fix(release): separate publication time from the release date (#36761)

`published_at` was an alias for `created_at`, so a release created from
an existing tag reported that tag's commit date as its publication time,
and drafts reported one despite never having been published. It is now
stored separately, set when a release is published and null for drafts.

`created_at` in turn means the date of the commit the release points at,
matching what GitHub documents it to be, and the latest release is
selected by it again. Publishing a release for an old commit no longer
takes over the latest badge, and a tag created in the web UI is dated
the same way as one pushed from the CLI.

Fixes https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/issues/11206
Fixes https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/issues/38714
Fixes https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/issues/31789

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

modelmigration/migrations.go

@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ func prepareMigrationTasks() []*migration {
 		newMigration(347, "Add watch options", v28.AddWatchOptions),
 		newMigration(348, "Recreate email_hash table for SHA256 avatar hashes", v28.RecreateEmailHashTable),
 		newMigration(349, "Expand action_schedule content column", v28.ExpandActionScheduleContent),
+		newMigration(350, "Add published_unix column to release", v28.AddPublishedUnixToRelease),
 	}
 	return preparedMigrations
 }

modelmigration/v28/v350.go

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package v28
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"gitea.dev/modelmigration/base"
+
+	"xorm.io/xorm"
+)
+
+func AddPublishedUnixToRelease(_ context.Context, x base.EngineMigration) error {
+	type Release struct {
+		PublishedUnix int64 `xorm:"NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"`
+	}
+	if _, err := x.SyncWithOptions(xorm.SyncOptions{
+		IgnoreConstrains:  true,
+		IgnoreDropIndices: true,
+	}, new(Release)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// existing rows have no recorded publication time, so fall back to their creation time
+	_, err := x.Exec("UPDATE `release` SET published_unix = created_unix WHERE published_unix = 0 AND is_draft = ?", false)
+	return err
+}

modelmigration/v28/v350_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package v28
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.dev/modelmigration/migrationtest"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestAddPublishedUnixToRelease(t *testing.T) {
+	type Release struct {
+		ID          int64 `xorm:"pk autoincr"`
+		IsDraft     bool  `xorm:"NOT NULL DEFAULT false"`
+		IsTag       bool  `xorm:"NOT NULL DEFAULT false"`
+		CreatedUnix int64 `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	}
+
+	x, deferable := migrationtest.PrepareTestEnv(t, 0, new(Release))
+	defer deferable()
+	if x == nil || t.Failed() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	_, err := x.Insert(
+		&Release{CreatedUnix: 1000000},
+		&Release{IsDraft: true, CreatedUnix: 2000000},
+		&Release{IsTag: true, CreatedUnix: 3000000},
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.NoError(t, AddPublishedUnixToRelease(t.Context(), x))
+
+	var got []struct{ PublishedUnix int64 }
+	require.NoError(t, x.Table("release").OrderBy("id").Find(&got))
+	require.Equal(t, []int64{1000000, 0, 3000000}, []int64{got[0].PublishedUnix, got[1].PublishedUnix, got[2].PublishedUnix},
+		"everything but drafts is backfilled")
+}

models/activities/repo_activity.go

@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ func (stats *ActivityStats) FillReleases(ctx context.Context, repoID int64, from
 
 	// Published releases list
 	sess := releasesForActivityStatement(ctx, repoID, fromTime)
-	sess.OrderBy("`release`.created_unix DESC")
+	sess.OrderBy("`release`.published_unix DESC")
 	stats.PublishedReleases = make([]*repo_model.Release, 0)
 	if err = sess.Find(&stats.PublishedReleases); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -386,5 +386,5 @@ func (stats *ActivityStats) FillReleases(ctx context.Context, repoID int64, from
 func releasesForActivityStatement(ctx context.Context, repoID int64, fromTime time.Time) db.Session {
 	return db.GetEngine(ctx).Where("`release`.repo_id = ?", repoID).
 		And("`release`.is_draft = ?", false).
-		And("`release`.created_unix >= ?", fromTime.Unix())
+		And("`release`.published_unix >= ?", fromTime.Unix())
 }

models/fixtures/release.yml

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684800
+  published_unix: 946684800
 
