Makefile

@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ setup-quality: $(VENV)/bin/activate .env install-tools
 
 # Setup for release jobs (needs git-cliff, tea, lint tools)
 setup-release: $(VENV)/bin/activate .env
-	@$(BIN)/pip install -e '.[ci,lint]' 2>/dev/null; \
+	@$(BIN)/pip install -e '.[ci,lint,release]' 2>/dev/null; \
 	$(BIN)/python -m devx.tools.install_tools --tool git-cliff --tool tea; \
 	export PATH="$(HOME)/.local/bin:$$PATH"; \
-	$(BIN)/python -m devx.tools.setup --bin "$(BIN)" --extras "ci,lint" --no-pre-commit
+	$(BIN)/python -m devx.tools.setup --bin "$(BIN)" --extras "ci,lint,release" --no-pre-commit
 
 # Setup for pre-built image jobs (deps already in image, just link venv + install project)
 setup-image:

src/devx/ci/release.py

@@ -669,6 +669,20 @@ def main(dry_run: bool, skip_tests: bool, verify: bool) -> None:
         return
 
     current_tag = get_latest_tag()
+    # If the bumped version equals the current tag version, there's nothing
+    # new to release. git-cliff didn't bump because the commits since the last
+    # tag don't warrant a version change (e.g., only ci:/chore: commits).
+    # Creating a release commit with the same version would cause a tag
+    # conflict.
+    if current_tag and current_tag.lstrip("v") == new_version:
+        click.echo(
+            _(
+                "Version stays at v{version} — no version bump from git-cliff. "
+                "Commits since last tag don't warrant a new release. Skipping.",
+                version=new_version,
+            )
+        )
+        return
     click.echo(
         _(
             "Bumping version: {current} -> v{new_version}",

src/devx/translations.json

@@ -1990,5 +1990,13 @@
     "pl": "{file} już istnieje. Użyj --force, aby nadpisać.",
     "ru": "{file} already exists. Use --force to overwrite.",
     "zh": "{file} already exists. Use --force to overwrite."
+  },
+  "Version stays at v{version} — no version bump from git-cliff. Commits since last tag don't warrant a new release. Skipping.": {
+    "bg": "",
+    "de": "",
+    "en": "Version stays at v{version} — no version bump from git-cliff. Commits since last tag don't warrant a new release. Skipping.",
+    "pl": "",
+    "ru": "",
+    "zh": ""
   }
-}
+}

tests/unit/test_release.py

@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ class TestMain:
     @patch("devx.ci.release.update_init_version")
     @patch("devx.ci.release.get_changelog", return_value="changelog")
     @patch("devx.ci.release.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
-    @patch("devx.ci.release.get_bumped_version", return_value="0.1.0")
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.get_bumped_version", return_value="0.2.0")
     @patch("devx.ci.release.has_unreleased_changes", return_value=True)
     @patch("devx.ci.release.run_cmd")
     def test_full_flow_tag_exists(
@@ -1232,7 +1232,33 @@ class TestMain:
         result = runner.invoke(main, [])
         assert result.exit_code == 0
         assert "already existed" in result.output
-        mock_tag.assert_called_once_with("0.1.0", "changelog", False)
+        mock_tag.assert_called_once_with("0.2.0", "changelog", False)
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {})
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.verify_tag_consistency", return_value=[])
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.fetch_tags")
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.has_user_facing_changes", return_value=True)
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.get_bumped_version", return_value="0.1.0")
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.has_unreleased_changes", return_value=True)
+    @patch("devx.ci.release.run_cmd")
+    def test_skips_when_version_doesnt_bump(
+        self,
+        mock_run_cmd: MagicMock,
+        mock_has: MagicMock,
+        mock_bumped: MagicMock,
+        mock_latest: MagicMock,
+        mock_user: MagicMock,
+        mock_ft: MagicMock,
+        mock_vtc: MagicMock,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Release is skipped when git-cliff doesn't bump the version."""
+        mock_run_cmd.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="master\n", stderr="")
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, [])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "no version bump" in result.output
+        assert "Skipping" in result.output
 
     @patch.dict("os.environ", {})
     @patch("devx.ci.release.verify_tag_consistency", return_value=[])