feat: add automatic tag creation on chart PR merge

- Add auto-tag-on-merge.yaml workflow to automatically create release tags
- Updates documentation to reflect full automation of chart releases
- Fixes helm-release.yaml to force-add packages despite .gitignore

This ensures the charts repository is fully automated with no manual intervention required.

Author: fredericrous

.github/workflows/README.md

@@ -27,7 +27,21 @@ This is a multi-chart repository that can host multiple Helm charts. The structu
 
 ## Workflows
 
-### 1. Release Helm Chart (`helm-release.yaml`)
+### 1. Auto Tag on Merge (`auto-tag-on-merge.yaml`)
+
+**Trigger**: When a PR with `chart-update` label is merged
+
+**Purpose**: Automatically creates release tags for chart updates
+
+**Features**:
+- Detects chart name and version from PR branch name (format: `update-<chart>-<version>`)
+- Creates appropriate git tag (format: `<chart>-v<version>`)
+- Posts confirmation comment on the merged PR
+- Triggers the helm-release workflow automatically
+
+**Note**: This workflow ensures the charts repository is fully automated - no manual tagging required!
+
+### 2. Release Helm Chart (`helm-release.yaml`)
 
 **Trigger**: 
 - Git tags matching `chartname-v*.*.*` pattern (e.g., `vault-transit-unseal-operator-v0.1.0`)
@@ -146,7 +160,18 @@ Enable the following:
 
 ## Releasing a Chart
 
-### Automatic Release (Recommended)
+### Fully Automated Release (via External PR)
+
+When a PR is created by external automation (e.g., from operator releases) with the `chart-update` label:
+
+1. The PR is automatically tested via `helm-test.yaml`
+2. Once merged, `auto-tag-on-merge.yaml` automatically:
+   - Creates the appropriate release tag
+   - Triggers `helm-release.yaml` to publish the chart
+
+No manual intervention required!
+
+### Manual Release
 
 1. Update the chart version in `Chart.yaml`:
    ```yaml
@@ -173,7 +198,7 @@ Enable the following:
    - Update the repository index
    - Create a GitHub release
 
-### Manual Release
+### Manual Release via Workflow Dispatch
 
 Use the workflow dispatch feature:
 

.github/workflows/auto-tag-on-merge.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+name: Auto Tag Chart Release on PR Merge
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [closed]
+    branches: [main]
+
+jobs:
+  auto-tag:
+    name: Create Chart Release Tag
+    if: |
+      github.event.pull_request.merged == true &&
+      contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'chart-update')
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          
+      - name: Extract chart info from PR
+        id: extract
+        run: |
+          PR_TITLE="${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}"
+          PR_BRANCH="${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}"
+          
+          # Extract chart name and version from branch name
+          # Format: update-vault-transit-unseal-operator-1.0.5
+          if [[ "$PR_BRANCH" =~ ^update-([a-zA-Z0-9-]+)-([0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+)$ ]]; then
+            CHART_NAME="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
+            APP_VERSION="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
+            echo "chart_name=$CHART_NAME" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "app_version=$APP_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            
+            # Get the chart version from Chart.yaml
+            CHART_VERSION=$(yq '.version' "./charts/$CHART_NAME/Chart.yaml")
+            echo "chart_version=$CHART_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            
+            echo "Chart: $CHART_NAME"
+            echo "Chart Version: $CHART_VERSION"
+            echo "App Version: $APP_VERSION"
+          else
+            echo "ERROR: Could not parse chart info from PR branch: $PR_BRANCH"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          
+      - name: Create and push tag
+        run: |
+          git config --global user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config --global user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          
+          TAG_NAME="${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_name }}-v${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_version }}"
+          
+          # Check if tag already exists
+          if git rev-parse "$TAG_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Tag $TAG_NAME already exists, skipping..."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          # Create and push tag
+          git tag -a "$TAG_NAME" -m "Release ${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_name }} v${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_version }}
+
+Chart version: ${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_version }}
+App version: ${{ steps.extract.outputs.app_version }}
+
+Automated release from PR #${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
+          
+          git push origin "$TAG_NAME"
+          
+          echo "✅ Created tag: $TAG_NAME"
+          
+      - name: Comment on PR
+        if: success()
+        uses: peter-evans/create-or-update-comment@v4
+        with:
+          issue-number: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+          body: |
+            🎉 **Chart Release Tag Created!**
+            
+            Tag: `${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_name }}-v${{ steps.extract.outputs.chart_version }}`
+            
+            The Helm chart release workflow will now automatically:
+            - Package the chart
+            - Update the repository index
+            - Create a GitHub release
+            - Publish to https://fredericrous.github.io/charts/
+            
+            Monitor progress: [Release Workflow](https://github.com/fredericrous/charts/actions/workflows/helm-release.yaml)