 - id: 2
   repo_id: 40
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684800
+  published_unix: 946684800
 
 - id: 3
   repo_id: 1
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: true
   created_unix: 946684800
+  published_unix: 946684800
 
 - id: 4
   repo_id: 1
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@
   is_prerelease: true
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684800
+  published_unix: 946684800
 
 - id: 6
   repo_id: 57
@@ -80,6 +84,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684801
+  published_unix: 946684801
 
 - id: 7
   repo_id: 57
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684802
+  published_unix: 946684802
 
 - id: 8
   repo_id: 57
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684803
+  published_unix: 946684803
 
 - id: 9
   repo_id: 57
@@ -122,6 +129,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684803
+  published_unix: 946684803
 
 - id: 10
   repo_id: 57
@@ -136,6 +144,7 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684803
+  published_unix: 946684803
 
 - id: 11
   repo_id: 2
@@ -150,5 +159,6 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684803
+  published_unix: 946684803
 
 # DO NOT add more test data in the fixtures, test case should prepare their own test data separately and clearly

models/repo/release.go

@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ type Release struct {
 	IsTag            bool               `xorm:"NOT NULL DEFAULT false"` // will be true only if the record is a tag and has no related releases
 	Attachments      []*Attachment      `xorm:"-"`
 	CreatedUnix      timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	PublishedUnix    timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"`
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -473,7 +474,7 @@ func PushUpdateDeleteTags(ctx context.Context, repo *Repository, tags []string)
 	if _, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
 		Where("repo_id = ? AND is_tag = ?", repo.ID, false).
 		In("lower_tag_name", lowerTags).
-		Cols("is_draft", "num_commits", "sha1").
+		Cols("is_draft", "num_commits", "sha1", "published_unix").
 		Update(&Release{
 			IsDraft: true,
 		}); err != nil {

modules/git/foreachref/parser.go

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (p *Parser) parseRef(refBlock string) (map[string]string, error) {
 		return nil, nil //nolint:nilnil // return nil to signal EOF
 	}
 
-	fieldValues := make(map[string]string)
+	fieldValues := make(map[string]string, len(p.format.fieldNames))
 
 	fields := strings.Split(refBlock, p.format.fieldDelimStr)
 	if len(fields) != len(p.format.fieldNames) {

modules/git/repo_tag.go

@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ package git
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"gitea.dev/modules/git/foreachref"
 	"gitea.dev/modules/git/gitcmd"
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ func (repo *Repository) GetTagWithID(ctx context.Context, idStr, name string) (*
 func (repo *Repository) GetTagInfos(ctx context.Context, page, pageSize int) ([]*Tag, int, error) {
 	// Generally, refname:short should be equal to refname:lstrip=2 except core.warnAmbiguousRefs is used to select the strict abbreviation mode.
 	// https://git-scm.com/docs/git-for-each-ref#Documentation/git-for-each-ref.txt-refname
-	forEachRefFmt := foreachref.NewFormat("objecttype", "refname:lstrip=2", "object", "objectname", "creator", "contents", "contents:signature")
+	forEachRefFmt := foreachref.NewFormat("objecttype", "refname:lstrip=2", "object", "objectname", "creator", "contents", "contents:signature", "committerdate:unix", "*committerdate:unix")
 
 	var tags []*Tag
 	var tagsTotal int
@@ -179,6 +181,15 @@ func parseTagRef(ref map[string]string) (tag *Tag, err error) {
 	tag.Tagger = parseSignatureFromCommitLine(ref["creator"])
 	tag.MessageRaw = ref["contents"]
 
