feat(ci): add worker alpha release

[guibeira]

Summary

Adds a manual Alpha Release workflow for workers from feature branches. It produces annotated -alpha.N tags, creates release prereleases, and always publishes registry artifacts to next.

The workflow never pushes the selected feature branch or main; its version bump is reachable only through the alpha tag.

Validation

• git diff --check
• YAML parsed successfully in a temporary container
• 31 manifest-version and release-tag tests passed in a temporary container

Summary by CodeRabbit

• New Features
  • Added a manually triggered alpha-release workflow with worker selection and validation.
  • Alpha releases now generate sequential prerelease versions and publish through the fixed next channel.
  • Release operations are serialized per worker to prevent conflicts.
• Documentation
  • Added guidance for creating alpha releases from feature branches without pushing branch or main-branch changes.

[vercel]

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Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated (UTC)
workers	Ready	Preview	Jul 31, 2026 11:06pm
workers-tech-spec	Ready	Preview	Jul 31, 2026 11:06pm

[coderabbitai]

Caution

Review failed

The pull request is closed.

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Organization UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro Plus

Run ID: 9770c204-d823-45fa-a764-b0a89f8b8b95

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 1d50ab1 and 1e7affa.

📒 Files selected for processing (2)

• .github/workflows/alpha-release.yml
• docs/sops/release.md

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Changes

Alpha Release

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Prepare and validate the selected worker .github/workflows/alpha-release.yml	The manually triggered workflow selects a worker, prepares repository access, rejects main, and validates the worker manifest.
Calculate and apply the alpha version .github/workflows/alpha-release.yml	The workflow validates semver, calculates the next worker-specific alpha counter, updates the manifest, and synchronizes Cargo.lock.
Create and document the alpha tag .github/workflows/alpha-release.yml, docs/sops/release.md	The workflow rejects duplicate tags, commits the version changes, and pushes an annotated next-channel alpha tag. The release procedure documents the same flow.

Estimated code review effort: 4 (Complex) | ~45 minutes

Sequence Diagram(s)

sequenceDiagram
  participant GitHubActions
  participant WorkerRepository
  participant ReleaseWorkflow
  GitHubActions->>WorkerRepository: Validate worker manifest and branch
  GitHubActions->>WorkerRepository: Calculate version and update manifest and Cargo.lock
  GitHubActions->>WorkerRepository: Commit changes and push annotated next-channel alpha tag
  ReleaseWorkflow->>WorkerRepository: Process alpha tag as a prerelease

Loading

Possibly related PRs

• iii-hq/workers#615: Updates alpha release handling and the release documentation.
• iii-hq/workers#626: Adds a similar Alpha Release workflow and ephemeral tag flow.
• iii-hq/workers#643: Modifies the same workflow and release documentation.

Suggested reviewers: ytallo

Poem

A rabbit checks the branch with care,
Counts alpha tags in moonlit air.
It stamps the lockfile, neat and bright,
Then sends one tagged release into flight.
“Next” is the channel, crisp and clear.

✨ Finishing Touches 💡 1

🛠️ Fix failing CI checks 💡

• Create stacked PR
• Commit on current branch

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Commit unit tests in branch feat/worker-alpha-release

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[github-actions]

skill-check — worker

0 verified, 51 skipped (no docs/).

Layer	Result
structure	✓
vale	✓
ai	✓
render	✓

Four for four. Nicely done.