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Create a hotfix release by cherry-picking specific commits from main onto the latest release tag.
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# Hotfix Release
Create a hotfix release by cherry-picking specific commits from main onto the latest release tag.
## Overview
This workflow helps you:
1. Select specific commits from main to include in a hotfix
2. Create a release notes commit on main (changelog + version bump)
3. Cherry-pick everything onto the latest release tag
4. Tag and push the new release
## Step 1: Setup and Gather Information
First, ensure we're on main and up to date:
```bash
git checkout main && git pull origin main
```
Get the latest release tag:
```bash
git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1
```
## Step 2: Present Commits Since Last Release
Show all commits on main since the last release tag:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
git log ${LAST_TAG}..HEAD --oneline --format="%h %s (%an)"
```
Also get the commit messages already on the tag (to identify previously cherry-picked commits). Note: Run these as separate commands to avoid shell parsing issues with parentheses in author names:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
PREV_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -2 | tail -1)
```
```bash
git log $PREV_TAG..$LAST_TAG --oneline --format="%s"
```
**Present the list** to the user in a numbered format with commit hash, subject, and author. For any commits whose subject line already appears in the tag's history (previously cherry-picked in an earlier hotfix) or are "Release Notes" commits, add `(already in previous hotfix)` or `(release notes - skip)` after them so the user knows to skip those.
Ask which commits to include in the hotfix.
Use the ask_followup_question tool to let the user specify which commits they want (by number or hash).
## Step 3: Analyze Selected Commits
For each selected commit:
1. Get the full commit message: `git show --no-patch --format="%B" <hash>`
2. Get the diff to understand the change: `git show <hash> --stat`
3. Find the associated PR if any: `gh pr list --search "<hash>" --state merged --json number,title --jq '.[0]'`
Build a mental model of what these changes do for the changelog.
## Step 4: Determine New Version Number
Parse the current version from package.json and the last tag:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
echo "Last release: $LAST_TAG"
cat package.json | grep '"version"'
```
Hotfixes always increment the patch version (e.g., 3.40.0 -> 3.40.1, or 3.40.1 -> 3.40.2).
**Ask the user to confirm the new version number.**
## Step 5: Create Release Notes Commit on Main
On the main branch, create a commit that updates:
1. **CHANGELOG.md** - Add a new section for the hotfix version at the top:
```markdown
## [3.40.1]
- Description of fix 1
- Description of fix 2
```
Write clear, user-friendly descriptions based on your analysis of the commits.
2. **package.json** - Update the version field to the new version
3. No changelog-entry file cleanup is needed. Contributors do not create changelog-entry files in this repo.
**Skip running `npm run install:all`** - release automation handles lockfile consistency as needed.
Commit with message format: `v{VERSION} Release Notes (hotfix)`
In the commit body, mention:
- This is for a hotfix release
- List the cherry-picked commits that will be included
```bash
git add CHANGELOG.md package.json
git commit -m "v3.40.1 Release Notes (hotfix)
Hotfix release including:
- <commit1-hash>: <description>
- <commit2-hash>: <description>
"
```
Push to main:
```bash
git push origin main
```
## Step 6: Build the Hotfix on the Tag
Checkout the last release tag (detached HEAD):
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
git checkout $LAST_TAG
```
Cherry-pick the selected commits in order:
```bash
git cherry-pick <commit1-hash>
git cherry-pick <commit2-hash>
# ... etc
```
Finally, cherry-pick the release notes commit you just pushed to main:
```bash
# Get the hash of the release notes commit (should be HEAD of main)
RELEASE_NOTES_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse main)
git cherry-pick $RELEASE_NOTES_COMMIT
```
## Step 7: Tag and Push
After all cherry-picks are applied successfully:
```bash
# Tag the new release
git tag v{VERSION}
# Push the tag to remote
git push origin v{VERSION}
```
## Step 8: Return to Main and Summary
Return to main branch:
```bash
git checkout main
```
**Copy a Slack announcement message to clipboard** with the version and PR links for each included fix:
```
VS Code Hotfix v{VERSION} Published
- Description of fix 1 https://github.com/cline/cline/pull/{PR_NUMBER}
- Description of fix 2 https://github.com/cline/cline/pull/{PR_NUMBER}
```
Present a final summary:
- New version: v{VERSION}
- Tag pushed: yes
- Commits included: (list them)
- Slack message copied to clipboard: yes
Remind the user to:
1. Manually trigger the publish release GitHub Action at: https://github.com/cline/cline/actions/workflows/ext-vscode-publish-stable.yml (paste `v{VERSION}` as the tag)
2. Post the Slack message to announce the hotfix
## Important Notes
- This workflow does NOT create a release branch - only tags
- The release notes commit goes to main first, then gets cherry-picked to the tag
- This keeps main's history accurate while allowing hotfix releases from tags
- If cherry-pick conflicts occur, resolve them before continuingRunning prompts needs a free account.
Sign in and we'll stream the response from Claude Sonnet 4.6 right here — no config needed for the platform models.
