git tag Command: Create Tags in CI

git tag marks specific commits with a name, typically a release version.

Release pipelines create tags to freeze a version and list tags to discover the latest release. Annotated tags carry metadata and are preferred for releases.

Common flags

-a <name> - create an annotated tag (stored as a full object with author and message)
-m <msg> - supply the tag message (required for -a in non-interactive CI)
-l <pattern> / --list - list tags, optionally filtered by a glob
--sort=-version:refname - sort tags by version, newest first
-d <name> - delete a local tag
-f - replace an existing tag of the same name

Example

shell

# Cut an annotated release tag from CI
git tag -a "v${VERSION}" -m "Release v${VERSION}"
git push origin "v${VERSION}"
# Find the latest semver tag
git tag -l 'v*' --sort=-version:refname | head -n1

In CI

Always pass -m with -a so tag creation does not block on an editor on a headless runner. Use --sort=-version:refname to find the newest version reliably instead of relying on creation order. Remember to push tags explicitly; a normal push does not send them.

Key takeaways

Annotated tags (-a -m) are the right choice for releases and carry metadata.
Supply -m in CI so tag creation never opens an editor.
Tags are not pushed by a plain git push; push them explicitly.

Related guides

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