feat: make releaserator version-file agnostic

Auto-detect version file instead of hardcoding plugin.json.
Supports plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, and Cargo.toml.

Author: pborenstein

docs/CONTEXT.md

@@ -2,32 +2,32 @@
 phase: 6
 phase_name: Spec Alignment
 updated: 2026-03-28
-last_commit: 66bfefe
+last_commit: 2475b6c
 ---
 
 ## Current Focus
 
-Updated macos-launchd-service skill to use modern `launchctl bootstrap/bootout` API. Templates now generate `dev.sh` with subcommands instead of the old prompt-on-exit pattern.
+Removed hardcoded plugin.json dependency from releaserator skill. Now auto-detects version file type (plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml).
 
 ## Active Tasks
 
 - [x] Modernize launchd templates (bootstrap/bootout)
 - [x] Add dev.sh subcommands (start/stop/status)
 - [x] Update SKILL.md and usage.md references
-- [ ] Run releaserator to create version 1.3.0 release
+- [x] Make releaserator version-file agnostic
+- [ ] Run releaserator to create next release
 
 ## Blockers
 
 None.
 
 ## Context
 
-- All 3 script templates updated: dev.sh, install.sh, uninstall.sh
-- dev.sh template now has subcommands: bare=dev, start, stop, status
-- No more exit prompt in dev mode -- service stays stopped
-- SKILL.md and references/usage.md updated to match
-- Driven by fixes to temoa and apantli that revealed the skill was outdated
+- Releaserator SKILL.md and references/usage.md updated for multi-format version detection
+- Detection order: plugin.json > package.json > pyproject.toml > Cargo.toml
+- Step 1 detects, Step 2 parses, Step 7 updates, Step 8 stages the detected file
+- Error messages and success criteria now reference VERSION_FILE instead of plugin.json
 
 ## Next Session
 
-Run releaserator to create version 1.3.0 release.
+Create release with releaserator.

docs/IMPLEMENTATION.md

@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@ Living document tracking progress on the Claude Code plugin for project environm
 - ✅ Refactor fastapi-scaffold to fastapi-sweetener (additive, not generative)
 - ✅ Update python-project-init to use Click for subcommands
 - ✅ Document new workflow in README.md
+- ✅ Make releaserator version-file agnostic (support plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml)
 - ⏳ Validate all skills against spec with skill-validator (deferred)
 
-**Releases**: v1.2.1
+**Releases**: v1.2.1, v1.3.0
 
 ---
 

docs/chronicles/phase-6-spec-alignment.md

@@ -62,3 +62,24 @@ Aligning plugin with agentskills.io specification.
 **Decisions**: None
 
 **Files**: assets/dev.sh.template, assets/install.sh.template, assets/uninstall.sh.template, SKILL.md, references/usage.md
+
+---
+
+## Entry 23: Releaserator version-file agnostic (2026-03-28)
+
+**What**: Removed hardcoded `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` dependency from releaserator. Now auto-detects version file.
+
+**Why**: Releaserator could only run in Claude Code plugin repos. Non-plugin projects (Python, Node, Rust) use different version files.
+
+**How**:
+
+- Step 1 now detects version file in priority order: plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml
+- Step 2 has per-type version parsing instructions
+- Step 7 renamed to "Update Version File" with per-type update instructions
+- Step 8 stages detected VERSION_FILE instead of hardcoded path
+- Error messages and success criteria reference VERSION_FILE
+- Updated references/usage.md with "Supported Version Files" section
+
+**Decisions**: None
+
+**Files**: skills/releaserator/SKILL.md, skills/releaserator/references/usage.md

skills/releaserator/SKILL.md

@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ git status --porcelain
 # Check current branch
 git branch --show-current
 
-# Check for plugin.json
-test -f .claude-plugin/plugin.json && echo "EXISTS" || echo "MISSING"
+# Detect version file (check in priority order)
+for f in .claude-plugin/plugin.json package.json pyproject.toml Cargo.toml; do
+  test -f "$f" && echo "VERSION_FILE=$f" && break
+done
 
