> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wednesdayai.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Release Checklist

# Release Checklist (npm + macOS)

Use `pnpm` (Node 24+) from the repo root. Keep the working tree clean before tagging/publishing.

## Operator trigger

When the operator says “release”, immediately do this preflight (no extra questions unless blocked):

* Read this doc and `docs/platforms/mac/release.md`.
* Load env from `~/.profile` and confirm `SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE` + App Store Connect vars are set (SPARKLE\_PRIVATE\_KEY\_FILE should live in `~/.profile`).
* Use Sparkle keys from `~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/Backup/Sparkle` if needed.

1. **Version & metadata**

Do not hand-edit release versions. `package.json` is the single source of truth and release-please
owns the bump. Derived version files are synchronized by `pnpm version:sync` in CI and by the
release workflow.

* [ ] Confirm the release-please PR contains the intended `package.json` version bump.
* [ ] Confirm the release-please sync commit ran `pnpm version:sync` and updated derived version files.
* [ ] Confirm extension package versions match the root version when they are part of the workspace release.
* [ ] Do not edit `docs/install/updating.md` for a pinned npm version; it intentionally installs `wednesdayai@latest`.
* [ ] Peekaboo and Swabble version independently; bump them only when that specific release requires it.

Do **not** touch `appcast.xml` version here — that is updated in step 5 (macOS Sparkle release).

* [ ] Confirm package metadata: root package name is `wednesdayai`, `bin` exposes both `wednesdayai` and the compatibility `openclaw` command, and WhatsApp package name is `@wednesdayai/whatsapp`.
* [ ] Confirm `secrets.NPM_TOKEN` can publish the unscoped `wednesdayai` package and scoped public packages under the `@wednesdayai` npm organization.
* [ ] If dependencies changed, run `pnpm install` so `pnpm-lock.yaml` is current.

2. **Build & artifacts**

* [ ] If A2UI inputs changed, run `pnpm canvas:a2ui:bundle` and commit any updated [`src/canvas-host/a2ui/a2ui.bundle.js`](https://github.com/ExpansionX/WednesdayAI-core/blob/main/src/canvas-host/a2ui/a2ui.bundle.js).
* [ ] `pnpm run build` (regenerates `dist/`).
* [ ] Verify npm package `files` includes all required `dist/*` folders (notably `dist/node-host/**` and `dist/acp/**` for headless node + ACP CLI).
* [ ] Confirm `dist/build-info.json` exists and includes the expected `commit` hash (CLI banner uses this for npm installs).
* [ ] Optional: `npm pack --pack-destination /tmp` after the build; inspect the tarball contents and keep it handy for the GitHub release (do **not** commit it).

3. **Changelog & docs**

* [ ] Do not hand-edit root `CHANGELOG.md`; release-please generates it from Conventional Commits.
* [ ] Add or update a dated `dev-docs/logs/YYYY-MM-DD-*.md` entry for the engineering record when the release contains feature work.
* [ ] Update `dev-docs/CHANGELOG.md` only as the narrative index to that dev log.
* [ ] Ensure README examples/flags match current CLI behavior (notably new commands or options).

4. **Validation**

* [ ] `pnpm build`
* [ ] `pnpm check`
* [ ] `pnpm test` (or `pnpm test:coverage` if you need coverage output)
* [ ] `pnpm release:check` (verifies npm pack contents)
* [ ] `OPENCLAW_INSTALL_SMOKE_SKIP_NONROOT=1 pnpm test:install:smoke` (Docker install smoke test, fast path; required before release)
  * If the immediate previous npm release is known broken, set `OPENCLAW_INSTALL_SMOKE_PREVIOUS=<last-good-version>` or `OPENCLAW_INSTALL_SMOKE_SKIP_PREVIOUS=1` for the preinstall step.
* [ ] (Optional) Full installer smoke (adds non-root + CLI coverage): `pnpm test:install:smoke`
* [ ] (Optional) Installer E2E (Docker, runs the WednesdayAI install script, onboards, then runs real tool calls):
  * `pnpm test:install:e2e:openai` (requires `OPENAI_API_KEY`)
  * `pnpm test:install:e2e:anthropic` (requires `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`)
  * `pnpm test:install:e2e` (requires both keys; runs both providers)
* [ ] (Optional) Spot-check the web gateway if your changes affect send/receive paths.

5. **macOS app (Sparkle)**

* [ ] Build + sign the macOS app, then zip it for distribution.
* [ ] Generate the Sparkle appcast (HTML notes via [`scripts/make_appcast.sh`](https://github.com/ExpansionX/WednesdayAI-core/blob/main/scripts/make_appcast.sh)) and update `appcast.xml`.
* [ ] Keep the app zip (and optional dSYM zip) ready to attach to the GitHub release.
* [ ] Follow [macOS release](/platforms/mac/release) for the exact commands and required env vars.
  * `APP_BUILD` must be numeric + monotonic (no `-beta`) so Sparkle compares versions correctly.
  * If notarizing, use the `openclaw-notary` keychain profile created from App Store Connect API env vars (see [macOS release](/platforms/mac/release)).

