goreleaser/goreleaser · error

templating GitHub make_latest: %w

Error message

templating GitHub make_latest: %w

What it means

Wrapped error in githubClient.PublishRelease: applying Go templating to the release.make_latest setting failed. The value comes from the make_latest config key and is templated before being sent as the UpdateReleaseRequest make_latest flag.

Source

Thrown at internal/client/github.go:586

		return fmt.Errorf("non-numeric release ID %q: %w", releaseID, err)
	}
	data := github.UpdateReleaseRequest{
		Draft: new(false),
	}
	tpl := tmpl.New(ctx)
	title, err := tpl.Apply(ctx.Config.Release.NameTemplate)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("templating GitHub release name: %w", err)
	}
	if title != "" {
		data.Name = &title
	}
	if ctx.PreRelease {
		data.Prerelease = &ctx.PreRelease
	}
	latest, err := tpl.Apply(ctx.Config.Release.MakeLatest)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("templating GitHub make_latest: %w", err)
	}
	if ctx.PreRelease {
		latest = "false"
	}
	if latest != "" {
		data.MakeLatest = &latest
	}
	if ctx.Config.Release.DiscussionCategoryName != "" {
		data.DiscussionCategoryName = &ctx.Config.Release.DiscussionCategoryName
	}
	release, err := c.updateRelease(ctx, releaseIDInt, data)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("could not update existing release: %w", err)
	}
	log.WithField("url", release.GetHTMLURL()).Debug("published")
	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to f5edd73956)

Solutions

1. Correct the make_latest template value; it must render to 'true', 'false', or 'legacy'
2. Avoid invalid field references or function calls in release.make_latest
3. Pre-release builds force make_latest to false automatically; do not fight that with the template

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at internal/client/github.go:586 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of goreleaser/goreleaser@f5edd73956 (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/caf9dfd880b47f23. Report an issue: GitHub.