Go Release Setup Skill

Sets up release infrastructure for Go CLI apps: GoReleaser config, Dockerfile, and GitHub Actions workflows.

Step 1 — Gather Project Info

Read go.mod to infer:

• Module path (e.g. github.com/owner/repo)
• Go version
• Binary name — check cmd/ subdirectories; if multiple, ask which one(s) to release; if absent, use the last segment of the module path

Derive <github-owner> and <github-repo> from the module path.

If any of the following cannot be inferred, ask the user:

• CGO required? — scan source files for import "C"; if found, CGO = true, else CGO = false
• App description — one-line description for the Homebrew formula and release header
• License — check LICENSE file; if absent, ask (default: MIT)
• Distribution channels to enable (ask the user; suggest all as default):
  • github — GitHub Releases binary archives + checksums (always required)
  • docker — Dockerfile + GHCR image push via docker.yml workflow
  • homebrew — Homebrew formula pushed to <github-owner>/homebrew-tap repo
• Homebrew tap repo (homebrew only) — default <github-owner>/homebrew-tap

Step 2 — Check What Already Exists

Before generating each file, check if it exists. Skip or ask to confirm overwrite:

• Dockerfile
• .goreleaser.yaml
• .github/workflows/release.yml
• .github/workflows/docker.yml

Step 3 — Generate .goreleaser.yaml

Use assets/goreleaser.yaml as the template. Substitute all <placeholder> values. Then:

• Set CGO_ENABLED=1 and remove windows from goos if CGO is required
• Remove the brews section if homebrew is not enabled
• Remove the Docker **Docker:** block from release.header if docker is not enabled
• Remove the Homebrew **Homebrew:** block from release.header if homebrew is not enabled
• Remove TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN from the env block in release.yml if homebrew is not enabled

Step 4 — Generate Dockerfile (only if docker channel enabled)

• No CGO: use assets/Dockerfile.alpine as template
• CGO required: use assets/Dockerfile.debian as template

Substitute <go-version>, <module-path>, and <binary-name>. Adjust main path if the project doesn't use cmd/<binary-name> layout.

Step 5 — Generate GitHub Workflows

Create .github/workflows/ if it doesn't exist.

Workflow	Source template	When to generate
release.yml	assets/workflows/release.yml	Always (github channel)
docker.yml	assets/workflows/docker.yml	Only if docker channel enabled

Substitute <go-version> in each workflow. For release.yml, remove the TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN env line if homebrew is not enabled.

Note: CI workflows (tests, lint) are handled by the go-ci skill. Only add them here if the user hasn't already set up go-ci.

Step 6 — Optional: Create internal/version Package

If no version package exists and the project's ldflags reference internal/version, create internal/version/version.go:

package version

var (
    Version   = "dev"
    GitCommit = "unknown"
    BuildDate = "unknown"
)

Step 7 — Post-Setup Instructions

Tell the user:

1. GitHub Secrets required:

   • GITHUB_TOKEN — auto-provided by GitHub Actions
   • TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN (homebrew only) — GitHub PAT with repo scope for the tap repo

2. Homebrew tap repo (homebrew only) — create <github-owner>/homebrew-tap with a Formula/ directory if it doesn't exist

3. First release:

   git tag v0.1.0
   git push origin v0.1.0
   

4. Test locally (snapshot, no publish):

   goreleaser release --snapshot --clean