6. **Publish (npm)**

* [ ] Confirm the release-please publish job completed. It builds core, UI, and `@wednesdayai/whatsapp`, runs `pnpm release:check`, packs both npm artifacts, and publishes them before promoting the GitHub release.
* [ ] Verify the registry: `npm view wednesdayai version`, `npm view wednesdayai dist-tags`, `npm view @wednesdayai/whatsapp version`, `npm view @wednesdayai/whatsapp dist-tags`, and `npx -y wednesdayai@X.Y.Z --version` (or `--help`).
* [ ] If a publish job was rerun, confirm it skipped already-published immutable package versions instead of failing the release.

### Troubleshooting

* **npm pack/publish hangs or produces huge tarball**: the macOS app bundle in `dist/OpenClaw.app` (and release zips) get swept into the package. Fix by whitelisting publish contents via `package.json` `files` (include dist subdirs, docs, skills; exclude app bundles). Confirm with `npm pack --dry-run` that `dist/OpenClaw.app` is not listed.
* **npm auth web loop for dist-tags**: use legacy auth to get an OTP prompt:
  * `NPM_CONFIG_AUTH_TYPE=legacy npm dist-tag add wednesdayai@X.Y.Z latest`
  * `NPM_CONFIG_AUTH_TYPE=legacy npm dist-tag add @wednesdayai/whatsapp@X.Y.Z latest`
* **`npx` verification fails with `ECOMPROMISED: Lock compromised`**: retry with a fresh cache:
  * `NPM_CONFIG_CACHE=/tmp/npm-cache-$(date +%s) npx -y wednesdayai@X.Y.Z --version`
* **Tag needs repointing after a late fix**: force-update and push the tag, then ensure the GitHub release assets still match:
  * `git tag -f vX.Y.Z && git push -f origin vX.Y.Z`

7. **GitHub release + appcast**

* [ ] Tag and push: `git tag vX.Y.Z && git push origin vX.Y.Z` (or `git push --tags`).
* [ ] Create/refresh the GitHub release for `vX.Y.Z` with **title `openclaw X.Y.Z`** (not just the tag); body should include the **full** changelog section for that version (Highlights + Changes + Fixes), inline (no bare links), and **must not repeat the title inside the body**.
* [ ] Attach artifacts: `npm pack` tarball (optional), `OpenClaw-X.Y.Z.zip`, and `OpenClaw-X.Y.Z.dSYM.zip` (if generated).
* [ ] Commit the updated `appcast.xml` and push it (Sparkle feeds from main).
* [ ] From a clean temp directory (no `package.json`), run `npx -y wednesdayai@X.Y.Z send --help` to confirm install/CLI entrypoints work.
* [ ] Announce/share release notes.

## Plugin publish scope (npm)

WednesdayAI extensions use the `@wednesdayai` npm organization for new first-party plugin
packages:

* **`@wednesdayai/*`** — WednesdayAI-native extensions built for this fork (new additions go here).
* **`@openclaw/*`** — inherited extensions from the fork base. Publish only if the package is already on npm under that scope; do not add new extensions under `@openclaw/` — use `@wednesdayai/` instead.

Bundled plugins that are not on npm stay **disk-tree only** (still shipped in `extensions/**`).
`@wednesdayai/whatsapp` is the first dependency-bearing first-party plugin on the npm rail.

Process to derive future publish candidates:

1. Start from plugin ids under `extensions/*`.
2. Compare with `extensions/*/package.json` names.
3. Publish new WednesdayAI-native packages under `@wednesdayai/<plugin-id>` only after the package has built JavaScript entries and runtime dependency validation.
4. Keep inherited `@openclaw/*` packages compatibility-only unless a package is known to target this fork.

Release notes must also call out **new optional bundled plugins** that are **not on by default** (example: `tlon`).

## Trusted npm publishing

Core (and the WhatsApp dependency plugin) publish through a closed, OIDC-backed workflow — never a local `npm publish`:

* **Workflow**: `.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml` runs with `permissions: { contents: read, id-token: write }` (npm trusted publishing via OIDC). It triggers on pushes to `main` (dev path; docs and markdown-only changes are ignored) and on `workflow_dispatch` with a closed mode set: `dev-canary`, `stable-create`, `stable-resume`, `reconcile`. Dispatch inputs pin an exact `source-sha`, plus `release-tag` / `candidate-id` / `stage-evidence` as the mode requires — no floating refs.
* **Invocation identity** (`scripts/npm-publish/invocation.ts`): every run carries an `InvocationInput` (event `push` | `workflow_dispatch`, mode `stable` | `dev` | `recover`) resolved into an `InvocationContext` whose package order is fixed: `@wednesdayai/whatsapp` first, core second. Out-of-order or unbounded identifiers are rejected before anything ships.
* **Sealed inventories** (`scripts/npm-publish/stable.ts`): stable publications move through a state machine whose terminal inventory state is `sealed`; receipts record every transition, and a core package published out of order lands in `core-published-out-of-order` for reconcile instead of diverging silently.
* **Static checks in the meantime**: `scripts/release-check.ts` performs static-only release checks; the OIDC workflow is the settled sole-publisher design (see #407), not yet the enforced only path.