Audit and remove obsolete legacy release/distribution surface

[cbusillo]

Objective

Reduce the repo surface area we have to own by auditing and removing obsolete release/distribution code, workflows, scripts, docs, and metadata that only support legacy overlay or public-package publishing paths we no longer intend to use.

Current Status

State: Waiting
Next action: Complete the release model decision in #126, then audit stale release/distribution references and remove or quarantine obsolete pieces in focused PRs.
Blocked by: #126 release workflow decision.
Last verified: 2026-05-24 after deciding npm/Homebrew are not required for auto updates and GitHub Releases should be the update source.

Scope

• In: Legacy Binary Release workflow remnants, overlay release-note scripts, obsolete tag-prefix handling, stale docs, unused npm/Homebrew release scripts, stale metadata in .github/github.json, and references that imply public distribution is required for internal updates.
• Out: Removing active upstream attribution, deleting import/sync mechanisms needed for Check upstream changes from just-every/code and openai/codex #124, broad source-tree rewrites, or changing runtime behavior without a specific follow-up issue.

Acceptance Criteria

• Search repo for stale release/distribution terms such as Binary Release, overlay-v, every-code-v, npm publish, Homebrew publish, and local overlay release notes.
• Classify each finding as active, update, remove, or leave with rationale.
• Remove obsolete files/steps rather than carrying dead code where safe.
• Update .github/github.json so workflow and docs metadata match the actual release model.
• Update docs to describe GitHub Releases as the internal update source.
• Preserve clear attribution to Every Code and OpenAI Codex CLI.
• ./build-fast.sh passes for any code/workflow-impacting cleanup.

Relationships

Depends on #126.
Related to #121 and #122, which should remain deferred unless package-manager distribution becomes intentional again.
Related to #124, because upstream import/sync mechanisms must be preserved.
Related to #85, because reducing legacy surface is part of making the fork maintainable as our own internal tool.

Notes

The intent is not a deletion spree. The goal is to remove dead or misleading surfaces so future release/update work has fewer traps and less ambiguous ownership.

[cbusillo]

Progress update from PR #131:

Completed the first release/distribution cleanup pass:

• Removed the legacy tag-driven Binary Release workflow.
• Removed overlay release-note/tag helper scripts.
• Removed Homebrew formula generation docs/scripts and Release workflow tap publishing.
• Removed npm auth/publish/package-assembly legs from the active Release workflow.
• Changed Release version selection to use repo package metadata plus v* GitHub release tags instead of npm registry state.
• Updated .github/github.json, docs/local-overlay.md, docs/index.md, and scripts/local/fork-health.sh to match the GitHub Releases-only internal update-source direction.

Validation:

• ./build-fast.sh passed locally.
• PR chore: remove legacy release distribution surface #131 Blob size policy passed.
• Post-merge Release run 26369200104 passed 8/8 jobs on main.

Remaining follow-up for this issue or #130: other workflows still invoke npx -y @just-every/code@latest as an automation source. That is separate from release publishing and should be audited before removing npm package/runtime surfaces.

[cbusillo]

Completed the remaining release/distribution cleanup in PRs #145 and #146.

What changed:

• Replaced workflow npx -y @just-every/code@latest automation launches with repo-built binaries or GitHub Release bootstrap.
• Pointed TUI update checks and guided upgrades at cbusillo/code GitHub Releases and code update --yes.
• Updated README/install/Zed/advanced docs away from npm/Homebrew as the default distribution story.
• Removed the unreferenced standalone install scripts that still fetched OpenAI rust-v* releases.
• Preserved active upstream/tooling surfaces such as rusty-v8 release pins, argument-comment-lint DotSlash assets, Python SDK compatibility tag handling, and upstream attribution.

Validation:

• Align release distribution surfaces #145: local ./build-fast.sh, GitHub Release bootstrap helper smoke, Blob size policy passed, post-merge Release run 26424684969 passed 8/8.
• Remove legacy OpenAI install scripts #146: local ./build-fast.sh, Blob size policy passed, post-merge Release run 26425532550 passed 8/8.
• code update-check reports local 0.6.105 is up to date with latest v0.6.105.

No open release metadata PR remains, and npm/Homebrew publishing remains deferred unless intentionally revived by #121/#122 or a future distribution decision.