Introduction

Releasaurus 🦕 is a comprehensive release automation tool that works out-of-the-box with zero configuration required. Simply point it at your repository to get automated changelog generation and git tagging, or add a minimal config file to enable version file updates across multiple programming languages and Git forge platforms.

Get Started in Seconds

Releasaurus works immediately without any setup:

# Create a release PR (no config file needed!)
releasaurus release-pr \
  --forge github \
  --repo "https://github.com/your-org/your-repo"

# After merging the PR, publish the release
releasaurus release \
  --forge github \
  --repo "https://github.com/your-org/your-repo"

That’s it! Releasaurus analyzes your commit history, generates a changelog, and creates a release—no configuration file required.

When You Need More

Add a releasaurus.toml file when you want:

• Version file updates - Automatically update package.json, Cargo.toml, pom.xml, etc.
• Monorepo support - Manage multiple independently-versioned packages
• Custom changelog templates - Tailor formatting to your needs
• Custom tag prefixes - Use tags like api-v1.0.0 or cli-v2.1.0

See the Configuration guide for details.

Key Features

🚀 Zero Configuration by Default

Works immediately for changelog generation and git tagging. Add configuration only when you need version file updates or custom settings.

🌍 Multi-Platform Support

Works with GitHub, GitLab, and Gitea, whether hosted or self-hosted instances. One tool for all your repositories, regardless of where they’re hosted.

📦 Multi-Language Version Updates

When configured, updates version files for:

• Rust (Cargo.toml)
• Node.js (package.json, package-lock.json, yarn.lock)
• Python (pyproject.toml, setup.py, setup.cfg, requirements files)
• Java (Maven pom.xml, Gradle build files)
• PHP (composer.json)
• Ruby (Gemfile, .gemspec files)
• Generic projects (custom version file patterns)

🎯 Command-Line Overrides

Test configurations, create emergency releases, or use different prerelease settings without modifying your config file. Override base branch, prerelease settings, and per-package configurations directly from the command line—perfect for CI/CD environments with multiple deployment targets.

See Configuration Overrides for details.

📁 Forge API Integration

Works entirely through forge platform APIs—no local repository cloning required. Analyzes commits, creates branches, and manages releases directly via API calls, making it ideal for CI/CD environments and remote automation.

📝 Smart Changelog Generation

Inspired by git-cliff, automatically generates beautiful changelogs from your commit history with conventional commit support.

🏢 Monorepo Ready

Handle multiple independently-versioned packages within a single repository with per-package configuration and release cycles.

🤖 CI/CD Integration

Complete automation through official integrations:

• GitHub Actions: GitHub Actions Integration
• GitLab CI/CD: GitLab CI/CD Integration
• Gitea Actions: Gitea Actions Integration

Automatically create release PRs on push and publish releases when merged—no manual intervention required.

How It Works

Core Workflow (2 Steps)

1. releasaurus release-pr - Analyzes your commits, determines the next version, updates version files (if configured), generates a changelog, and creates a pull request for review.

2. releasaurus release - After the release PR is merged, creates a Git tag and publishes the release to your forge platform.

This workflow provides a safety net through pull request reviews while automating all the tedious version management tasks.

Optional Enhancements

• releasaurus start-next - Automatically bump patch versions after release to start the next development cycle. Perfect for continuous development workflows.

• releasaurus show - Query release information for automation, CI/CD pipelines, and custom notifications without making any changes.

What Problems Does Releasaurus Solve?

For Teams Across Multiple Platforms

• Stuck on GitHub but want to migrate to GitLab or self-hosted Gitea?
• Managing repositories across different forge platforms?
• Need a single release tool that works everywhere?

For Multi-Language Projects

• Managing releases across Rust, Node.js, Python, and Java projects?
• Want consistent release workflows regardless of language?
• Need automatic version file updates across different ecosystems?

For Flexibility and Control

• Need zero-config changelog generation without setup files?
• Want to test prerelease configurations before committing changes?
• Need different release settings for dev/staging/prod environments?
• Looking for command-line overrides for emergency releases?

For Monorepo Management

• Managing multiple packages with independent version numbers?
• Need separate or combined release PRs for different packages?
• Want per-package prerelease configurations?

Releasaurus addresses these challenges by providing universal platform support, multi-language compatibility, minimal configuration, and flexible command-line overrides.

Credit and Inspiration

Releasaurus was inspired by excellent tools like git-cliff, release-please, and release-plz. We’re grateful for the foundation these projects provided and have built upon their proven concepts while extending support to a broader ecosystem of languages, frameworks, and platforms.

Getting Started

Ready to automate your releases?

• Quick start: Jump to Quick Start to see Releasaurus in action
• Installation: See Installation for setup instructions
• Configuration: Check Configuration when you need version file updates or custom settings

Whether you’re maintaining a single-language project or a complex monorepo, Releasaurus adapts to your workflow while maintaining the reliability and safety that production releases demand.