dont use auto populate

.github/workflows/dev.yml

@@ -4,12 +4,8 @@ on:
     inputs:
       RELEASE:
         required: false
-        type: choice
-        options:
-          - 0.0.8-rc
-          - 0.0.6-rc
-          - 0.0.5-rc
-          - 0.0.4-rc
+        type: string
+        description: "The name of the release you want to deploy to stable."
   pull_request:
     types: [opened, reopened, synchronize]
     branches:
@@ -23,8 +19,10 @@ on:
       - "*"
   release:
     types: [created]
+
 env:
   ARTIFACT_NAME: actions-demo
+
 jobs:
   build_test_and_deploy_dev:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -34,119 +32,99 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
       - name: Get Short SHA
         run: |
           echo "SHA_SHORT=$(echo $GITHUB_SHA | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      - name: Print Short SHA
-        run: |
-          echo "Short SHA: ${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}"
+
       - name: Login to Docker Hub
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: docker.io
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
+
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
           echo "Fake running some test"
+
       - name: Build Docker Image
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           context: .
           push: false
           tags: |
             kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}
+
       - name: Push Docker Image if merged
         if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merged == true && github.event.pull_request.base.ref == 'dev' }}
         run: |
           docker push kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}
           echo "Docker image pushed with tag ${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}"
+
       - name: Deploy to k8
         if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merged == true && github.event.pull_request.base.ref == 'dev' }}
         run: |
           echo "Pretending to deploy to k8"
+
+  # Build test and deploy to qa namespace when a release tag is created
   build_test_and_deploy_qa:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.event_name == 'push' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
+    if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'created'
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Get Tag Name
-        run: |
-          TAG_NAME=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
-          # Validate and sanitize the tag name
-          if [[ ! "$TAG_NAME" =~ ^[a-z0-9]+([._-][a-z0-9]+)*$ ]]; then
-            echo "Invalid tag name: $TAG_NAME. Tag names must be lowercase and can include dashes, dots, or underscores."
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          # Ensure tag name is a valid Docker tag
-          if [ ${#TAG_NAME} -gt 128 ]; then
-            echo "Tag name is too long. Must be less than 128 characters."
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          TAG_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-list -n 1 $TAG_NAME)
-          echo "TAG_NAME=$TAG_NAME" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "TAG_COMMIT_SHA=$TAG_COMMIT_SHA" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "SHA_SHORT=$(echo $TAG_COMMIT_SHA | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      - name: Print Tag Name and SHA
-        run: |
-          echo "Tag Name: ${{ env.TAG_NAME }}"
-          echo "Full SHA: ${{ env.TAG_COMMIT_SHA }}"
-          echo "Short SHA: ${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}"
+
       - name: Login to Docker Hub
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: docker.io
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-      - name: Pull Docker Image for QA
-        run: |
-          docker pull kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}
-      - name: Retag Docker Image with Tag Name
+
+      - name: Check if release tag's SHA is in artifactory
         run: |
-          echo "Retagging image tag to: ${{ env.TAG_NAME }}"
-          docker tag kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }} kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.TAG_NAME }}
-          docker images | grep kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}  # List Docker images to verify retagging
-      - name: Push Retagged Docker Image
-        run: |
-          echo "Pushing the retagged image to Docker Hub"
-          docker push kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.TAG_NAME }}
-      - name: Run regression tests
-        run: |
-          echo "Fake run of regression testing"
-      - name: Deploy to QA k8
+          TAG_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-list -n 1 $TAG_NAME)
+          echo "TAG_NAME=$TAG_NAME" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "TAG_COMMIT_SHA=$TAG_COMMIT_SHA" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "SHA_SHORT=$(echo $TAG_COMMIT_SHA | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          if ! docker pull kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}; then
+            echo "❌ Failed to pull Docker image kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHA_SHORT }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            exit 1
+          else
+
+      - name: Retag and push Docker Image with Release Name
+        run: | 
+          echo \"Retagging image tag to: ${{ github.event.release.name }}"
+          docker tag kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.SHORT_SHA }} kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ github.event.release.name }}
+          docker images # List Docker images to verify retagging\n"
+          docker push kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}
+
+      - name: Deploy to Stable k8
         run: |
-          echo "Fake deploy to QA k8 using image kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.TAG_NAME }}"
-  build_test_and_deploy_stable:
+          echo "Test to deploy to Stable k8 using image kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}"
+
+  # Manually deploy the release given the release name
+  deploy_stable:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'created'
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout Code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Login to Docker Hub
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: docker.io
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-      - name: Get Release Tag Name
-        run: |
-          echo "RELEASE_TAG_NAME=${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "RELEASE_NAME=${{ github.event.release.name }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      - name: Print Release Tag Name and Release Name
-        run: |
-          echo "Release Tag Name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG_NAME }}"
-          echo "Release Name: ${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}"
-      - name: Pull Docker Image for Stable
-        run: |
-          docker pull kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_TAG_NAME }}
-      - name: Retag Docker Image with Release Name
-        run: "echo \"Retagging image tag to: ${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}\" \ndocker tag kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_TAG_NAME }} kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}\ndocker images # List Docker images to verify retagging\n"
-      - name: Push Retagged Docker Image
+
+      - name: Check if release is in artifactory
         run: |
-          echo "Pushing the retagged image to Docker Hub"
-          docker push kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}
-          docker images # List Docker images to verify retagging
+          if docker manifest inspect ${{ github.event.release.name }} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo echo '# 🎊 Successfully Deployed to Stable' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          else
+            echo echo '# ❌ Failed Stable Deployment: Release not found in artifactory' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Deploy to Stable k8
         run: |
-          echo "Test to deploy to Stable k8 using image kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ env.RELEASE_NAME }}"
+          echo "Test to deploy to Stable k8 using image kennyd3d/${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}:${{ github.event.release.name }}"