Add automated release workflow with changelog and provenance

[Lakes41]

Difficulty: Advanced

Type: Maintenance

Summary

Add a release workflow that builds, tests, versions, and publishes the SDK with changelog generation and npm provenance.

Current Behaviour

The package has build, test, smoke, typecheck, and docs scripts, but release automation is not clearly defined.

Expected Behaviour

Maintainers should be able to publish releases through a repeatable workflow that runs quality gates and produces traceable npm packages.

Suggested Implementation

Add a GitHub Actions workflow triggered by tags or manual dispatch. Run install, lint, typecheck, tests, smoke tests, build, and docs generation before publishing. Add changelog generation or release notes from commits or changesets.

Files or Areas Likely Affected

• .github/workflows/release.yml
• package.json
• pnpm-lock.yaml
• CHANGELOG.md
• README.md
• .npmrc

Acceptance Criteria

• Release workflow runs build, typecheck, tests, and smoke tests before publishing
• npm publishing uses provenance where supported
• Release tags map clearly to package versions
• Changelog or release notes are generated or required
• Required secrets and permissions are documented
• Workflow can be tested without publishing to production npm

Additional Notes

Do not hard-code maintainer tokens. Use GitHub Actions permissions and documented npm publishing secrets.

[gloskull]

Hello, I have 4 years of experience delivering solutions for projects like this, covering backend, frontend, and smart contract development. After carefully reviewing your requirements, I have a clear understanding of the task and am confident in my ability to deliver a clean, efficient, and thoroughly tested solution on time. I prioritize code quality, maintainability, and industry best practices throughout the development process.
My PR will be submitted in under 10hours.