add np to automate release steps

[sndrs]

What does this change?

• adds https://github.com/sindresorhus/np
• creates a release script, so that new releases can be managed by running npm run release

[JamieB-gu]

As far as I understand it, this is meant to be run from your repo directory on an up-to-date version of the main branch? Does that mean it requires pushing directly to main?

[sndrs]

you run it locally, so it will bump package.json and add a tag too, and push that. so that's a good point, you'd need someone with write permission to main to run it

[tjmw]

This LGTM 👍

(And thanks for the reminder that I've been meaning to give np a try on another project).

[akash1810]

Nice! We've recently added np to the cdk project and it's excellent. There's a slight caveat when you have branch protection enabled, as described here. We've not properly solved it yet; would be good to get your thoughts.

Update: If you run tsc in a prepublish script, I think you can remove prepare as the tarball will have the compiled code. I've found running npm pack locally to be useful to understand what will get published.

[akash1810]

Not sure if you want to be explicit about the branch too to enforce only main being used for publishing?

Suggested change

	"yarn": false
	"yarn": false,
	"branch": "main"

[sndrs]

main or master are the defaults

[sndrs]

there no easy solution if your main branch is protected, because making sure main is in sync with the released version requires writing to main as part of the process.

given this repo has no CD setup, what is the value of protecting main? (versus the benefit of the release process being able to write package metadata)

[JamieB-gu]

I think you can remove prepare as the tarball will have the compiled code

Removing prepare would break the GitHub installs I think, because the tarball only applies to the registry? Unless there's a way to associate one with GitHub releases?

given this repo has no CD setup, what is the value of protecting main?

Preventing developers from accidentally pushing to main? Unless there's another way to prevent that?

[oliverlloyd]

Shall we?

[oliverlloyd]

@sndrs any objections to me merging this one? np seems like a great lib and I'm keen to try it out!