Homeboy release workflows turn conventional commits and component metadata into version bumps, changelogs, tags, artifacts, and optional publish/deploy steps.

Use This When

• A component has releasable commits and configured version targets.
• You need a dry-run release plan before mutating tags, versions, or artifacts.
• A package needs to be regenerated for an existing tag.
• An already-tagged release needs to be finished from artifacts.

1. Inspect The Release State

Start with read-only commands:

homeboy release changes <component-id>
homeboy release version show <component-id>
homeboy release changelog show <component-id>

These commands tell you whether the commit history, configured version targets, and changelog state line up before the release planner mutates anything.

2. Dry-Run The Plan

Always inspect the plan before applying it:

homeboy release <component-id> --dry-run

For automation, capture the plan:

homeboy --output homeboy-results/release-plan.json 
  release <component-id> --dry-run

Check the planned version bump, files to update, tags to create, publish steps, and skipped-release reasons.

3. Run The Quality Gate

Before applying a release, prove the branch with the normal review gate:

homeboy review <component-id> --changed-since origin/main

Use runner routing when release proof must be non-local. See Use runners and Release-gate proof path.

4. Apply Deliberately

Release commands are operator actions. Apply only after the dry-run and quality gate are acceptable:

homeboy release <component-id> --apply

Expected mutations can include version target edits, changelog finalization, commits, tags, pushes, and release artifact publishing depending on component configuration.

5. Recovery Paths

Regenerate a package for an existing tag:

homeboy release <component-id> --package-only --tag v1.2.3 --apply

Finish an already-tagged release from artifacts:

homeboy release <component-id> --head --from-artifacts ./artifacts --skip-checks --apply

Use these intentionally. They are recovery/operator paths, not the default release flow.

Code Factory Context

The broader Code Factory model is lint + fix, test + fix, audit + fix, release, and deploy. See Code Factory.

Reference

• release command
• version command
• changes command
• changelog command
• review workflow