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make the ci use short lived token for GHA #108

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Description

@gridness

Outcome

Remove the long-lived release PAT from GitHub Actions and mint short-lived GitHub App installation tokens at the point of use.

Acceptance criteria

  • One least-privilege GitHub App is installed on gridness/a365dt and Gridness/homebrew-oosama.
  • Repository configuration uses vars.RELEASE_APP_CLIENT_ID and secrets.RELEASE_APP_PRIVATE_KEY.
  • Every current secrets.RELEASE_PAT use is replaced.
  • The release-PR, merge, GitHub-release, and Homebrew-publish jobs mint independent installation tokens rather than forwarding one token through the workflow.
  • Token requests list only the repositories and permissions needed by that job.
  • The App can create/update the release PR, push the lockfile update, merge through the existing ruleset, create/publish releases, and push the Homebrew formula.
  • Existing job-scoped GITHUB_TOKEN and OIDC use remain in place where cross-repository/App authority is unnecessary.
  • A repeatable setup wizard documents App creation, exact permissions, installation, ruleset bypass, private-key generation, Actions variable/secret configuration, and non-secret verification.
  • RELEASE_PAT is considered removable only after a successful end-to-end release dry run; no credential values are logged.

Required App repository permissions

  • Contents: read and write.
  • Issues: read and write.
  • Pull requests: read and write.
  • Metadata: read-only (mandatory).

The App must be added as an allowed bypass actor for the main read-only ruleset instead of receiving broad repository-administration permission.

Validation

  • Workflow YAML and action inputs are linted/inspected.
  • A dry run proves release-PR creation/update and cross-repository checkout/push before the old PAT is removed.

Activity

  1. added this to the 3.0 milestone on Aug 24, 2026
  2. added
    enhancementNew feature or request
    ready-for-agentSpecification is ready for implementation by an agent
    and removed
    ready-for-agentSpecification is ready for implementation by an agent
    on Aug 24, 2026
  3. gridness commented on Aug 26, 2026

    @gridness
    OwnerAuthor

    Completed in #115, hardened in #117, and exercised by the successful v3.0.0 publication. Release and tap writes now use freshly minted, least-privilege GitHub App installation tokens; the old release PAT is gone and tokens are revoked after each job. Successful run: https://github.com/gridness/a365/actions/runs/32976679482

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