How do you tag a release in GitHub?

To tag a release in GitHub, you create a new release and, during this process, you can either select an existing Git tag or create a brand new one directly from the release drafting page. This process allows you to mark specific points in your project's history, typically a versioned snapshot of your code.

Why Tag Releases?

Tags are fundamental for effective version control and project management, especially in collaborative environments. They serve several critical purposes:

• Version Control: Tags provide a stable reference point for specific software versions (e.g., v1.0.0, v2.1.5), making it easy to track changes and revert to previous states if necessary.
• Stability and Reliability: By tagging releases, you indicate that a particular version of your code is stable and ready for use, testing, or deployment.
• Clear History: Tags help maintain a clear and organized history of your project, allowing contributors and users to understand the evolution of the codebase.
• Build and Deployment: Many CI/CD pipelines use tags to trigger specific build and deployment processes for new releases.

Git Tags vs. GitHub Releases: A Quick Distinction

It's important to differentiate between a Git tag and a GitHub Release:

• Git Tag: A Git tag is a pointer to a specific commit in your repository's history. It's a lightweight label for a particular point in time.
• GitHub Release: A GitHub Release is an enhanced Git tag. While it's built upon a Git tag, it provides additional features like:
  • Release Notes: Markdown-formatted descriptions of the changes included.
  • Binaries/Assets: Files (e.g., compiled executables, documentation, installer packages) that can be downloaded by users.
  • Pre-release Indicator: An option to mark a release as not yet stable for general use.

For more detailed information, you can refer to GitHub's official documentation on About releases.

Creating and Tagging a Release via GitHub UI

The most straightforward way to tag a release is directly through the GitHub web interface when drafting a new release. This method automatically creates the underlying Git tag associated with the release.

Steps to Tag Your Release:

1. Navigate to your repository: Go to the main page of your repository on GitHub.
2. Access the Releases page:
   • On the repository's main page, locate the "Releases" section, often found in the right sidebar or by clicking on the "Code" tab and then selecting "Releases."
3. Draft a new release: At the top of the Releases page, click the "Draft a new release" button.
4. Choose or create a tag: This is the crucial step where you specify the tag for your release. You have two options:
   • To use an existing tag: Select the Choose a tag dropdown menu and click on the desired existing tag from the list. This is useful if you've already created a Git tag locally and pushed it to GitHub.
   • To create a new tag: In the Choose a tag dropdown, type a version number for your release (e.g., v1.0.0, 2.1.0-beta) into the text field. GitHub will then present an option to "Create new tag" – click this option to instantly create the new tag.
5. Provide release details:
   • Enter a Release title (this is usually the same as the tag name or a more descriptive title).
   • Write a Description for your release, highlighting new features, bug fixes, or breaking changes.
   • Optionally, attach release assets (binaries, zip files, etc.) by dragging and dropping them or using the file browser.
6. Publish the release: Once all details are set, you can:
   • Mark it as a pre-release if it's not yet production-ready.
   • Choose to Save draft if you're not ready to publish.
   • Finally, click "Publish release" to make your tagged release live.

The following table summarizes the tag selection process:

Action	Description
Select Tag	Choose from a list of Git tags that already exist in your repository. This option is ideal when you want to create a GitHub Release based on an existing, pushed Git tag that was perhaps created via the command line or another release process.
Create New Tag	Type a new version string (e.g., v2.0.0, v1.0.0-rc1) directly into the tag field. GitHub will then automatically create this Git tag and associate it with your new Release. The tag will point to the commit at the head of the branch you select for the release, making it incredibly convenient for immediate release creation.

Best Practices for Effective Release Tagging

To ensure your tags are consistent and useful, consider these best practices:

Semantic Versioning (SemVer)

Adopting Semantic Versioning is highly recommended for clear, consistent, and predictable version numbers. A SemVer tag follows the format MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, optionally with pre-release and build metadata.

• MAJOR version: Incremented when you make incompatible API changes.
• MINOR version: Incremented when you add functionality in a backward-compatible manner.
• PATCH version: Incremented when you make backward-compatible bug fixes.

Example: v1.2.3, v2.0.0, v1.0.0-beta.1
You can learn more at Semantic Versioning.

Tag Naming Conventions

• Prefix with v: It's a common and good practice to prefix your tags with a v (e.g., v1.0.0 instead of 1.0.0). This clearly distinguishes tags from other identifiers.
• Avoid spaces: Use hyphens or dots if you need separators within the tag name (e.g., v1.0.0-beta).
• Consistency: Maintain a consistent naming convention across all your releases.

Pre-releases and Draft Releases

• Pre-releases: Use the "Set as a pre-release" checkbox when drafting a release to indicate that a version is not yet stable or ready for production. This is useful for beta versions or release candidates.
• Draft Releases: If you're not ready to publish a release immediately, you can save it as a "Draft." This allows you to prepare all release details without making it publicly available until you're ready.

Managing Your Release Tags

Once a release is tagged and published, it's generally considered a permanent marker.

Viewing Tags

You can view all tags associated with your repository:

• GitHub UI: Go to your repository's main page, click on the "Releases" tab, and you'll see a list of all your releases and their corresponding tags.
• Command Line: Use git tag in your local repository to list all local tags, and git tag --list or git ls-remote --tags origin to see remote tags.

Deleting or Updating Tags

While it's technically possible to delete or overwrite tags, it's strongly discouraged for released versions because it can break existing references and cause confusion for users who might have based their work on that specific tag. If absolutely necessary:

• Local deletion: git tag -d <tagname>
• Remote deletion: git push --delete origin <tagname>

It's better to create a new tag with the correct version if an error was made, rather than altering an existing one that has already been published.