build(release): support /promote and /finalize comment commands

- Add workflow_call trigger to release_promote_rc.yaml.
- Update on_issue_comment.yaml to parse /promote and /finalize commands,
  extract version from issue title, and trigger release_promote_rc.yaml.
- Document the new commands in release_tracking_template.md.
- Restructure RELEASING.md steps to match the 6-step release process.

Author: rickeylev

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release_tracking_template.md

@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ Maintainers can trigger automation by:
     workflow.
   - `/process-backports` at the beginning of a line to trigger the Process
     Backports workflow.
+  - `/promote` or `/finalize` at the beginning of a line to trigger the
+    Promote RC workflow.
 
 </details>
 

.github/workflows/on_issue_comment.yaml

@@ -27,18 +27,29 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       command: ${{ steps.parse.outputs.command }}
       issue_number: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
+      version: ${{ steps.parse.outputs.version }}
     steps:
       - name: Parse comment
         id: parse
         env:
           COMMENT_BODY: ${{ github.event.comment.body }}
+          ISSUE_TITLE: ${{ github.event.issue.title }}
         run: |
           if echo "$COMMENT_BODY" | grep -qE '^[[:space:]]*/create-rc([[:space:]]|$)'; then
             echo "command=create-rc" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           elif echo "$COMMENT_BODY" | grep -qE '^[[:space:]]*/prepare([[:space:]]|$)'; then
             echo "command=prepare" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           elif echo "$COMMENT_BODY" | grep -qE '^[[:space:]]*/process-backports([[:space:]]|$)'; then
             echo "command=process-backports" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          elif echo "$COMMENT_BODY" | grep -qE '^[[:space:]]*/(promote|finalize)([[:space:]]|$)'; then
+            version=$(echo "$ISSUE_TITLE" | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -n 1)
+            if [ -n "$version" ]; then
+              echo "command=promote" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+              echo "version=$version" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            else
+              echo "command=none" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+              echo "Error: Could not parse version from issue title for promotion." >&2
+            fi
           else
             echo "command=none" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           fi
@@ -66,3 +77,11 @@ jobs:
     with:
       issue: ${{ needs.parse_comment.outputs.issue_number }}
     secrets: inherit
+
+  call_promote:
+    needs: parse_comment
+    if: needs.parse_comment.outputs.command == 'promote'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml
+    with:
+      version: ${{ needs.parse_comment.outputs.version }}
+    secrets: inherit

.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml

@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ on:
         description: 'The final version to release (e.g., 0.38.0)'
         required: true
         type: string
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: 'The final version to release (e.g., 0.38.0)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
 
 permissions:
   contents: write

RELEASING.md

@@ -13,44 +13,24 @@ Release Tracking Issue and automated workflows triggered by comments or issue ed
 
 ### Steps
 
-1.  **Prepare the Release**: Manually run the **Release: Prepare** workflow from
-    the GitHub Actions UI (or via `gh workflow run`), leaving the `issue` input
-    empty. This workflow will:
-    *   Automatically determine the next version based on news entries.
-    *   Create a new **Release Tracking Issue** (which serves as the central
-        hub and checklist for the release).
-    *   Create a `prepare-X.Y.Z` branch.
-    *   Update `CHANGELOG.md` and version placeholders.
-    *   Create a Pull Request with these changes.
-
-2.  **Review and Merge**: Review, approve, and merge the generated Pull Request.
-    Once merged:
-    *   The **Release: Complete Prepare** workflow will automatically mark the
-        "Prepare Release" task as complete on the tracking issue checklist.
-    *   The **Release: Create Release Branch** workflow will then automatically
-        run (triggered by the issue edit) to cut the `release/X.Y` branch and
-        mark the "Create Release branch" task as complete.
-
-3.  **Tag Release Candidate (RC)**: Comment `/create-rc` on the tracking issue.
-    This triggers the **Release: Create RC** workflow, which:
-    *   Tags the release branch with `X.Y.Z-rcN`.
-    *   Triggers the **Release: Publish** workflow to publish the release.
-
-4.  **Announce and Wait**: Announce the RC release (see [Announcing
-    releases](#announcing-releases)) and wait for feedback.
-
-5.  **Handle Backports (if needed)**: If bugs need to be fixed in the release:
-    *   Cherry-pick the fixes into the release branch (see [Patch release with
-        cherry picks]).
-    *   Add the backported PRs to the `## Backports` section of the tracking
-        issue.
-    *   Comment `/process-backports` on the tracking issue to update the checklist.
-    *   Comment `/create-rc` again to tag a new RC (e.g. `rc1`).
-
-6.  **Final Release**: Once the RC is stable, promote it to final release by
-    manually triggering the **Release: Promote RC** workflow from the GitHub
-    Actions UI (or using `gh workflow run`), specifying the final version
-    (e.g., `0.38.0`).
+1.  **Prepare the Release**: Run the **Release: Prepare** workflow manually. It
+    will automatically determine the next version, create a release tracking
+    issue, and send a preparation PR.
+
+2.  **Approve and Merge**: Approve and merge the PR. Once merged, a release
+    branch will be created automatically.
+
+3.  **Add Backports (if needed)**: If there are backports, add them following
+    the "How to add backports" steps.
+
+4.  **Create an RC**: Comment `/create-rc` on the tracking issue. All pending
+    backports must be successfully processed before creating the RC.
+
+5.  **Iterate**: Repeat steps 3 and 4 until backports and RCs are no longer
+    needed.
+
+6.  **Finalize the Release**: Comment `/promote` or `/finalize` on the
+    tracking issue to finalize the release.
 
 
 ### Manually triggering the release workflow