release-tag
Automatically create semantic version git tags
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The tool solves a real problem—deterministic semantic versioning in git—with low friction, no dependencies, active maintenance, and permissive licensing. It's useful for any project automating releases or enforcing version discipline. The small repository size and recent activity suggest it's stable for its narrow scope.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a git repository with existing tags to calculate the next version; git must be installed and accessible.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies; actively maintained with recent commits and steady release cadence since initial release in late 2024.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — MIT License permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal obligations—suitable for any project type.
last release 2026-03-11 (156 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-10 · 2 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 186,163 downloads/mo, #9,994 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install release-tag
tag --help
tag --patch --push- Whether the tool correctly handles edge cases like jumping from pre-release to stable versions or vice versa.
- Performance and behavior when used in repositories with very large tag histories.
- Compatibility with non-standard git workflows or hosting platforms beyond GitHub.
What it is and what it does
release-tag is a command-line tool that calculates and creates semantic version git tags automatically. It reads your repository's existing tags, determines the next version according to SemVer precedence rules, and optionally pushes the tag to a remote. You control the increment level (major, minor, or patch), can add pre-release suffixes like 'alpha' or 'rc', and set custom prefixes or build metadata. The tool discourages duplicate tags on the same commit and integrates with pre-commit hooks for automated validation.
It's written in Go but distributed as a Python package, with zero runtime dependencies when installed via pip. The tool runs as a standalone CLI command and is useful in CI/CD pipelines, release workflows, or local development where you want consistent, rule-based version tagging without manual calculation.
Use it for
- Automate version tagging in CI/CD pipelines during release workflows to ensure consistent SemVer compliance.
- Validate tag ancestry in pre-push hooks to prevent accidental duplicate or out-of-order tags.
- Manage pre-release versions (alpha, beta, rc) with automatic suffix handling and increment logic.
- Generate the next version number for scripted release processes without manual SemVer calculation.
- Integrate with build systems to tag commits with appropriate version identifiers before deployment.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The tool solves a real problem—deterministic semantic versioning in git—with low friction, no dependencies, active maintenance, and permissive licensing. It's useful for any project automating releases or enforcing version discipline. The small repository size and recent activity suggest it's stable for its narrow scope.
Install
release-tag on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies; actively maintained with recent commits and steady release cadence since initial release in late 2024.
Requires a git repository with existing tags to calculate the next version; git must be installed and accessible.
License in practice
MIT License permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal obligations—suitable for any project type.
Quickstart
pip install release-tag
tag --help
tag --patch --pushVerify before relying
- Whether the tool correctly handles edge cases like jumping from pre-release to stable versions or vice versa.
- Performance and behavior when used in repositories with very large tag histories.
- Compatibility with non-standard git workflows or hosting platforms beyond GitHub.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 156 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 186,163 / month, #9,994 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Go |
Evidence: release_tag-0.5.2-py3-none-any.whl
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See also autosemver · bump-my-version · semver · inventree-ipn-generator · semver4 · lexid · semantic-version · tbump · vcver · bump