feat(release): add auto-merge-level input for release-please PRs - #185
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Add an `auto-merge-level` input (none, patch, minor, major; default none) to the release-please reusable workflow. When set, the workflow enables GitHub auto-merge (`gh pr merge --auto --squash`) on the open release-please PR when the PR's bump is no larger than the configured ceiling, so it merges once CI passes. The bump is derived from `.release-please-manifest.json` (next version on the PR head branch vs. current version on the base branch), so it is independent of each caller's PR-title configuration. Auto-merge is reconciled on every run: if a PR's bump grows past the ceiling before it is merged, auto-merge is disabled again. The merge runs with the release-please GitHub App token, so it is attributed to the App. The App must be granted bypass on branch protection and the repo must have "Allow auto-merge" enabled.
If a consuming repo hasn't enabled "Allow auto-merge" or hasn't granted the release-please App branch-protection bypass, enabling auto-merge on the release PR should not fail the whole release workflow run. Soft-fail the `gh pr merge --auto` call with a ::warning:: annotation instead, so the misconfiguration is surfaced without breaking the release.
QuentinBisson
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May 27, 2026
QuentinBisson
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LGTM at first glance :)
… is none Address two code-review findings on the auto-merge reconcile step: - Soft-fail the `gh pr merge --disable-auto` call with a ::warning:: annotation, symmetrically with the enable path, so a transient API error or a race doesn't hard-fail the release run. - Guard the step with `inputs.auto-merge-level \!= 'none'`, so the default `none` is a true no-op and never disables an auto-merge that was enabled outside this workflow.
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What
Adds an
auto-merge-levelinput (none,patch,minor,major; defaultnone) to therelease.yamlrelease-please reusable workflow. When set, the workflow enables GitHub auto-merge (gh pr merge --auto --squash) on the open release-please PR when the PR's bump is no larger than the configured ceiling, so the PR merges automatically once CI passes.How it works
.release-please-manifest.json— the next version on the PR head branch vs. the current version on the base branch — so it is independent of each caller's release-please PR-title configuration.1 ≤ bump_level ≤ auto-merge-level, using the orderingnone(0) < patch(1) < minor(2) < major(3).patch→major) before it is merged, auto-merge is disabled again.release-pleaseGitHub App token, so the commits, the PR, and the merge are all attributed to the App.Test scenarios (latest release
1.3.1)auto-merge-levelOperational prerequisites (per consuming repo, outside this workflow)
release-pleaseGitHub App must be granted bypass on the branch protection rule / ruleset.The default
nonepreserves the previous behaviour, so existing callers are unaffected until they opt in.