chore: sync VERSION file via release-please

README.md

@@ -252,10 +252,11 @@ flutree version
 
 Single source of truth policy:
 
-- `VERSION` in the repository root is the only canonical release version.
+- Release Please is the canonical source for release versioning.
+- `VERSION` is auto-managed by the release PR and mirrors release-please version output.
 - Packaging injects this value into CLI output (`flutree --version`).
 - Release gate enforces `tag == VERSION == flutree --version`.
-- Release Please is the default tag generation flow on merges to `main`.
+- `.release-please-manifest.json` and `VERSION` are expected to stay aligned.
 
 Brew-only update flow:
 

docs/release-brew.md

@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ Optional env vars:
 - validates `VERSION` uses strict `X.Y.Z` semver;
 - validates optional release tag and CLI version against `VERSION`.
 
+Release version source of truth:
+- Release Please drives the version bump.
+- `VERSION` is auto-managed by the Release Please PR (`release-please-config.json` with `version-file: VERSION`).
+- `.release-please-manifest.json` and `VERSION` must remain synchronized.
+
 `scripts/verify_macos_binary.sh`:
 - smoke-checks `flutree --help`;
 - validates `flutree --version` when `--expected-version` is provided.
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ Formula URL/checksum naming contract:
 ## Maintainer checklist
 
 1. Merge the Release Please PR generated by `.github/workflows/release-please.yml`.
+   - The PR must include synchronized updates for both `.release-please-manifest.json` and `VERSION`.
 2. Ensure repository secret `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN` is set in `EndersonPro/flutree` with push access to `EndersonPro/homebrew-flutree`.
 3. Wait for `.github/workflows/release-please.yml` to complete both jobs:
    - `release-please` (creates/updates release and exposes outputs)

integration/release_contract_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package integration_test
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -113,6 +114,36 @@ func TestVersionContractScriptsAndReleasePleaseConfigExist(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("required file missing: %s (%v)", file, err)
 		}
 	}
+
+	configPath := filepath.Join(root, "release-please-config.json")
+	configContent, err := os.ReadFile(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	var config struct {
+		Packages map[string]struct {
+			ReleaseType string `json:"release-type"`
+			VersionFile string `json:"version-file"`
+		} `json:"packages"`
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(configContent, &config); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("invalid release-please config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	rootPackage, ok := config.Packages["."]
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("release-please config missing root package entry")
+	}
+
+	if rootPackage.ReleaseType != "simple" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected root release-type=simple, got %q", rootPackage.ReleaseType)
+	}
+
+	if rootPackage.VersionFile != "VERSION" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected root version-file=VERSION, got %q", rootPackage.VersionFile)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestVersionContractJobRunsInPRWorkflow(t *testing.T) {

release-please-config.json

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/googleapis/release-please/main/schemas/config.json",
   "packages": {
     ".": {
-      "release-type": "go",
+      "release-type": "simple",
+      "version-file": "VERSION",
       "include-v-in-tag": true,
       "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md"
     }