csharp-sdk/.github/workflows/release.md

Release Process

The following process is used when publishing new releases to NuGet.org.

1. Ensure the CI workflow is fully green

• Some integration tests are flaky and may require re-running
• Once the state of the branch is known to be good, a release can proceed
• The release workflow does not run tests — CI must be green before starting

2. Prepare the release

From a local clone of the repository, use Copilot CLI to invoke the prepare-release skill. The skill assesses the semantic version, bumps the version in src/Directory.Build.props, runs API compatibility checks, reviews documentation, drafts release notes, and creates a pull request with all release artifacts.

Review the PR, request changes if needed, and merge when ready.

3. Publish the release

After the prepare-release PR is merged, invoke the publish-release skill. The skill checks for any late-arriving PRs that could affect the release, refreshes the release notes, and creates a draft GitHub release.

Review the draft release on GitHub, check 'Set as a pre-release' if appropriate, and click 'Publish release'.

4. Monitor the Release workflow

• After publishing, a workflow will produce build artifacts and publish the NuGet packages to NuGet.org
• If the job fails, troubleshoot and re-run the workflow as needed
• Verify the package version becomes listed at nuget.org/packages/ModelContextProtocol