 # Check for gh CLI
 command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "INSTALLED" || echo "NOT_FOUND"
@@ -36,11 +38,18 @@ command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "INSTALLED" || echo "NOT_FOUND"
   - If dirty: Error with message: "Working directory has uncommitted changes. Please commit or stash changes before creating a release."
 - Current branch SHOULD be main/master
   - If not: Ask user to confirm creating release from current branch
-- plugin.json MUST exist
-  - If missing: Error with message: "File .claude-plugin/plugin.json not found. Are you in a plugin directory?"
+- A supported version file MUST exist (one of the following, checked in order):
+  - `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` — Claude Code plugin
+  - `package.json` — Node.js project
+  - `pyproject.toml` — Python project (version in `[project]` or `[tool.poetry]`)
+  - `Cargo.toml` — Rust project (version in `[package]`)
+  - If none found: Error with message: "No supported version file found. Releaserator supports: plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml"
 - gh CLI MUST be installed
   - If missing: Error with message: "GitHub CLI (gh) not found. Install with: brew install gh"
 
+**Store**:
+- `VERSION_FILE` = path to the detected version file
+
 **Optional check**: Verify docs/CONTEXT.md is recent (< 24 hours old)
 - If stale: Warn user and suggest running `/session-wrapup` first
 
@@ -49,8 +58,8 @@ command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "INSTALLED" || echo "NOT_FOUND"
 **Task**: Read current version and find last release tag
 
 ```bash
-# Read current version from plugin.json (use Read tool)
-# Parse the "version" field
+# Read current version from VERSION_FILE (use Read tool)
+# Parse the version field based on file type (see below)
 
 # Find last tag (if any)
 git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo "NO_TAGS"
@@ -59,14 +68,23 @@ git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo "NO_TAGS"
 git tag --list --sort=-version:refname
 ```
 
+**Version parsing by file type**:
+
+| Version File | How to read version |
+|---|---|
+| `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` | JSON field `"version"` |
+| `package.json` | JSON field `"version"` |
+| `pyproject.toml` | `[project] version = "X.Y.Z"` or `[tool.poetry] version = "X.Y.Z"` |
+| `Cargo.toml` | `[package] version = "X.Y.Z"` |
+
 **Logic**:
 
-- Parse version from plugin.json (e.g., "1.0.0")
+- Read and parse version from VERSION_FILE
 - If no tags exist, this is first release (baseline: use all commits)
 - If tags exist, use latest tag as baseline for commit collection
 
 **Store**:
-- `CURRENT_VERSION` = version from plugin.json
+- `CURRENT_VERSION` = version from VERSION_FILE
 - `LAST_TAG` = latest git tag (or "NO_TAGS")
 - `IS_FIRST_RELEASE` = true if no tags exist
 
@@ -257,24 +275,28 @@ test -f CHANGELOG.md && echo "EXISTS" || echo "MISSING"
 
 **Use Write tool** to create/update CHANGELOG.md
 
-### Step 7: Update plugin.json Version
+### Step 7: Update Version File
+
+**Task**: Write new version to VERSION_FILE
 
-**Task**: Write new version to .claude-plugin/plugin.json
+**By file type**:
 
-1. Read .claude-plugin/plugin.json
-2. Parse JSON
-3. Update `"version"` field to NEW_VERSION
-4. Write back with proper formatting (2-space indentation, trailing newline)
+| Version File | How to update |
+|---|---|
+| `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` | Update JSON `"version"` field. Use 2-space indentation, trailing newline. |
+| `package.json` | Update JSON `"version"` field. Preserve existing indentation and trailing newline. |
+| `pyproject.toml` | Replace `version = "OLD"` with `version = "NEW"` in the correct section. |
+| `Cargo.toml` | Replace `version = "OLD"` with `version = "NEW"` in the `[package]` section. |
 
-**Use Read and Write tools** (or Edit tool for simple replacement)
+**Use Read and Edit tools** for precise replacement.
 
 ### Step 8: Commit Version Bump
 
 **Task**: Create commit for version and changelog changes
 
 ```bash
-# Stage files
-git add .claude-plugin/plugin.json CHANGELOG.md
+# Stage files (VERSION_FILE is the detected version file from Step 1)
+git add VERSION_FILE CHANGELOG.md
 
 # Create commit
 git commit -m "chore: bump version to NEW_VERSION"
@@ -379,7 +401,7 @@ Output a summary:
 ✅ Release vNEW_VERSION created successfully!
 
 **Changes**:
-- Updated plugin.json (OLD_VERSION → NEW_VERSION)
+- Updated VERSION_FILE (OLD_VERSION → NEW_VERSION)
 - Created/updated CHANGELOG.md with entry for vNEW_VERSION
 - Committed changes (abc1234: "chore: bump version to NEW_VERSION")
 - Created git tag vNEW_VERSION
@@ -463,10 +485,10 @@ After installing, run: gh auth login
 **Message**:
 ```
 ❌ Version X.Y.Z already exists as git tag.
-Current version in plugin.json: X.Y.Z
+Current version in VERSION_FILE: X.Y.Z
 Existing tag: vX.Y.Z
 
