tool to insert the new version entry right after the "# VVCode Changelog" line, before the first existing version entry.
2.7: Verify Update
Verify the changelog was updated correctly:
head -30 CHANGELOG.md
Show the user the updated changelog and confirm it looks correct.
Step 3: Install Dependencies
Ensure all dependencies are up to date:
npm run install:all
This will install dependencies for both the main extension and the webview-ui.
Step 4: Build Production Bundle
Build the production version with optimizations:
npm run package
This command:
- Runs type checking
- Builds the webview UI
- Runs linting
- Bundles the extension with esbuild in production mode
Wait for the build to complete successfully before proceeding.
Step 5: Generate VSIX Package
Create the .vsix package file:
npx vsce package --no-dependencies
This will generate a file named vvcode-<version>.vsix in the current directory (e.g., vvcode-1.1.3.vsix).
Verify the package was created:
ls -lh *.vsix
Step 6: Final Summary
Present a summary to the user:
- Version released: v{VERSION}
- Package file: vvcode-{VERSION}.vsix
- Location: /Users/zhangao/Documents/vv-code/vvcode-{VERSION}.vsix
Next steps (manual): The user can now:
- Test the .vsix file locally by installing it in VS Code
- Distribute the .vsix file to users
- Optionally commit the version change and changelog to git:
git add package.json package-lock.json webview-ui/package-lock.json CHANGELOG.md git commit -m "chore: release v{VERSION}" git tag v{VERSION} git push && git push --tags
Handling Errors
Build failures
If the build fails, check the error messages:
- Type errors: Fix TypeScript errors reported by check-types
- Lint errors: Run
npm run lint:fixto auto-fix formatting issues - Build errors: Check esbuild output for module resolution or syntax errors
VSCE package errors
If vsce package fails:
- Ensure all required fields in package.json are filled (name, publisher, version, etc.)
- Check that the package.json is valid JSON
- Verify the icon file exists at the specified path
Dependency issues
If install:all fails:
- Clear node_modules:
npm run clean:deps - Try again:
npm run install:all - Check for npm registry connectivity issues