# Releasing the JetBrains Plugin

JetBrains releases use a release PR. The PR is where maintainers review and edit the version and changelog before anything is published.

## Create a Release PR

1. Open the GitHub Actions workflow:

[https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/actions/workflows/prepare-jetbrains-release.yml](https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/actions/workflows/prepare-jetbrains-release.yml)

2. Click **Run workflow**.

3. Fill the inputs:

| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| `kind` | `rc` for an EAP release, `stable` for a default Marketplace release. |
| `version` | `x.y.z-rc.n` for RCs, `x.y.z` for stable releases. |
| `from_tag` | Optional previous tag for the changelog range. Leave empty unless the default range is wrong. |

Examples:

```text
kind=rc
version=7.3.13-rc.1
```

```text
kind=stable
version=7.3.13
```

## Changelog Range Defaults

The workflow chooses a changelog base automatically:

| Release | Default `from_tag` |
|---|---|
| First RC for a version, e.g. `7.3.13-rc.1` | Latest stable JetBrains tag. |
| Later RC, e.g. `7.3.13-rc.2` | Previous RC for the same base version. |
| Stable, e.g. `7.3.13` | Latest stable JetBrains tag, ignoring RCs. |

Use `from_tag` only to override this comparison range.

For the first stable JetBrains release, there may be no previous stable tag yet. In that case, pass the last RC or another reviewed JetBrains tag as `from_tag`.

## Review the PR

The workflow creates or updates a branch like:

```text
jetbrains/release/v7.3.13-rc.1
```

The PR updates:

| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `packages/kilo-jetbrains/package.json` | JetBrains plugin package version. |
| `packages/kilo-jetbrains/CHANGELOG.md` | Release notes packaged into the plugin. |

Review and edit `packages/kilo-jetbrains/CHANGELOG.md` before merging. This changelog entry is rendered into JetBrains `<change-notes>`, so it appears on the Marketplace and inside IntelliJ plugin UI.

## Merge and Publish

When the release PR is merged, the `tag-jetbrains-release` workflow validates it and creates:

```text
jetbrains/v<version>
```

That tag triggers the `publish-jetbrains` workflow:

[https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/actions/workflows/publish-jetbrains.yml](https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode/actions/workflows/publish-jetbrains.yml)

Publishing behavior:

| Version | Marketplace channel | GitHub release |
|---|---|---|
| `x.y.z-rc.n` | `eap` | Prerelease |
| `x.y.z` | default | Stable release |

The workflow verifies, signs, and publishes the plugin ZIP, then uploads the ZIP to the matching GitHub Release.

## Installing RC Builds

RC builds are published to the `eap` channel. To get them in IntelliJ IDEA:

1. Open **Settings > Plugins**.
2. Click the gear icon and choose **Manage Plugin Repositories**.
3. Add the following URL:

```text
https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugins/list?channel=eap&pluginId=28350
```

4. Search for **Kilo Code** in the Marketplace tab.

## Manual Recovery

If the PR was merged but the tag workflow failed after validation, create the tag manually at the merge commit:

```bash
git fetch origin main
git tag jetbrains/v7.3.13 <merge-sha>
git push origin jetbrains/v7.3.13
```

Do not create a tag before the release PR is merged unless intentionally bypassing the release-PR flow.

## Required GitHub Actions Secrets

| Secret | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `KILO_MAINTAINER_APP_ID` | GitHub App ID used to create/update release PRs and tags. |
| `KILO_MAINTAINER_APP_SECRET` | GitHub App private key used to create/update release PRs and tags. |
| `JETBRAINS_MARKETPLACE_TOKEN` | Marketplace API token for publishing. |
| `JETBRAINS_CERTIFICATE_CHAIN` | PEM certificate chain for plugin signing. |
| `JETBRAINS_PRIVATE_KEY` | PEM private key for plugin signing. |
| `JETBRAINS_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD` | Password for the private key. |

Before the first publish, complete `RELEASE_TODO.md` to set up these secrets and the Marketplace plugin entry.