Release policy

Policies that keep the org coherent

dotnetgovernancenovolis

Version format

All NuGet and GitHub Package versions use four numeric segments only (no text, no prerelease labels):

YEAR.MAJOR.MINOR.BUILD

Example: 2026.1.1.351 — merge run 351 and release run 351 both use that exact shape.

Segment	Source	When it changes
`YEAR`	`build/version.json`	Platform generation (e.g. settled .NET baseline year)
`MAJOR`	`build/version.json`	Breaking public API change (reset `minor` to 0)
`MINOR`	`build/version.json`	Manual bump before intentional release line
`BUILD`	`github.run_number` in CI	Every workflow run; never committed

Human-owned intent: `build/version.json`.

MSBuild projection: build/version.props (run scripts/sync-version-props.ps1 after editing JSON).

Local pack without CI: YEAR.MAJOR.MINOR.1 via NovolisLocalBuild (override with /p:NovolisLocalBuild=42).

Cross-repo references: floating `2026.1.1.*` in Directory.Packages.props.

Registries

Registry	Trigger	Version
GitHub Packages	Push to `main` (`merge.yml`)	`2026.1.1.{run}`
nuget.org	GitHub Release published (`release.yml`)	`2026.1.1.{run}`

Same version rules for both; only the feed differs.

Workflows

File	Trigger	Purpose
`pull-request.yml`	PR to `main`	Build + test (cancels superseded PR runs)
`merge.yml`	Push to `main`	Build + test; pack/publish to GitHub Packages only when package surface changes
`release.yml`	Release published	Pack, push to nuget.org

Merge short-circuit (libraries)

Reusable dotnet-merge-publish.yml classifies the push:

Change set	CI	GPR publish
`src/*`, `.csproj`, `Directory.Packages.props`, …	yes	yes
`tests/`, `Directory.Build.props` (policy/warnings), `scripts/`	yes	no
docs / `**.md` / version bump props (paths-ignore)	skipped	skipped

Direct pushes to main remain supported. Cross-repo “herds” still run in parallel; same-repo re-pushes cancel in-progress merge runs.

Apps Windows usage

novolis-apps runs Linux CI first; the Windows release job starts only when CI succeeds and release-impacting paths changed. Older GitHub Releases are pruned to the newest 5 after a successful release.

Shared Windows glue lives in novolis-workflows composites: install-inno-setup, write-sha256sums, and ensure-github-release (create-if-missing + asset upload). App catalog publish stays in novolis-apps scripts.

Release tag: v2026.1.1 (platform line) or v2026.1.1.{run} (full version). Pack always uses YEAR.MAJOR.MINOR from JSON plus current github.run_number.

Permissions

permissions:
  contents: read
  packages: write

Requires org/repo secret `NUGET_API_KEY` for nuget.org release.

Local development

dotnet pack -c Release /p:NovolisLocalPack=true
# Produces 2026.1.1.0 (or set /p:NovolisLocalBuild=42)