fix: improve upstream branch detection and error handling in release process

Author: pvliesdonk

.github/workflows/ci.yaml

@@ -289,29 +289,33 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set +o pipefail
 
-          UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME="$(git status -sb | head -n 1 | awk -F '\.\.\.' '{print $2}' | cut -d ' ' -f1)"
-          printf '%s\n' "Upstream branch name: $UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME"
+          git fetch --no-tags origin '+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*' || true
 
-          set -o pipefail
+          # prefer Git's symbolic upstream if present
+          UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name @{u} 2>/dev/null || true)"
 
+          # fallback when no upstream is configured (e.g. detached head / no tracking)
           if [ -z "$UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME" ]; then
-            printf >&2 '%s\n' "::error::Unable to determine upstream branch name!"
-            exit 1
+            # GITHUB_REF_NAME should be set by Actions (branch name)
+            UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME="origin/${GITHUB_REF_NAME:-${GITHUB_REF##*/}}"
           fi
 
-          git fetch "${UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME%%/*}"
+          printf '%s\n' "Upstream branch name: $UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME"
+
+          # now fetch & compare SHAs
+          git fetch "${UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME%%/*}" || true
 
-          if ! UPSTREAM_SHA="$(git rev-parse "$UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME")"; then
-              printf >&2 '%s\n' "::error::Unable to determine upstream branch sha!"
-              exit 1
+          if ! UPSTREAM_SHA="$(git rev-parse "$UPSTREAM_BRANCH_NAME" 2>/dev/null)"; then
+            printf >&2 '%s\n' "::error::Unable to determine upstream branch sha!"
+            exit 1
           fi
 
           HEAD_SHA="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
 
           if [ "$HEAD_SHA" != "$UPSTREAM_SHA" ]; then
-              printf >&2 '%s\n' "[HEAD SHA] $HEAD_SHA != $UPSTREAM_SHA [UPSTREAM SHA]"
-              printf >&2 '%s\n' "::error::Upstream has changed, aborting release..."
-              exit 1
+            printf >&2 '%s\n' "[HEAD SHA] $HEAD_SHA != $UPSTREAM_SHA [UPSTREAM SHA]"
+            printf >&2 '%s\n' "::error::Upstream has changed, aborting release..."
+            exit 1
           fi
 
           printf '%s\n' "Verified upstream branch has not changed, continuing with release..."