This action generates a new dev version number for a git branch, e.g. 1.0.0-dev.1 for all projects where the version is part of a json file, e.g. package.json.

It accepts a json file path and a branch name as input. No release magic or analyzing changelogs is happening. The main part of the version, e.g. 1.0.0 will not be touched. It is more like "This dev-version is based on v1.0.0" instead of semantic releases, where each prerelease bumps the correct breaking, feature or fix version.

1. reads a json file - in general a package.json
2. check the version field in the json file
3. decides if there is already a dev release
4. creates a new version for that branch or increase the dev-release number
5. writes the new version into the json file
6. provides the new version string as output of the action
7. Now you can do what you want, e.g. commit & push the changes, use it for a build step or anything else :)

1. there is a branch named dev and its base branch is master
2. the package.json version is 1.0.0
3. Using this action results in version 1.0.0-dev.1
4. Running this action again, it will result in 1.0.0-dev.2

1. there is a branch named parent and its base branch is master
2. now another branch child is based on parent
3. there is already a dev version in parent - 1.0.0-parent.1
4. Using this action for child results in version 1.0.0-child.1
5. The nesting is not represented in the version!

1. there is a branch named feat/next-big-thing
2. Using this action for feat/next-big-thing results in version 1.0.0-next-big-thing.1

• branch: The name of the branch to check if the current branch is master or a dev-branch. Default master.
• filePath: The json file path or file name where the version field is present. Default package.json.

• version: The generated version number.

uses: codaline-io/dev-version@0.1.2
with:
  branch: feat/dev-branch
  filePath: ./package.json