fix: OTeL update process and add docs

Signed-off-by: Ken Finnigan <[email protected]>

.github/workflows/otel-update.yml

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tag_name=${{ steps.get-latest-otel-version.outputs.latest_otel_version }}
           latest_version=$(echo $tag_name | cut -c 2-)
+          current_version=${{ steps.get-current-otel-version.outputs.current_version }}
           git checkout -b update-otel-$tag_name
           echo $latest_version > OTEL_VERSION
 
@@ -50,6 +51,9 @@ jobs:
           # Update version in builder-config.yaml
           sed -i "s/$current_version/$latest_version/g" cmd/otelcontribcol/builder-config.yaml
 
+          # Update version in versions.yaml
+          sed -i "s/$current_version/$latest_version/g" versions.yaml
+
           # Run checks to run `go mod tidy` and regenerate otelcontribcol
           make checks
 

README.md

@@ -41,6 +41,25 @@ Add the new component to the following files:
 
 Run `make` to ensure the code builds correctly.
 
+## OTeL Collector Contrib Releases
+
+Every week the `check-for-otel-update` workflow will execute looking for a more recent release
+of [OTeL Collector Contrib](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib).
+It uses the version in `OTEL_VERSION`, which is set to the current version used,
+to determine if there is a more recent release.
+
+If a new release is found, it updates the following files:
+
+- [builder-config.yaml](cmd/otelcontribcol/builder-config.yaml)
+- [versions.yaml](versions.yaml)
+- */go.mod files
+
+The workflow runs `make checks` to regenerate the collector build and `tidy` the go modules.
+
+A branch is created with the changes, and a PR is opened.
+
+**Note:** The `check-for-otel-update` workflow does **not** pull the changes from the coped `/internal/k8sconfig` module. Changes in this module will need to be manually included.
+
 ## How to Release?
 
 ### What version to use?