prepare release

niesfisch · niesfisch · commit 814bcf1e317c · 2026-03-16T16:30:18.000+01:00
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+name: Release Jar
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - 'v*'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag_name:
+        description: 'Release tag to create or update, for example v1.0.0'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      release_name:
+        description: 'Optional release title'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+        type: string
+
+env:
+  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: release-${{ github.ref_name || inputs.tag_name }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    name: Build and publish release jar
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Set up JDK 8
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: temurin
+          java-version: '8'
+          cache: maven
+
+      - name: Resolve release metadata
+        id: meta
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          if [[ "${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
+            tag_name="${{ inputs.tag_name }}"
+            release_name="${{ inputs.release_name }}"
+          else
+            tag_name="${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"
+            release_name=""
+          fi
+
+          if [[ -z "${release_name}" ]]; then
+            release_name="${tag_name}"
+          fi
+
+          echo "tag_name=${tag_name}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "release_name=${release_name}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Build jars
+        run: mvn -B -ntp clean verify
+
+      - name: Collect release assets
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          mkdir -p dist
+          cp target/*.jar dist/
+          (cd dist && sha256sum *.jar > SHA256SUMS)
+          ls -lh dist
+
+      - name: Upload workflow artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: java-code-tracer-release-${{ steps.meta.outputs.tag_name }}
+          path: dist/*
+          if-no-files-found: error
+
+      - name: Publish GitHub release
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          tag_name="${{ steps.meta.outputs.tag_name }}"
+          release_name="${{ steps.meta.outputs.release_name }}"
+          notes_file="$(mktemp)"
+
+          cat > "$notes_file" <<EOF
+          Automated release for ${tag_name}.
+
+          Download the fat jar if you want to run JCT directly as a Java agent:
+          - java-code-tracer-<version>-jar-with-dependencies.jar
+
+          Integrity information:
+          - SHA256SUMS
+          EOF
+
+          if gh release view "$tag_name" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            gh release upload "$tag_name" dist/* --clobber
+          else
+            gh release create "$tag_name" dist/* \
+              --title "$release_name" \
+              --notes-file "$notes_file" \
+              --target "$GITHUB_SHA"
+          fi
+
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ If you work in a legacy app and ask things like "Can we remove this?" or "Is thi
 - [Recommended Local Workflow: ELK](#recommended-local-workflow-elk)
 - [Project Status](#project-status)
 - [Java Version](#java-version)
+- [Download a Release Jar](#download-a-release-jar)
 - [Build](#build)
 - [Configure](#configure)
 - [Run an Application with JCT](#run-an-application-with-jct)
@@ -51,11 +52,13 @@ This is especially useful before deleting legacy code, splitting modules, or tig
 
 If you just want first results quickly:
 
-1. Build JCT
+1. Download the release jar or build JCT locally
 2. Start your app with `-javaagent` and a config
 3. Inspect generated events (file output or ELK stack)
 
-Minimum commands:
+Fastest path: download the fat jar from GitHub Releases and use it directly.
+
+Manual build commands:
 
 ```bash
 mvn clean package
@@ -101,10 +104,31 @@ This project targets Java 8 bytecode and is currently focused on practical runti
 JCT is compiled against Java 8 (`-source 8 -target 8`) and intentionally uses no APIs beyond that level.
 This is a deliberate choice — the primary target is legacy and monolithic systems that are often stuck on older JVMs.
 
-It runs fine on newer JVMs (11, 17, 21, …) without any changes.
+It runs fine on newer JVMs (11, 17, 21, ...) without any changes.
+
+## Download a Release Jar
+
+If you do not want to build JCT locally, download the prebuilt agent jar here:
+
+- [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/niesfisch/java-code-tracer/releases)
+- [Release workflow runs and downloadable artifacts](https://github.com/niesfisch/java-code-tracer/actions/workflows/release.yml)
+
+Use this file as your Java agent:
+
+- `java-code-tracer-<version>-jar-with-dependencies.jar`
+
+The release workflow publishes the jar in two places:
+
+- as a GitHub Release asset for tagged releases
+- as a workflow artifact for each `Release Jar` workflow run
+
+For maintainers: pushing a tag like `v1.0.0` starts the release workflow automatically.
+You can also trigger `Release Jar` manually in GitHub Actions and provide a tag name.
 
 ## Build
 
+Build locally with Maven if you prefer or if you want to modify the project:
+
 ```bash
 mvn clean package
 ```
@@ -113,6 +137,8 @@ The distributable agent jar is created at:
 
 - `target/java-code-tracer-1.0-SNAPSHOT-jar-with-dependencies.jar`
 
+That is the jar you should use with `-javaagent`.
+
 ## Configure
 
 Create a local config file:
@@ -301,4 +327,3 @@ Use the following IntelliJ Run/Debug VM options example when attaching JCT as a
 ## License
 
 [MIT](LICENSE.txt)
-
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
     <properties>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
         <java.version>8</java.version>
-        <maven.compiler.source>${java.version}</maven.compiler.source>
-        <maven.compiler.target>${java.version}</maven.compiler.target>
+        <maven.compiler.release>${java.version}</maven.compiler.release>
         <maven.surefire.plugin.version>3.2.5</maven.surefire.plugin.version>
         <maven.compiler.plugin.version>3.13.0</maven.compiler.plugin.version>
         <maven.assembly.plugin.version>3.7.1</maven.assembly.plugin.version>
@@ -32,22 +31,7 @@
         </license>
     </licenses>
 
-    <repositories>
-        <repository>
-            <id>Sonatype-public</id>
-            <name>SnakeYAML repository</name>
-            <url>http://oss.sonatype.org/content/groups/public/</url>
-        </repository>
-    </repositories>
-
     <dependencies>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>com.sun</groupId>
-            <artifactId>tools</artifactId>
-            <version>1.6.0</version>
-            <scope>system</scope>
-            <systemPath>${java.home}/../lib/tools.jar</systemPath>
-        </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.yaml</groupId>
             <artifactId>snakeyaml</artifactId>
@@ -97,8 +81,7 @@
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <version>${maven.compiler.plugin.version}</version>
                 <configuration>
-                    <source>${maven.compiler.source}</source>
-                    <target>${maven.compiler.target}</target>
+                    <release>${maven.compiler.release}</release>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
 
