ci: replace changelog gate with release-please and conventional commits

.github/actions/setup-pio/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+name: 'Setup PlatformIO'
+description: 'Sets up Python and PlatformIO for build and test jobs'
+
+inputs:
+  install-matrix-deps:
+    description: 'Install matrix build dependencies from requirements_matrix_build.txt'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
+  install-unit-test-deps:
+    description: 'Install unit test dependencies (gcovr)'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
+
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    - uses: actions/setup-python@v6
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.x'
+    - name: Install PlatformIO
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        pip install wheel platformio
+    - name: Install matrix build dependencies
+      if: inputs.install-matrix-deps == 'true'
+      shell: bash
+      run: pip install -r requirements_matrix_build.txt
+    - name: Install unit test dependencies
+      if: inputs.install-unit-test-deps == 'true'
+      shell: bash
+      run: pip install gcovr

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+name: CI
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - '*'
+
+jobs:
+  pr-title-lint:
+    name: PR Title (Conventional Commits)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      pull-requests: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: amannn/action-semantic-pull-request@v6
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+  unit-tests:
+    name: Unit Tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-pio
+        with:
+          install-unit-test-deps: 'true'
+      - name: Run unit tests
+        run: pio test -e native -v
+      - name: Publish Coverage Summary
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          echo "## Native Unit Test Coverage" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          echo >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          if [ -f .pio/coverage.md ]; then
+            cat .pio/coverage.md >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          else
+            echo "Coverage report was not generated." >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          fi
+
+  build:
+    name: Build (${{ matrix.board }})
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        board:
+          - mksgenlv21
+          - mksgenlv2
+          - mksgenlv1
+          - esp32
+          - ramps
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-pio
+        with:
+          install-matrix-deps: 'true'
+      - name: Build ${{ matrix.board }}
+        run: python matrix_build.py -b ${{ matrix.board }}

.github/workflows/code_format.yml

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
   check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
           repository: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name }}

.github/workflows/release-please.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+name: Release Please
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - develop
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+jobs:
+  release-please:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: googleapis/release-please-action@v5
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          config-file: release-please-config.json
+          manifest-file: .release-please-manifest.json

.release-please-manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    ".": "1.13.20"
+}

RELEASE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# Release Process
+
+This document describes how releases are managed for OpenAstroTracker-Firmware. It is intended for project developers with write access to the repository.
+
+## Overview
+
+Releases are fully automated via [release-please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). The process requires no manual version bumping or changelog editing — both are driven by PR titles following the [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) specification.
+
+```
+PR merged → release-please updates its Release PR → maintainer merges Release PR → tag + GitHub Release created automatically
+```
+
+## Conventional Commits (required for all PRs)
+
+Every PR title **must** follow this format:
+
+```
+<type>: <short description>
+```
+
+CI will reject PR titles that do not conform.
+
+| Type | Triggers | Example |
+|------|----------|---------|
+| `feat!` or `BREAKING CHANGE:` footer | major version bump | `feat!: remove legacy serial protocol` |
+| `feat` | minor version bump | `feat: add AZ/ALT steps-per-degree Meade command` |
+| `fix` | patch version bump | `fix: correct sidereal rate after meridian flip` |
+| `perf` | patch version bump | `perf: reduce interrupt latency in stepper ISR` |
+| `chore` | no version bump | `chore: update platformio dependencies` |
+| `docs` | no version bump | `docs: clarify wiring diagram for RAMPS` |
+| `refactor` | no version bump | `refactor: extract stepper configuration logic` |
+| `test` | no version bump | `test: add unit tests for DayTime rollover` |
+| `ci` | no version bump | `ci: update clang-format action version` |
+
+The description becomes the changelog entry, so write it as a user-facing statement of what changed — not what you did internally.
+
+## How release-please Works
+
+After each PR is merged into `develop`, the `release-please` GitHub Action updates an open **Release PR**. This PR:
+
+- Accumulates all `feat`, `fix`, and other notable commits since the last release
+- Proposes the next semantic version (patch / minor / major based on commit types)
+- Updates `CHANGELOG.md` with categorised entries linked to PRs
+- Updates `Version.h` with the new version string
+
+The Release PR stays open and self-updates as more PRs are merged. When you are ready to cut a release, simply **merge the Release PR**.
+
+## Cutting a Release
+
+1. Review the open Release PR (titled `chore(main): release V<version>`) — check the proposed version and changelog entries.
+2. Merge it into `develop`.
+3. `release-please` automatically:
+   - Creates a git tag `V<version>` (e.g. `V1.14.0`)
+   - Publishes a GitHub Release with the generated changelog
+
+No manual tag pushing, no manual `Version.h` edits.
+
+## Version Semantics
+
+Versions follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/) (`MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`):
+
+| Change | Bump |
+|--------|------|
+| Breaking change in Meade protocol or configuration | **Major** |
+| New feature, new board support, new Meade command | **Minor** |
+| Bug fix, performance improvement | **Patch** |
+| Chore, CI, refactor, test, docs | **None** |
+
+## CI Checks on Every PR
+
+All of the following must pass before a PR can be merged:
+
+| Check | What it validates |
+|-------|------------------|
+| **PR Title (Conventional Commits)** | PR title follows `<type>: <description>` format |
+| **Unit Tests** | `pio test -e native` passes |
+| **Build (mksgenlv21)** | Firmware compiles for MKS Gen L V2.1 |
+| **Build (mksgenlv2)** | Firmware compiles for MKS Gen L V2 |
+| **Build (mksgenlv1)** | Firmware compiles for MKS Gen L V1 |
+| **Build (esp32)** | Firmware compiles for ESP32 |
+| **Build (ramps)** | Firmware compiles for RAMPS |
+| **clang-format** | Code formatting matches `.clang-format`; auto-fixed on same-repo branches |
+
+## Firmware Binaries
+
+Pre-built binaries are **not** published in GitHub Releases. Because the firmware is configured via generated header files (stepper drivers, sensors, display type, etc.), a generic binary would not be usable without recompilation. Users must build the firmware for their specific hardware configuration using PlatformIO.
+
+

release-please-config.json

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+    "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/googleapis/release-please/main/schemas/config.json",
+    "release-type": "simple",
+    "tag-prefix": "V",
+    "packages": {
+        ".": {
+            "release-type": "simple",
+            "extra-files": [
+                {
+                    "type": "generic",
+                    "path": "Version.h"
+                }
+            ]
+        }
+    }
+}