Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Build and Release Automation agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The build-and-release skill is an instruction file for an AI coding agent. It tells the agent to take a coding task through a build step, merge the ready pull request, continue from updated main and then run a release step. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it and what it needs before you let it publish anything.
Build and Release Automationthedotmack/claude-mem · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Get the skill. Download the build-and-release ZIP from this page and unzip it.
- 2Place it correctly. Put the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or .claude/skills/ inside a project, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- 3Install the dependencies. Install the claude-mem build and release skills the instructions reference, since they are not included in this ZIP.
- 4Confirm Git access. Make sure the repository is available to Git and the agent can open and merge pull requests.
- 5Set release credentials. Provide whatever accounts or credentials the release step publishes to.
- 6Make a request. Describe the coding task and ask the agent to build and release it.
- 7Check the results. Review the merged main branch and the release output.
What the build-and-release skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent loads when it is relevant. This skill's SKILL.md asks the agent to deploy a subagent to run a whole coding session automatically, as if the subagent were typing it itself.
The instructions name three steps in order: run the claude-mem skill called build, merge the ready pull request and continue from updated main, then run the claude-mem skill called release. The text you give after the request is passed in as the task.
What the skill does not include
The SKILL.md file contains only these instructions. The actual build, merge and release behaviour comes from other claude-mem skills it refers to, which are not included in the reviewed files. You need those skills installed separately and working for this skill to do anything useful.
Install the build-and-release skill
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. For a personal setup, place the skill folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it in the project's .claude/skills/ folder.
In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/build-and-release
- Project: .claude/skills/build-and-release
Trigger the skill with a natural request
Describe the coding task and ask the agent to build and release it, for example by saying it should run the build and release steps once the work is ready. The skill passes your request in as the task text and the agent then follows the three steps.
Because the workflow runs through merge and release automatically, state the task clearly and only ask for this when you accept that outcome.
- Example request: build and release the fix for the login bug described in this task
- Example request: take this feature through build, merge and release
What you need before running it
The skill names the claude-mem build and release skills and their dependencies, which are not in these files. It also implies Git and a repository with pull request access for the merge step. Release steps need credentials or accounts for whatever is published, which the files do not specify.
- The claude-mem build and release skills and their dependencies
- Git and a repository where the agent can merge pull requests
- Release credentials or accounts for the publishing target
Safety notes: scripts and network
The reviewed files do not run scripts and do not use the network by themselves. However, the referenced build and release skills are not included, so their scripts and network use cannot be checked from this review.
Because the workflow can merge and publish without pausing, a mistake can reach main or a release. Use it only in repositories with a tested build and release process.
- Not suited to anyone who wants to review each step before merge or publish
- Avoid it in repositories without a tested build and release process, since an agent could publish broken work
Tips for using it well
Test the referenced build and release skills on their own first, so you know what each one does before chaining them. Keep task descriptions specific so the subagent knows what to change.
Check the merged result on main and the release output afterwards, especially the first few times you run the workflow.
- Run build and release separately on a safe branch before combining them
- Review the pull request contents if you want a check before merge, though the workflow itself does not pause
What people use it for
- Maintainers of the claude-mem project running their existing build and release skills in sequence
- Developers who want an agent to take a finished coding task through merge and a release
- Teams testing an end-to-end automated release pipeline on a non-critical repository
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the build-and-release skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can also upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Is the build-and-release skill free?
The source material gives the licence as Apache-2.0 but does not state pricing for this skill. Check the licence file in the repository for the terms that apply.
What do I need to run build-and-release?
You need the claude-mem build and release skills and their dependencies, which are not included, plus Git with pull request access. Release credentials for the publishing target are also needed, though the files do not specify which.
Does this skill run scripts or use the network?
The reviewed files do not run scripts and do not use the network. The referenced build and release skills are not included, so their behaviour cannot be verified from this review.
Why won't build-and-release work for me?
The most likely cause is missing dependencies, because the skill refers to claude-mem build and release skills that are not in the ZIP. Install and test those skills separately first.
What are alternatives to build-and-release?
The source does not compare this skill with other tools. If you want a review step before merge or publish, look for a workflow that pauses for approval, since this one runs through merge and release automatically.
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Our verdict
This skill suits maintainers of the claude-mem project and developers who already have tested build and release skills and want an agent to ship a task with little intervention. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants to approve each merge or release, or for repositories without a proven build and release process.
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