Execute Semantic Release without a package.json file

[maxiride]

It is my understanding that the action can feed the underlying semantic release with options by using the with fields branches, extra_plugins etc. Hence, executing semantic release without a package.json and without a .releaserc file for non-javascript projects.

Describe the bug

The action extis with the following error:

AggregateError: 
    SemanticReleaseError: Missing `package.json` file.
        at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v2/node_modules/@semantic-release/npm/lib/get-error.js:6:10)
        at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v2/node_modules/@semantic-release/npm/lib/get-pkg.js:17:33)

Workflow

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
      - beta

jobs:
  release:
    name: Semantic Release
    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Execute Semantic Release
        id: semantic
        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v3
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
        with:
          semantic_version: 19
          branches: |
            [
              "+([0-9])?(.{+([0-9]),x}).x",
              "main",
              {
                "name": "beta",
                "prerelease": true
              }
            ]
          extra_plugins: |
            "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer"
            "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator"
            "@semantic-release/github"

CI Log

[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Running semantic-release version 19.0.3
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "verifyConditions" from "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "verifyConditions" from "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "analyzeCommits" from "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "generateNotes" from "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "prepare" from "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "publish" from "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "publish" from "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "addChannel" from "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "addChannel" from "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "success" from "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:36 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Loaded plugin "fail" from "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Run automated release from branch main on repository https://github.com/indisrl/conta-zip
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Allowed to push to the Git repository
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "verifyConditions" of plugin "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ✖  Failed step "verifyConditions" of plugin "@semantic-release/npm"
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "verifyConditions" of plugin "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] [@semantic-release/github] › ℹ  Verify GitHub authentication (https://api.github.com)
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "verifyConditions" of plugin "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:37 PM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "fail" of plugin "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:39 PM] [semantic-release] [@semantic-release/github] › ℹ  Found existing semantic-release issue #1.
[2:20:40 PM] [semantic-release] [@semantic-release/github] › ℹ  Added comment to issue #1: https://github.com/indisrl/conta-zip/issues/1#issuecomment-1152414450.
[2:20:40 PM] [semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "fail" of plugin "@semantic-release/github"
[2:20:40 PM] [semantic-release] › ✖  ENOPKG Missing `package.json` file.
A package.json file (https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json) at the root of your project is required to release on npm.
Error: AggregateError: 
    SemanticReleaseError: Missing `package.json` file.
        at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/@semantic-release/npm/lib/get-error.js:6:10)
        at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/@semantic-release/npm/lib/get-pkg.js:17:[33](https://github.com/indisrl/conta-zip/runs/6832568709?check_suite_focus=true#step:3:34))
        at async verifyConditions (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/@semantic-release/npm/index.js:32:17)
        at async validator (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/plugins/normalize.js:[34](https://github.com/indisrl/conta-zip/runs/6832568709?check_suite_focus=true#step:3:35):24)
        at async /home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/plugins/pipeline.js:[37](https://github.com/indisrl/conta-zip/runs/6832568709?check_suite_focus=true#step:3:38):34
        at async Promise.all (index 0)
        at async next (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/p-reduce/index.js:16:18)
Please follow the npm guideline (https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/creating-node-modules) to create a valid package.json file.

Expected behavior
I expect the semantic release to run.

Additional context
The action docs states branches will override the branches attribute in your configuration file. , so I've also tried to execute the action with an empty .releaserc file guessing it would have been populated by the action. Same error result.

Am I misunderstanding the action use or is there an error in my configuration? Even though I did not specify the @semantic-release/npm it's like the action pulled and executed it anyway.

[mnarra-varmour]

+1
facing same issue

[harrywm]

+1

[cordelou]

+1

[olambdao]

+1

[bhchew]

having the same issue, seem this happens regardless the repo is a node project.

Was having the same thought if we are missing some config in the workflow?

[patrickserrano]

Also running into this, has anyone sorted it out?

[maxiride]

Also running into this, has anyone sorted it out?

I've simply added a .releaserc.json file as if it was a nodejs project with the following settings (of course they should be adapted to the project use case):

{
  "branches": [
    "+([0-9])?(.{+([0-9]),x}).x",
    "main",
    {
      "name": "beta",
      "prerelease": true
    }
  ],
  "plugins": [
    "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer",
    "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator",
    "@semantic-release/github"
  ]
}

I then invoke the action as usual in a github workflow:

      - name: Execute Semantic Release
        id: semantic
        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v2
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

[patrickserrano]

Also running into this, has anyone sorted it out?

I've simply added a .releaserc.json file as if it was a nodejs project with the following settings (of course they should be adapted to the project use case):

@maxiride thanks a ton for sharing, that helped get it working for a dotnet project I was trying to get configured 🎉

[pifou25]

Similar issue for me : the .releaserc.json extra file may work in some cases... but not for me, I add the plugin @google/semantic-release-replace-plugin with replacement configuration, and has this error:

[8:37:47 AM] [semantic-release] › ℹ  Running semantic-release version 19.0.5
[8:37:47 AM] [semantic-release] › ✖  An error occurred while running semantic-release: Error: Cannot find module '@google/semantic-release-replace-plugin'
Error: Error: Cannot find module '@google/semantic-release-replace-plugin'
Require stack:
- /home/runner/work/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/noop.js
Require stack:
- /home/runner/work/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/noop.js
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:933:15)
    at resolveFileName (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/resolve-from/index.js:[29](https://github.com/pifou25/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/actions/runs/5031318515/jobs/9024323660#step:3:30):39)
    at resolveFrom (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/resolve-from/index.js:43:9)
    at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/resolve-from/index.js:46:47)
    at loadPlugin (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/plugins/utils.js:51:82)
    at /home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/plugins/index.js:17:37
    at Array.reduce (<anonymous>)
    at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/plugins/index.js:14:[34](https://github.com/pifou25/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/actions/runs/5031318515/jobs/9024323660#step:3:35))
    at module.exports (/home/runner/work/_actions/cycjimmy/semantic-release-action/v3/node_modules/semantic-release/lib/get-config.js:84:[35](https://github.com/pifou25/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/actions/runs/5031318515/jobs/9024323660#step:3:36))
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:96:5) {
  code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
  requireStack: [
    '/home/runner/work/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/jeedom-lgthinq-plugin/noop.js'
  ]
}

How can I add this dependance without a package.json file ?

[AaronShiels]

Using the .releaserc file is a good temporary for some cases, but evidently it doesn't solve all cases, and I just found that for some reason you must provide a value for "plugins", and worse still that semantic-release's behaviour is that providing a "plugins" value will override the defaults.

So I agree with the original poster that, given the wide array of inputs this action accepts, providing a superfluous package.json or .releaserc shouldn't be necessary - I'd love to see it dropped as an implicit requirement!

But in case it helps anyone, this is the pre-step I'm doing in GitHub Actions

- name: Configure Semantic Release
  run: echo '{"branches":[],"plugins":["@semantic-release/commit-analyzer","@semantic-release/release-notes-generator","@semantic-release/github"]}' > .releaserc.json

(branches are configured in the action itself)