# β Close-out — Issue #357

## Review Summary

**Issue:** #357 — cdd/release: release notes generation skill — δ produces structured tag messages before tagging
**Cycle:** design-and-build mode, 7 acceptance criteria
**Review outcome:** APPROVED after 2 rounds (correction + full review)
**Merge completed:** `git merge --no-ff cycle/357` into main with `Closes #357`

**Round 1:** REQUEST CHANGES due to protocol compliance misunderstanding (incorrect artifact check) and pending CI
**Round 2:** APPROVED after correcting finding and CI completion

## Implementation Assessment

**Quality:** High. All 7 ACs met with concrete evidence, comprehensive testing, proper error handling, and deterministic fallback behavior.

**Technical execution:** Generator script (`scripts/generate-release-tag-message.sh`) provides clean separation of concerns, integrates seamlessly with existing release script, preserves all required constraints (RELEASE.md authority, scripts-only tagging policy, plain text output).

**Testing rigor:** Both unit-style tests (`scripts/test-generate-tag-message.sh`) and integration tests (`scripts/test-release-tag-integration.sh`) with temporary repository isolation. Covers deterministic output, GitHub fallback scenarios, and end-to-end tag creation workflow.

**Documentation quality:** Targeted updates to operator and release skills that clearly guide δ without introducing manual tagging instructions. Preserves existing authorities and policies.

## Technical Review

**Architecture compliance:** All 7 design checks passed. Clean tool separation maintained (generator script as tool, release script as orchestrator). Source/artifact/installed boundaries preserved. Degraded paths visible and testable.

**Contract integrity:** Full compliance with issue contract. No scope drift, non-goals respected, constraint strata consistent, proof shape adequate.

**Protocol adherence:** Triadic protocol followed correctly. γ scaffold complete, α implementation thorough with review-readiness signal, β review systematic through all required phases.

## Process Observations

**Round 1 correction:** Initial protocol compliance finding was incorrect — rule 3.11b requires `gamma-scaffold.md` not `gamma-closeout.md`. This represents β review skill application error, not α implementation issue. Finding corrected in Round 2.

**CI integration:** Build workflow completed successfully on review SHA. No CI-related implementation issues.

**Gap closure:** Implementation correctly addresses stated gap (manual tag message drift) through automated generation integrated into canonical release path. Higher-leverage solution than case-by-case manual improvements.

## Release Notes

**Technical coherence delta:** Release tag message generation automated and integrated into canonical release script path. Structured messages derived deterministically from git history, GitHub metadata, CDD review artifacts, and wave context when available.

**Operator impact:** δ now gets consistent annotated tag messages through existing `scripts/release.sh` workflow. Tag message inspection available via `git show <version>`. No manual tagging commands required or permitted.

**Preservation:** RELEASE.md remains GitHub release body authority. All existing gates and constraints maintained. Generated tag messages are additive enhancement.

## Findings

**Cycle-level findings:** None. Clean implementation cycle with appropriate skill loading, thorough testing, and complete documentation. No process friction or skill gaps identified.

**Review process findings:** β review skill application error in Round 1 (incorrect protocol compliance check). Corrected systematically in Round 2. Suggests value in explicit rule 3.11b training or documentation clarity improvement.

**Implementation pattern:** Strong adherence to engineering discipline. Generator script exhibits proper error handling, input validation, fallback behavior, and testability. Integration preserves existing authorities while adding capability.

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**β authority exercised:** Review approval and merge executed per CDD.md §1.4. Implementation ready for δ release boundary (tag/deploy/disconnect). γ PRA remains for cycle closure assessment.

**Next phase:** δ owns tag/release/deploy boundary. γ writes post-release assessment after release completion.