Merge pull request #5 from feoh/copilot/add-releasing-md-file

Author: feoh

RELEASING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+# Releasing linkdqueue
+
+This document describes how to create a new release of linkdqueue using the automated GitHub Actions release workflow.
+
+## Overview
+
+The release workflow (`.github/workflows/release.yml`) is triggered automatically whenever a Git tag matching the pattern `v*.*.*` is pushed to the repository. It builds the application for macOS, Linux, and Windows in parallel, then creates a GitHub Release with all three platform archives attached and auto-generated release notes.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Write access to the `feoh/linkdqueue` repository
+- [Git](https://git-scm.com/) installed locally
+- The `main` (or release) branch in a clean, releasable state
+
+## Steps to Create a Release
+
+### 1. Update the Version Number
+
+Edit `pubspec.yaml` and increment the `version` field. The format is `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH+BUILD` (e.g. `1.2.0+2`).
+
+```yaml
+version: 1.2.0+2
+```
+
+Commit and push this change to the repository before tagging:
+
+```bash
+git add pubspec.yaml
+git commit -m "Bump version to 1.2.0"
+git push
+```
+
+### 2. Create and Push a Version Tag
+
+Tags must follow the `v<MAJOR>.<MINOR>.<PATCH>` format (e.g. `v1.2.0`). This is what triggers the release workflow.
+
+```bash
+git tag v1.2.0
+git push origin v1.2.0
+```
+
+> **Important:** The tag version should match the version you set in `pubspec.yaml`.
+
+### 3. Monitor the Workflow
+
+After pushing the tag:
+
+1. Go to the repository on GitHub: <https://github.com/feoh/linkdqueue>
+2. Click the **Actions** tab.
+3. You will see a workflow run named **Release** triggered by the new tag.
+
+The workflow runs four jobs:
+
+| Job | Runner | Output |
+|---|---|---|
+| `build-macos` | `macos-latest` | `linkdqueue-macos.zip` |
+| `build-linux` | `ubuntu-latest` | `linkdqueue-linux.tar.gz` |
+| `build-windows` | `windows-latest` | `linkdqueue-windows.zip` |
+| `release` | `ubuntu-latest` | GitHub Release with all three archives |
+
+The three build jobs run in parallel. The `release` job waits for all of them to succeed before publishing.
+
+### 4. Verify the Release
+
+Once the workflow completes successfully:
+
+1. Go to the **Releases** section of the repository.
+2. Confirm the new release is listed with the correct tag name.
+3. Verify that the following assets are attached:
+   - `linkdqueue-macos.zip` — macOS `.app` bundle (universal)
+   - `linkdqueue-linux.tar.gz` — Linux x64 bundle
+   - `linkdqueue-windows.zip` — Windows x64 bundle
+4. Review the auto-generated release notes and edit them on GitHub if needed.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Workflow did not start
+
+- Confirm the tag matches the `v*.*.*` pattern exactly (e.g. `v1.2.0`, not `1.2.0` or `release-1.2.0`).
+- Confirm the tag was pushed to the remote (`git push origin <tag>`).
+
+### A build job failed
+
+- Click the failed job in the Actions tab to see the full log.
+- Common causes: a dependency version mismatch or a Flutter API change. Update `pubspec.yaml` or the Flutter version pin in the workflow file accordingly.
+- After fixing the issue, delete the tag locally and remotely, then re-create it:
+
+```bash
+git tag -d v1.2.0
+git push origin :refs/tags/v1.2.0
+# fix the problem, commit, then re-tag
+git tag v1.2.0
+git push origin v1.2.0
+```
+
+### Release was not created
+
+- Confirm the `release` job ran and check its logs.
+- The workflow requires `contents: write` permission. If this was changed, restore it in `.github/workflows/release.yml`.