Create a hotfix release by cherry-picking specific commits from main onto the latest release tag.
# Hotfix Release
Create a hotfix release by cherry-picking specific commits from main onto the latest release tag.
## Overview
This workflow helps you:
1. Select specific commits from main to include in a hotfix
2. Create a release notes commit on main (changelog + version bump)
3. Cherry-pick everything onto the latest release tag
4. Tag and push the new release
## Step 1: Setup and Gather Information
First, ensure we're on main and up to date:
```bash
git checkout main && git pull origin main
```
Get the latest release tag:
```bash
git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1
```
## Step 2: Present Commits Since Last Release
Show all commits on main since the last release tag:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
git log ${LAST_TAG}..HEAD --oneline --format="%h %s (%an)"
```
Also get the commit messages already on the tag (to identify previously cherry-picked commits). Note: Run these as separate commands to avoid shell parsing issues with parentheses in author names:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
PREV_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -2 | tail -1)
```
```bash
git log $PREV_TAG..$LAST_TAG --oneline --format="%s"
```
**Present the list** to the user in a numbered format with commit hash, subject, and author. For any commits whose subject line already appears in the tag's history (previously cherry-picked in an earlier hotfix) or are "Release Notes" commits, add `(already in previous hotfix)` or `(release notes - skip)` after them so the user knows to skip those.
Ask which commits to include in the hotfix.
Use the ask_followup_question tool to let the user specify which commits they want (by number or hash).
## Step 3: Analyze Selected Commits
For each selected commit:
1. Get the full commit message: `git show --no-patch --format="%B" <hash>`
2. Get the diff to understand the change: `git show <hash> --stat`
3. Find the associated PR if any: `gh pr list --search "<hash>" --state merged --json number,title --jq '.[0]'`
Build a mental model of what these changes do for the changelog.
## Step 4: Determine New Version Number
Parse the current version from package.json and the last tag:
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
echo "Last release: $LAST_TAG"
cat package.json | grep '"version"'
```
Hotfixes always increment the patch version (e.g., 3.40.0 -> 3.40.1, or 3.40.1 -> 3.40.2).
**Ask the user to confirm the new version number.**
## Step 5: Create Release Notes Commit on Main
On the main branch, create a commit that updates:
1. **CHANGELOG.md** - Add a new section for the hotfix version at the top:
```markdown
## [3.40.1]
- Description of fix 1
- Description of fix 2
```
Write clear, user-friendly descriptions based on your analysis of the commits.
2. **package.json** - Update the version field to the new version
3. No changelog-entry file cleanup is needed. Contributors do not create changelog-entry files in this repo.
**Skip running `npm run install:all`** - release automation handles lockfile consistency as needed.
Commit with message format: `v{VERSION} Release Notes (hotfix)`
In the commit body, mention:
- This is for a hotfix release
- List the cherry-picked commits that will be included
```bash
git add CHANGELOG.md package.json
git commit -m "v3.40.1 Release Notes (hotfix)
Hotfix release including:
- <commit1-hash>: <description>
- <commit2-hash>: <description>
"
```
Push to main:
```bash
git push origin main
```
## Step 6: Build the Hotfix on the Tag
Checkout the last release tag (detached HEAD):
```bash
LAST_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
git checkout $LAST_TAG
```
Cherry-pick the selected commits in order:
```bash
git cherry-pick <commit1-hash>
git cherry-pick <commit2-hash>
# ... etc
```
Finally, cherry-pick the release notes commit you just pushed to main:
```bash
# Get the hash of the release notes commit (should be HEAD of main)
RELEASE_NOTES_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse main)
git cherry-pick $RELEASE_NOTES_COMMIT
```
## Step 7: Tag and Push
After all cherry-picks are applied successfully:
```bash
# Tag the new release
git tag v{VERSION}
# Push the tag to remote
git push origin v{VERSION}
```
## Step 8: Return to Main and Summary
Return to main branch:
```bash
git checkout main
```
**Copy a Slack announcement message to clipboard** with the version and PR links for each included fix:
```
VS Code Hotfix v{VERSION} Published
- Description of fix 1 https://github.com/cline/cline/pull/{PR_NUMBER}
- Description of fix 2 https://github.com/cline/cline/pull/{PR_NUMBER}
```
Present a final summary:
- New version: v{VERSION}
- Tag pushed: yes
- Commits included: (list them)
- Slack message copied to clipboard: yes
Remind the user to:
1. Manually trigger the publish release GitHub Action at: https://github.com/cline/cline/actions/workflows/ext-vscode-publish-stable.yml (paste `v{VERSION}` as the tag)
2. Post the Slack message to announce the hotfix
## Important Notes
- This workflow does NOT create a release branch - only tags
- The release notes commit goes to main first, then gets cherry-picked to the tag
- This keeps main's history accurate while allowing hotfix releases from tags
- If cherry-pick conflicts occur, resolve them before continuing{{last_tag}}