github.create_release

The "cut a GitHub release" pack. Caller supplies repo and tag (and optionally name, body, and a draft flag); the pack POSTs to /repos/{repo}/releases. The tag is created automatically pointing at the default branch's tip if it doesn't already exist — but for production releases you'll typically push the tag yourself first so the SHA is reproducible.

Stateless.

Inputs

Field	Type	Required	Default	Notes
repo	string	yes	—	owner/name.
tag	string	yes	—	Tag name. Created against the default branch's tip if absent.
name	string	no	tag	Release title shown on the GitHub releases page.
body	string	no	""	Markdown body — typically the changelog snippet for this version.
draft	boolean	no	false	Create as a draft (not visible to non-collaborators).
credential	string	no	github-token	PAT with Contents: Write + Webhooks: Write (fine-grained) or repo (Classic).

Outputs

Field	Type	Notes
id	number	Release id.
url	string	API URL.
html_url	string	Web URL — the public release page (or draft URL when draft: true).
upload_url	string	URL template for uploading release assets (zip/tar/binary).

Vault credentials needed

github-token — write scope.

Use it from your agent (OpenClaw chat-UI worked example)

Prompt (sent in OpenClaw chat UI / openclaw-cli agent):

Use helmdeck__github-create_release against repo "tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures" with tag="v0.0.1-demo", name="Demo release", body="Captured during helmdeck pack doc PR-B.", credential=github-token. Tell me the release id and html_url.

Tool call (1 call, no failures):

{
  "name": "helmdeck__github-create_release",
  "arguments": {
    "repo": "tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures",
    "tag": "v0.0.1-demo",
    "name": "Demo release",
    "body": "Captured during helmdeck pack doc PR-B.",
    "credential": "github-token"
  }
}

Pack response (truncated):

{"error":"handler_failed","message":"github API POST /repos/tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures/releases: 422 Validation Failed"}

Agent's final reply:

The release could not be created – the GitHub API returned a 422 Validation Failed error. This usually means the tag v0.0.1‑demo already exists or the request is missing required data.

Verified via OpenClaw 2026.5.6 + helmdeck v0.9.0-dev + openrouter/openai/gpt-oss-120b on 2026-05-07 (cost: $0.1623).

Developer reference (curl)

curl -fsS -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/v1/packs/github.create_release \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $JWT" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "repo":       "tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures",
    "tag":        "v0.0.1-demo",
    "name":       "Demo release",
    "body":       "Captured during helmdeck pack doc PR-B.",
    "credential": "github-token"
  }'

Captured response (truncated to schema-required fields):

{
  "pack": "github.create_release",
  "version": "v1",
  "output": {
    "id":       319504238,
    "url":      "https://api.github.com/repos/tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures/releases/319504238",
    "html_url": "https://github.com/tosin2013/helmdeck-pack-doc-fixtures/releases/tag/v0.0.1-demo"
  }
}

Error codes

Code	Triggers	Captured response
handler_failed	repo or tag missing	{"error":"handler_failed","message":"repo and tag are required"}
handler_failed	Tag already has a release	github API POST …: 422 Validation Failed (with body explaining the conflict)
handler_failed	PAT lacks write access	github API POST …: 403 …

Session chaining

No session. Common chain: git.commit → repo.push → github.create_release (the agent commits and tags within a session, pushes, then cuts the release).

Async behavior

Synchronous. The tag-on-default-branch resolution and release insert is fast (<500 ms typically).

See also

• Catalog row: PACKS.md — github.create_release.
• Source: internal/packs/builtin/github.go.
• ADR 034 — Core GitHub pack set.
• Companion packs: git.commit, repo.push.