# What Is the Release Cycle for OpenClaw Windows Node?

> Discover the OpenClaw Windows Node release cycle: its tag-driven, CI-automated process uses GitVersion and GitHub Actions for efficient artifact management.

- Repository: [openclaw/openclaw-windows-node](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node)
- Tags: release-cycle
- Published: 2026-06-06

---

**OpenClaw Windows Node follows a tag-driven, CI-automated release cycle that combines GitVersion-based semantic versioning with GitHub Actions to build, test, sign, and publish artifacts.**

The `openclaw/openclaw-windows-node` repository manages releases through a fully automated pipeline triggered by Git tags. Understanding the release cycle for openclaw-windows-node is essential for maintainers shipping new versions and for evaluating the stability of prerelease builds. All release logic is codified in [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) and documented in [`docs/RELEASING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/RELEASING.md).

## The Four-Phase Release Process

The release cycle consists of four distinct phases: preparation, tagging, CI execution, and post-release verification. Each phase includes specific validation gates to ensure only signed, tested artifacts reach the public.

### Phase 1: Preparation and Cleanup

Maintainers begin by synchronizing a clean `master` branch. This ensures the release originates from the exact state of the remote repository, eliminating local artifacts that could contaminate the build.

Run these commands from the repository root:

```powershell

# Ensure a clean master branch

git switch master
git fetch origin master --prune
git reset --hard origin/master
git clean -fd
git status --short --branch

```

Before tagging, verify that [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) contains the required release policies for executable signing and installer generation:

```powershell
Select-String .github/workflows/ci.yml -Pattern `
  "Verify Release Executable Signing Policy", `
  "OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI.exe", `
  "build-msix:", `
  "Paused for alpha"

```

### Phase 2: Version Tagging with GitVersion

OpenClaw Windows Node uses **GitVersion** to derive semantic versions directly from Git history. Maintainers create annotated tags to trigger the release pipeline.

For stable releases, use the format `vX.Y.Z`. For prereleases, append `-alpha.N`:

```powershell
$tag = "v0.6.0-alpha.4"
if ((git rev-parse HEAD) -ne (git rev-parse origin/master)) {
    throw "HEAD is not origin/master; abort."
}
git tag -a $tag -m "OpenClaw Windows Hub $tag"
git push origin $tag

```

Tagging immediately triggers the CI workflow configured in [`/.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main//.github/workflows/ci.yml).

### Phase 3: Automated CI Execution

The GitHub Actions pipeline runs five sequential jobs defined in [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml):

1. **`repo-hygiene`** – Validates linting rules and checks for stray `.squad` files.
2. **`test`** – Executes unit tests gated by the `OPENCLAW_RUN_INTEGRATION` environment variable.
3. **`e2etests`** – Runs integration, UI, and functional end-to-end tests.
4. **`build`** – Compiles Win-x64 and Win-ARM64 binaries.
5. **`release`** – Downloads artifacts, signs executables using `scripts/Test-ReleaseExecutableSignatures.ps1`, validates native dependencies via `scripts/Test-ReleaseNativeDependencies.ps1`, creates ZIP payloads, builds Inno Setup installers, signs installers, and publishes the GitHub release.

The `release` job automatically derives the semantic version from the tag and injects it into artifact names, ensuring traceability from binary back to source tag.

### Phase 4: Post-Release Verification

After the CI completes, maintainers verify the published assets match the source tag and contain valid digital signatures:

```powershell

# View the release metadata

gh release view $tag --repo openclaw/openclaw-windows-node `
  --json tagName,isPrerelease,isLatest,url,assets

# Verify executable signatures

.\scripts\Test-ReleaseExecutableSignatures.ps1 `
  -PayloadPath artifacts/tray-win-x64 `
  -RequireSignedOpenClaw

```

Verification confirms that prerelease flags are set correctly for alpha builds, that `OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI.exe` carries a valid signature, and that third-party binaries remain unsigned as expected.

## Key Configuration Files

Several files codify the release cycle policies:

- **[`docs/RELEASING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/RELEASING.md)** – Contains the human-readable release checklist and exact PowerShell commands for maintainers.
- **[`/.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main//.github/workflows/ci.yml)** – Implements the job orchestration, gating logic, and release automation.
- **[`GitVersion.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/GitVersion.yml)** – Configures the GitVersion tool to generate SemVer strings from Git tags without manual version bumping.
- **[`docs/VERSIONING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/VERSIONING.md)** – Documents the semantic versioning policy and tag naming conventions.
- **`scripts/Test-ReleaseExecutableSignatures.ps1`** – Validates that only OpenClaw-owned executables are signed.
- **`scripts/Test-ReleaseNativeDependencies.ps1`** – Ensures required native runtimes (VC-runtime, libsodium) are present in the payload.

## Summary

The release cycle for openclaw-windows-node is fully automated and traceable:

- **Tag-driven**: Releases originate from annotated Git tags following SemVer conventions (`vX.Y.Z` or `vX.Y.Z-alpha.N`).
- **CI-gated**: The [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml) pipeline enforces testing, building, signing, and packaging before any artifacts publish.
- **Signature-validated**: Every release undergoes mandatory signature verification via `Test-ReleaseExecutableSignatures.ps1`.
- **Documented**: All procedures are recorded in [`docs/RELEASING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/RELEASING.md) and [`docs/VERSIONING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/VERSIONING.md).

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does OpenClaw Windows Node handle version numbering?

The project uses GitVersion to automatically calculate semantic versions based on Git history. According to [`docs/VERSIONING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/VERSIONING.md), maintainers do not manually bump version numbers in code files; instead, they create annotated tags (e.g., `v0.6.0-alpha.4`), and the CI pipeline injects the computed version into build artifacts during the `release` job.

### What distinguishes stable releases from alpha releases?

Stable releases use the format `vX.Y.Z` without suffixes, while alpha prereleases append `-alpha.N` (e.g., `v0.6.0-alpha.4`). The CI workflow automatically sets the `isPrerelease` flag on GitHub releases for alpha tags, and the [`docs/RELEASING.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/docs/RELEASING.md) checklist includes specific steps for verifying alpha-specific policies before publishing.

### Where are the signing and validation scripts located?

The repository stores release verification scripts in the `scripts/` directory. `Test-ReleaseExecutableSignatures.ps1` validates that `OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI.exe` and other first-party binaries carry valid digital signatures, while `Test-ReleaseNativeDependencies.ps1` confirms required dependencies like the VC-runtime and libsodium are included in the final payload.

### Can I monitor the release pipeline in real time?

Yes. Use the GitHub CLI to watch the `Build and Test` workflow execute after pushing a tag:

```powershell
gh run list --repo openclaw/openclaw-windows-node `
  --workflow "Build and Test" `
  --limit 10

```

This command displays the status of the `repo-hygiene`, `test`, `build`, and `release` jobs defined in [`.github/workflows/ci.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml).