Docker Image Release with semantic-release

Automating Docker Image Releases

semantic-release can automate Docker image versioning using the @semantic-release/exec plugin to run Docker build and push commands during the release lifecycle.

Configuration

{
  "branches": ["main"],
  "plugins": [
    "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer",
    "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator",
    ["@semantic-release/exec", {
      "prepareCmd": "docker build -t myorg/myapp:${nextRelease.version} -t myorg/myapp:latest .",
      "publishCmd": "docker push myorg/myapp:${nextRelease.version} && docker push myorg/myapp:latest"
    }],
    ["@semantic-release/npm", {
      "npmPublish": false
    }],
    "@semantic-release/github"
  ]
}

Version Tags

The ${nextRelease.version} template variable is replaced with the determined version (e.g., 1.2.3). This creates Docker tags like:

• myorg/myapp:1.2.3 — specific version
• myorg/myapp:latest — always points to the newest release

Multi-Architecture Builds

For multi-platform images, use Docker Buildx:

["@semantic-release/exec", {
  "prepareCmd": "docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 -t myorg/myapp:${nextRelease.version} -t myorg/myapp:latest --push ."
}]

npm Plugin with npmPublish: false

Including the npm plugin with npmPublish: false still updates the package.json version number without publishing to npm. This keeps the Docker image version in sync with the version recorded in package.json.

GitHub Release Assets

Combine with the GitHub plugin to attach build logs or image metadata to the GitHub release for traceability.