RMT
A PHP tool for automating software release workflows with configurable versioning, prerequisites, and actions.
What is RMT?
RMT (Release Management Tool) is a command-line utility that automates and standardizes the process of releasing new software versions. It provides a configurable workflow to handle version generation, persistence, and associated actions like changelog updates and VCS operations, helping teams maintain consistency and follow best practices during releases.
Development teams, particularly those using PHP and Composer, who need a structured, automated release process for their projects, including those managing multiple branches or requiring custom release steps.
Developers choose RMT for its high configurability via YAML, support for multiple versioning strategies and VCS systems, and extensibility through custom PHP scripts, allowing teams to tailor the release workflow to their specific needs without being locked into rigid conventions.
Overview
RMT is a handy tool to help releasing new version of your software
Use Cases
Best For
- Automating semantic versioning releases with changelog updates and Git tagging.
- Enforcing pre-release checks like test suite passes, Composer stability, and working copy cleanliness.
- Managing branch-specific release strategies, such as using simple versioning on feature branches and semantic versioning on main.
- Integrating custom release actions, such as updating version numbers in multiple files or building Phar packages.
- Streamlining releases for PHP projects with Composer dependencies and structured workflows.
- Configuring GPG-signed commits and tags for secure version releases in Git repositories.
Not Ideal For
- Non-PHP projects or teams not using Composer, as RMT's core functionality and extensibility are built around PHP.
- Organizations requiring a graphical user interface or web-based dashboard for release management.
- Projects with extremely simple release processes that only involve tagging a Git commit, where RMT's configuration overhead is unnecessary.
- Teams using version control systems other than Git or Subversion, as RMT only supports these two.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports semantic versioning and simple incrementing with configurable storage in VCS tags or changelog files, as shown in the configuration examples.
Allows overriding default settings per VCS branch, enabling different release strategies for main versus feature branches, detailed in the branch specific config section.
Includes built-in actions and the ability to add custom PHP scripts, making it adaptable to specific project needs, as mentioned in the 'Extend it' section.
Enforces conditions like test suite passes and Composer stability checks before releases, ensuring quality, with options detailed in the prerequisite actions list.
Cons
Some features like 'update-version-class' are marked as deprecated, indicating potential maintenance issues and the need for users to migrate to alternatives like 'files-update'.
Heavily reliant on PHP and Composer, which limits its applicability to non-PHP ecosystems and adds overhead for projects not already using these tools.
The YAML config file can become verbose and intricate, especially with nested actions and branch overrides, which might be overwhelming for teams with simpler needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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