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feat: support previous_tag for generate_release_notes #372

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chenrui333 merged 2 commits into from
Mar 15, 2026
+328 −276
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feat: support previous_tag for generate_release_notes #372

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b7faba1
feat: add generate from latest tag
pocesar Jul 10, 2023
bbcf902
chore: refresh previous_tag docs and bundle
chenrui333 Mar 15, 2026
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15 changes: 15 additions & 0 deletions README.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -173,6 +173,20 @@ jobs:
token: ${{ secrets.CUSTOM_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
```

When you use GitHub's built-in `generate_release_notes` support, you can optionally
pin the comparison base explicitly with `previous_tag`. This is useful when the default
comparison range does not match the release series you want to publish.

```yaml
- name: Release
uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
with:
tag_name: stage-2026-03-15
target_commitish: ${{ github.sha }}
previous_tag: prod-2026-03-01
generate_release_notes: true
```

### 💅 Customizing

#### inputs
Expand All @@ -196,6 +210,7 @@ The following are optional as `step.with` keys
| `token` | String | Authorized GitHub token or PAT. Defaults to `${{ github.token }}` when omitted. A non-empty explicit token overrides `GITHUB_TOKEN`. Passing `""` treats the token as explicitly unset, so omit the input entirely or use an expression such as `${{ inputs.token || github.token }}` when wrapping this action in a composite action. |
| `discussion_category_name` | String | If specified, a discussion of the specified category is created and linked to the release. The value must be a category that already exists in the repository. For more information, see ["Managing categories for discussions in your repository."](https://docs.github.com/en/discussions/managing-discussions-for-your-community/managing-categories-for-discussions-in-your-repository) |
| `generate_release_notes` | Boolean | Whether to automatically generate the name and body for this release. If name is specified, the specified name will be used; otherwise, a name will be automatically generated. If body is specified, the body will be pre-pended to the automatically generated notes. See the [GitHub docs for this feature](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/automatically-generated-release-notes) for more information |
| `previous_tag` | String | Optional. When `generate_release_notes` is enabled, use this tag as GitHub's `previous_tag_name` comparison base. If omitted, GitHub chooses the comparison base automatically. |
| `append_body` | Boolean | Append to existing body instead of overwriting it |
| `make_latest` | String | Specifies whether this release should be set as the latest release for the repository. Drafts and prereleases cannot be set as latest. Can be `true`, `false`, or `legacy`. Uses GitHub api defaults if not provided |

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177 changes: 177 additions & 0 deletions __tests__/github.test.ts
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Expand Up @@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
asset,
findTagFromReleases,
finalizeRelease,
GitHubReleaser,
mimeOrDefault,
release,
Release,
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ describe('github', () => {
input_target_commitish: undefined,
input_discussion_category_name: undefined,
input_generate_release_notes: false,
input_previous_tag: undefined,
input_append_body: false,
input_make_latest: undefined,
};
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -146,6 +148,86 @@ describe('github', () => {
});
});

describe('GitHubReleaser', () => {
it('passes previous_tag_name to generateReleaseNotes and strips it from createRelease', async () => {
const generateReleaseNotes = vi.fn(async () => ({
data: {
name: 'Generated release',
body: "## What's Changed\n* Added support for previous_tag",
},
}));
const createRelease = vi.fn(async (params) => ({
data: {
id: 1,
upload_url: 'test',
html_url: 'test',
tag_name: params.tag_name,
name: params.name,
body: params.body,
target_commitish: params.target_commitish || 'main',
draft: params.draft ?? false,
prerelease: params.prerelease ?? false,
assets: [],
},
}));

const releaser = new GitHubReleaser({
rest: {
repos: {
generateReleaseNotes,
createRelease,
updateRelease: vi.fn(),
getReleaseByTag: vi.fn(),
listReleaseAssets: vi.fn(),
deleteReleaseAsset: vi.fn(),
deleteRelease: vi.fn(),
updateReleaseAsset: vi.fn(),
listReleases: {
endpoint: {
merge: vi.fn(),
},
},
},
},
paginate: {
iterator: vi.fn(),
},
request: vi.fn(),
} as any);

await releaser.createRelease({
owner: 'owner',
repo: 'repo',
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
name: 'v1.0.0',
body: 'Intro',
draft: false,
prerelease: false,
target_commitish: 'abc123',
discussion_category_name: undefined,
generate_release_notes: true,
make_latest: undefined,
previous_tag_name: 'v0.9.0',
});

expect(generateReleaseNotes).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
owner: 'owner',
repo: 'repo',
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
target_commitish: 'abc123',
previous_tag_name: 'v0.9.0',
});
expect(createRelease).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
expect.objectContaining({
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
body: "Intro\n\n## What's Changed\n* Added support for previous_tag",
generate_release_notes: false,
}),
);
expect(createRelease.mock.calls[0][0]).not.toHaveProperty('previous_tag_name');
});
});

describe('finalizeRelease input_draft behavior', () => {
const draftRelease: Release = {
id: 1,
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -340,6 +422,101 @@ describe('github', () => {
});

describe('error handling', () => {
it('passes previous_tag_name through when creating a release with generated notes', async () => {
const createReleaseSpy = vi.fn(async () => ({
data: {
id: 1,
upload_url: 'test',
html_url: 'test',
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
name: 'test',
body: 'generated notes',
target_commitish: 'main',
draft: true,
prerelease: false,
assets: [],
},
}));

await release(
{
...config,
input_generate_release_notes: true,
input_previous_tag: 'v0.9.0',
},
{
getReleaseByTag: () => Promise.reject({ status: 404 }),
createRelease: createReleaseSpy,
updateRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
finalizeRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
allReleases: async function* () {
yield { data: [] };
},
listReleaseAssets: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
deleteReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
deleteRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
updateReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
uploadReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
},
1,
);

expect(createReleaseSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
expect.objectContaining({
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
generate_release_notes: true,
previous_tag_name: 'v0.9.0',
}),
);
});

it('passes previous_tag_name through when updating a release with generated notes', async () => {
const existingRelease: Release = {
id: 1,
upload_url: 'test',
html_url: 'test',
tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
name: 'test',
body: 'existing body',
target_commitish: 'main',
draft: false,
prerelease: false,
assets: [],
};
const updateReleaseSpy = vi.fn(async () => ({ data: existingRelease }));

await release(
{
...config,
input_generate_release_notes: true,
input_previous_tag: 'v0.9.0',
},
{
getReleaseByTag: () => Promise.resolve({ data: existingRelease }),
createRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
updateRelease: updateReleaseSpy,
finalizeRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
allReleases: async function* () {
yield { data: [existingRelease] };
},
listReleaseAssets: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
deleteReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
deleteRelease: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
updateReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
uploadReleaseAsset: () => Promise.reject('Not implemented'),
},
1,
);

expect(updateReleaseSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
expect.objectContaining({
release_id: existingRelease.id,
generate_release_notes: true,
previous_tag_name: 'v0.9.0',
}),
);
});

it('creates published prereleases without the forced draft-first path', async () => {
const prereleaseConfig = {
...config,
Expand Down
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