NPM Publisher

Overview

This skill provides a complete workflow for publishing npm packages with automated CI/CD. It handles version bumping, git tagging, and triggering automated npm publishing through GitHub Actions.

Release Workflow

Follow this workflow when releasing a new version with unstaged changes:

Step 1: Stage All Changes

Stage all pending changes:

git add .

Step 2: Commit the Changes

Commit with a meaningful message describing what changed:

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
<Description of changes>

<Optional: more details>
EOF
)"

Important: Never add attributions to a coding agent in commit messages.

Step 3: Determine Version Type

Ask the user which type of version bump is appropriate, or infer from the changes:

• patch - Bug fixes (3.0.2 → 3.0.3)
• minor - New features (3.0.3 → 3.1.0)
• major - Breaking changes (3.1.0 → 4.0.0)

If unclear, analyze the git diff to determine the appropriate version type based on:

• Bug fixes only → patch
• New features without breaking changes → minor
• Breaking changes or major refactors → major

Step 4: Bump Version

Bump the version using npm:

npm version <patch|minor|major>

This command will:

• Increment the version in package.json
• Create a git commit with the version bump
• Create a git tag (e.g., v3.0.3)

Step 5: Push Commits and Tags

Push both commits and tags to the remote repository:

git push && git push --tags

Step 6: Verify Publishing

After pushing, publishing happens automatically through CI/CD:

1. GitHub Actions automatically publishes to npm when a new tag is pushed
2. Wait approximately 30 seconds for CI to complete
3. Verify the release succeeded:

gh run list --limit 1

Step 7: Test the New Version

After CI completes successfully, verify the published version:

# Clear npx cache if needed
npx clear-npx-cache

# Test the new version (replace 'universal-skills' with the actual package name)
npx <package-name> --version

Error Handling

Common Issues

Uncommitted changes error:

• Ensure all changes are committed before running npm version
• Use git status to check for uncommitted changes

Push rejected:

• Pull latest changes with git pull --rebase
• Resolve any conflicts
• Retry the push

CI/CD failure:

• Check GitHub Actions logs: gh run view --log
• Common causes: failing tests, missing credentials, npm registry issues
• Fix the issue and create a new patch release if needed

Version already exists:

• Check if the version was already published: npm view <package-name> versions
• Bump to the next version if needed

Best Practices

1. Always review changes before publishing with git status and git diff
2. Run tests before publishing to catch issues early
3. Write meaningful commit messages that explain the "why" not just the "what"
4. Use semantic versioning consistently to manage user expectations
5. Verify the release by testing the published package

Pre-Release Checklist

Before starting the release workflow, ensure:

• All tests pass
• Build succeeds without errors
• Breaking changes are documented
• Dependencies are up to date
• No sensitive information in commits