src/devx/ci/publish.py

@@ -298,6 +298,9 @@ def main(
     try:
         tea.create_release(repo, tag=tag, title=tag, body=release_body)
     except TeaCLIError as e:
+        if "already" in str(e).lower() and "release" in str(e).lower():
+            click.echo(_("Gitea release {tag} already exists — skipping creation.", tag=tag))
+            return
         raise click.ClickException(_("Release creation failed: {error}", error=str(e))) from None
 
     click.echo(

tests/unit/test_publish.py

@@ -388,6 +388,42 @@ class TestMain:
         result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
         assert result.exit_code == 0
 
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"REPO_TOKEN": "gitea-tok"})
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.generate_release_notes", return_value="Release notes")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.TeaCLI")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_pypi")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    def test_create_release_already_exists_is_idempotent(
+        self, mock_build: MagicMock, mock_publish: MagicMock, mock_tea_cls: MagicMock, mock_notes: MagicMock
+    ) -> None:
+        """If create_release fails with 'already exists', treat as success."""
+        mock_tea = MagicMock()
+        mock_tea.list_releases.side_effect = TeaCLIError("api error")
+        mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("there is already a release for this tag")
+        mock_tea_cls.return_value = mock_tea
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "already exists" in result.output
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"REPO_TOKEN": "gitea-tok"})
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.generate_release_notes", return_value="Release notes")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.TeaCLI")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_pypi")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    def test_create_release_other_error_raises(
+        self, mock_build: MagicMock, mock_publish: MagicMock, mock_tea_cls: MagicMock, mock_notes: MagicMock
+    ) -> None:
+        """If create_release fails with a non-'already exists' error, raise."""
+        mock_tea = MagicMock()
+        mock_tea.list_releases.side_effect = TeaCLIError("api error")
+        mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("network error")
+        mock_tea_cls.return_value = mock_tea
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
+        assert result.exit_code != 0
+        assert "Release creation failed" in result.output
+
 
 class TestFromTag:
     def test_get_latest_tag_success(self) -> None: