maintainer-ci-and-release-health

name	maintainer-ci-and-release-health
description	Help maintainers keep CI, release automation, and distribution channels healthy and consistent across a repository's workflows, packaging manifests, and agent-instruction files. Use when a maintainer needs to audit or improve CI coverage, releases, or multi-channel distribution.
metadata	{"author":"naorpeled","version":"1.0.0"}

Maintainer CI and release health

Use this skill for recurring checks on continuous integration, release automation, and package distribution, and for keeping agent-instruction files in sync with the conventions they are meant to enforce.

Primary inputs

• .github/workflows/*.yml
• release tooling such as .goreleaser.yml, Makefile, or package.json scripts
• distribution manifests: npm package.json, Homebrew formulas, install scripts (install.js, install.sh)
• AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, or other agent-instruction files
• automated code review or CI bot output (e.g. compliance or lint findings)

Instructions

Ongoing workflows

1. Check that CI runs the same validation on every platform the project ships for (e.g. Linux, macOS, Windows), not just the maintainer's default environment.
2. Verify pull request validation workflows and nightly/scheduled smoke tests stay aligned with the current build and release process.
3. When a release changes install paths (npm, Homebrew, binaries), confirm every distribution channel was updated together, not just one.
4. Cross-check automated review or compliance bot findings against the project's documented conventions (e.g. AGENTS.md) to confirm they are still accurate, and flag stale or contradictory rules.

One-off improvements

1. Add missing cross-platform coverage to CI when a bug report is platform-specific.
2. Consolidate duplicated install/build logic across distribution channels.
3. Update AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md when project conventions change so AI-assisted contributions and automated reviewers stay accurate.

Recommendations to apply

• Treat CI, release, and distribution consistency as maintainer work, on par with code review.
• Prefer fixing the root cause once (e.g. shared install logic) over patching each platform or channel separately.
• Keep agent-instruction files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md) as living documents that reflect current conventions, since automated reviewers and AI-assisted contributors rely on them.
• When responding to automated review findings, verify them against the actual code before asking a contributor to act on them.

Output format

Return one or more of:

• a list of platform or channel gaps in CI, release, or distribution
• specific workflow or manifest changes to close those gaps
• notes on agent-instruction files that are stale or inconsistent with the codebase