chore: automate releases

.github/workflows/release_please.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: release_please
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  create_release_pr:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: googleapis/release-please-action@v4
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_PLEASE_TOKEN }}
+          manifest-file: ".release-please-manifest.json"
+          config-file: ".release-please-config.json"

.release-please-config.json

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/googleapis/release-please/main/schemas/config.json",
+  "changelog-sections": [
+    { "type": "feat", "section": "Features" },
+    { "type": "fix", "section": "Bug Fixes" },
+    { "type": "refactor","section": "Refactors" },
+    { "type": "chore", "section": "Miscellaneous Chores" },
+    { "type": "docs", "section": "Docs" }
+  ],
+  "pull-request-header": ":rotating_light: There are changes ready for release :rocket:\n\nℹ Merge this PR once the team confirms the release is ready.\n",
+  "pull-request-title-pattern": "chore: ${version}",
+  "include-component-in-tag": false,
+  "extra-files": [
+    "lib/src/version.dart"
+  ],
+  "packages": {
+    ".": {
+      "release-type": "dart",
+      "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md",
+      "version-file": "pubspec.yaml"
+    }
+  }
+}

.release-please-manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    ".": "0.26.2"
+}
+

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -125,6 +125,29 @@ dart fix --apply
 
 💡 **Note**: While the prerequisites above must be satisfied prior to having your pull request reviewed, the reviewer(s) may ask you to complete additional work, tests, or other changes before your pull request can be accepted.
 
+
+### 🛠️ Release Process (Automated via `release-please-action`)
+
+We use [`release-please-action`][release-please-action-link] to automate versioning and changelog generation.
+
+- Every commit to `main` is analyzed using [Conventional Commits][conventional_commits_link].
+- When a commit indicates a version bump is needed, a **release PR** is automatically created or updated.
+- The release PR includes:
+  - An updated `CHANGELOG.md`
+  - A version bump in `pubspec.yaml`
+  - A version bump in `lib/src/version.dart`
+- Once the release PR is merged:
+  - A new Git tag is created.
+  - A GitHub release is published with the changelog.
+
+#### 💡 Notes
+
+- Use `feat`, `fix`, or `BREAKING CHANGE:` in commit messages to trigger version bumps.
+- The release PR can be manually edited before merging.
+- The GitHub Action is configured in `.github/workflows/release_please.yaml`
+- release-please settings are defined in `.release-please-config.json` and `.release-please-manifest.json`
+
+[release-please-action-link]: https://github.com/googleapis/release-please-action
 [conventional_commits_link]: https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0
 [bug_report_link]: https://github.com/VeryGoodOpenSource/very_good_cli/issues/new?assignees=&labels=bug&template=bug_report.md&title=fix%3A+
 [very_good_core_link]: doc/very_good_core.md

pubspec.yaml

@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ dependencies:
 dev_dependencies:
   build_runner: ^2.4.12
   build_verify: ^3.1.0
-  build_version: ^2.1.1
   mocktail: ^1.0.4
   test: ^1.25.8
   very_good_analysis: ^9.0.0