Build a release

GitHub Actions builds the student archives. A release contains the SDL runtime, compatibility builder, both SDKs, native lab starters and checks, examples, desktop libraries and license notices. Students install an archive and follow the quick start.

Release targets

Archive	Build environment
lcom-ng-linux-x86_64.tar.gz	Ubuntu 24.04, x86_64
lcom-ng-linux-arm64.tar.gz	Ubuntu 24.04, ARM64
lcom-ng-macos-x86_64.tar.gz	Intel macOS runner
lcom-ng-macos-arm64.tar.gz	Apple Silicon macOS runner
lcom-ng-windows-msys2-x86_64.tar.gz	Windows, MSYS2 MSYS ABI

Linux bundles non-system shared libraries and uses the host glibc and loader. macOS relocates dylibs, applies ad-hoc signatures, and records its minimum OS version in bundle.json; archives are not notarized. Windows includes runtime DLLs but uses MSYS2 POSIX process support, so it is not a standalone native Windows compiler target. Windows ARM is not supported.

Make a candidate

1. Finish the changes and run devenv shell -- lcom-ng-verify.
2. Keep CMakeLists.txt and package.json versions equal. CMake enforces this.
3. Commit and push the intended release revision.
4. Push an annotated tag named v plus that version, such as v0.3.1 when both files say 0.2.0.

git tag -a v0.3.1 -m "lcom-ng 0.3.1"
git push origin v0.3.1

A release build starts from a v* tag and rejects a tag that does not match the package version. All platform jobs must pass before it creates a draft GitHub release with archives, individual .sha256 files and SHA256SUMS. Review the draft and publish it.

Build without publishing

Open Actions → Build student releases → Run workflow. Leave publishing disabled for a candidate build, then download its archives from the successful run.

Manual publication requires an existing tag that matches the package version; it also creates a draft after all checks pass. Pull requests and main-branch pushes build and test without creating a release.

Published releases are immutable. Rerunning a published tag fails, and a draft is updated only while it stays a draft. Use a new version tag for follow-up changes.

What the gates prove

Each job builds with SDL enabled, runs the runtime and lab suite, packages the student payload, extracts it elsewhere, and tests the installed CLI. The archive smoke builds and runs original Minix-style lab code, builds a native starter, checks fresh TODO failures, and starts SDL with dummy/software drivers.

A local arm64 macOS check additionally exercised real keyboard input and games. It is not a CI gate. A dummy-display smoke does not prove physical input responsiveness or visual quality. Linux, Intel macOS and Windows need their own successful Actions runs before shipping.

Packaging owners

File	Purpose
.github/workflows/release.yml	Platform builds and draft release publication
scripts/package_student.py	Shared SDK, docs and declared example contents
scripts/package_desktop.py	Linux / Windows dependencies and archive
scripts/build_release_sdl.sh	Pinned SDL3 dependency build on Linux
tests/student_bundle_smoke.py	Relocated Linux / Windows SDK and SDL check
scripts/package_macos.py	Relocatable macOS student archive
tests/macos_bundle_smoke.py	Installed macOS archive verification
.github/workflows/docs.yml	Build and deploy the verified website

Packaging includes only examples declared by CMake's student-examples.txt. It must not collect stale executables from a developer's build folder.