-Please update plugin.json manually to a higher version,
+Please update the version manually in VERSION_FILE,
 or delete the tag if it was created in error:
   git tag -d vX.Y.Z
   git push origin :refs/tags/vX.Y.Z
@@ -632,7 +654,7 @@ After running releaserator, verify:
 
 - ✅ CHANGELOG.md created or updated with new entry
 - ✅ CHANGELOG.md follows Keep A Changelog format
-- ✅ plugin.json version field updated correctly
+- ✅ Version file updated correctly (plugin.json, package.json, pyproject.toml, or Cargo.toml)
 - ✅ Git commit created with conventional commit message
 - ✅ Annotated git tag created (not lightweight)
 - ✅ Tag pushed to remote

skills/releaserator/references/usage.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Releaserator automates the entire release process:
 1. **Analyzes commits** since last release using Conventional Commits
 2. **Determines version bump** (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH) based on commit types
 3. **Generates CHANGELOG.md** in Keep A Changelog format
-4. **Updates plugin.json** version
+4. **Updates version** in the project's version file (auto-detected)
 5. **Creates git tag** (vX.Y.Z)
 6. **Pushes to remote** (with confirmation)
 7. **Creates GitHub release** with generated notes
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Use releaserator when you're ready to publish a new version:
 
 - After completing a development phase
 - When significant features or fixes have accumulated
-- Before announcing the plugin to users
+- Before announcing the project to users
 - On a regular schedule (monthly, quarterly, etc.)
 
 ## Prerequisites
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ Releaserator generates Keep A Changelog formatted entries:
 
 **Files modified**:
 - `CHANGELOG.md` - New entry prepended (or file created)
-- `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` - Version field updated
+- Version file updated (auto-detected: `plugin.json`, `package.json`, `pyproject.toml`, or `Cargo.toml`)
 
 **Git operations**:
 - Commit: `chore: bump version to X.Y.Z`
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ GitLab and Gitea support coming soon!
 
 **Symptom**: Error about tag vX.Y.Z already existing
 
-**Cause**: Version in plugin.json might have been manually changed
+**Cause**: Version in the version file might have been manually changed
 
 **Solution**:
 1. Check existing tags: `git tag -l`
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ GitLab and Gitea support coming soon!
    git tag -d vX.Y.Z
    git push origin :refs/tags/vX.Y.Z
    ```
-3. Or manually update plugin.json to a higher version
+3. Or manually update the version file to a higher version
 
 ### Issue: Push fails
 
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ GitLab and Gitea support coming soon!
 **Solution**:
 - Review commits: `git log vX.Y.Z..HEAD --oneline`
 - Check commit types match changes (feat vs fix vs docs)
-- Manually adjust plugin.json version if needed
+- Manually adjust the version in your project's version file if needed
 
 ## Platform Support
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ Platform-specific code is isolated in `platforms/` directory for easy expansion.
 
 If you need a specific version (not calculated):
 
-1. Manually update `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` version
+1. Manually update the version in your project's version file
 2. Run `/releaserator`
 3. It will use your version instead of calculating
 
@@ -381,12 +381,23 @@ Currently, releaserator always asks for confirmation before pushing. This is int
 
 Pre-release versions (alpha, beta, rc) are not currently supported. This feature may be added in the future.
 
+## Supported Version Files
+
+Releaserator auto-detects the project's version file, checked in this order:
+
+| File | Project Type |
+|---|---|
+| `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` | Claude Code plugin |
+| `package.json` | Node.js |
+| `pyproject.toml` | Python |
+| `Cargo.toml` | Rust |
+
 ## Files Created
 
 After running releaserator, you'll have:
 
 - `CHANGELOG.md` - Project changelog (created or updated)
-- Updated `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` version
+- Updated version in the project's version file
 - Git commit for version bump
 - Git tag (vX.Y.Z)
 - GitHub release