Set up a GitHub Actions workflow to create releases automatically when pushing version tags.

This guide shows how to create a GitHub Actions workflow that automatically creates a release whenever you push a version tag.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

1. A GitHub Repository — Your project should already be on GitHub.

2. A GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) — Needed for the workflow to publish releases.

   • Go to GitHub Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens.
   • Click Generate new token and select the repo scope.
   • Store the token as a repository secret (never hardcode it in workflows):
     1. Go to your repository’s Settings.
     2. Select Secrets and variables → Actions → New repository secret.
     3. Name it (e.g., GH_TOKEN) and paste your token.
     4. Click Add secret.

3. Basic GitHub Actions Knowledge — If you're new, check the GitHub Actions docs first.

Creating the Workflow

Create a .github/workflows/create-release.yml file in your repository:

name: Create Release on Tag Push

on:
  push:
    tags:
      - "v*"

jobs:
  release:
    name: Release
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: marvinpinto/action-automatic-releases@latest
        with:
          repo_token: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
          prerelease: false

How It Works

• Trigger — Runs when a tag starting with v is pushed (e.g., v1.0.4).
• Action Used — The marvinpinto/action-automatic-releases action handles the release creation process.
• Key Inputs:
  • repo_token — Your GitHub secret for authentication.
  • prerelease — Set to false for stable releases.

When you push a tag like v1.2.0, GitHub Actions will:

1. Detect the new tag.
2. Run the workflow.
3. Create a release associated with that tag.