+	// a lightweight tag reports the commit date directly, an annotated one only behind the dereferencing "*"
+	if committerDate := util.IfZero(ref["*committerdate:unix"], ref["committerdate:unix"]); committerDate != "" {
+		seconds, err := strconv.ParseInt(committerDate, 10, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse committerdate '%s': %w", committerDate, err)
+		}
+		tag.CommitDate = time.Unix(seconds, 0)
+	}
+
 	// strip any signature if present in contents field
 	_, tag.MessageRaw, _ = parsePayloadSignature(util.UnsafeStringToBytes(tag.MessageRaw), 0)
 

modules/git/repo_tag_test.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package git
 import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ func TestRepository_GetTagInfos(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "test", tags[1].Name)
 	assert.Equal(t, "3ad28a9149a2864384548f3d17ed7f38014c9e8a", tags[1].ID.String())
 	assert.Equal(t, "tag", tags[1].Type)
+	assert.False(t, tags[0].CommitDate.IsZero(), "for-each-ref resolves the tagged commit's date")
 }
 
 func TestRepository_GetTag(t *testing.T) {
@@ -207,7 +209,9 @@ func TestRepository_parseTagRef(t *testing.T) {
 * add changelog of v1.9.1
 * Update CHANGELOG.md
 `,
-				"contents:signature": "",
+				"contents:signature":  "",
+				"committerdate:unix":  "1565789218",
+				"*committerdate:unix": "",
 			},
 
 			want: &Tag{
@@ -216,6 +220,7 @@ func TestRepository_parseTagRef(t *testing.T) {
 				Object:        MustIDFromString("ab23e4b7f4cd0caafe0174c0e7ef6d651ba72889"),
 				Type:          "commit",
 				Tagger:        parseSignatureFromCommitLine("Foo Bar <foo@bar.com> 1565789218 +0300"),
+				CommitDate:    time.Unix(1565789218, 0),
 				CommitMessage: CommitMessage{MessageRaw: "Add changelog of v1.9.1 (#7859)\n\n* add changelog of v1.9.1\n* Update CHANGELOG.md\n"},
 				Signature:     nil,
 			},
@@ -237,6 +242,9 @@ func TestRepository_parseTagRef(t *testing.T) {
 * Update CHANGELOG.md
 `,
 				"contents:signature": "",
+				// an annotated tag can be made long after the commit, so its own date is not the commit date
+				"committerdate:unix":  "",
+				"*committerdate:unix": "1565700000",
 			},
 
 			want: &Tag{
@@ -245,6 +253,7 @@ func TestRepository_parseTagRef(t *testing.T) {
 				Object:        MustIDFromString("3325fd8a973321fd59455492976c042dde3fd1ca"),
 				Type:          "tag",
 				Tagger:        parseSignatureFromCommitLine("Foo Bar <foo@bar.com> 1565789218 +0300"),
+				CommitDate:    time.Unix(1565700000, 0),
 				CommitMessage: CommitMessage{MessageRaw: "Add changelog of v1.9.1 (#7859)\n\n* add changelog of v1.9.1\n* Update CHANGELOG.md\n"},
 				Signature:     nil,
 			},

modules/git/tag.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"sort"
+	"time"
 
 	"gitea.dev/modules/util"
 )
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ type Tag struct {
 	Type      string
 	Tagger    *Signature
 	Signature *CommitSignature
+
+	CommitDate time.Time // committer date of Object, only GetTagInfos resolves it
 }
 
 func parsePayloadSignature(data []byte, messageStart int) (payload, msg, sign string) {

modules/repository/repo.go

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.dev/modules/log"
 	"gitea.dev/modules/setting"
 	"gitea.dev/modules/timeutil"
+	"gitea.dev/modules/util"
 )
 
 /*
@@ -245,9 +246,10 @@ func SyncReleasesWithTags(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, gitR
 				LowerTagName: strings.ToLower(tag.Name),
 				Sha1:         tag.Object.String(),
 				// NOTE: ignored, The NumCommits value is calculated and cached on demand when the UI requires it.
-				NumCommits:  -1,
-				CreatedUnix: timeutil.TimeStamp(tag.Tagger.When.Unix()),
-				IsTag:       true,
+				NumCommits:    -1,
+				CreatedUnix:   timeutil.TimeStamp(util.IfZero(tag.CommitDate, tag.Tagger.When).Unix()),
+				PublishedUnix: timeutil.TimeStamp(tag.Tagger.When.Unix()),
+				IsTag:         true,
 			}
 			if err := db.Insert(ctx, release); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("unable insert tag %s for pull-mirror Repo[%d:%s/%s]: %w", tag.Name, repo.ID, repo.OwnerName, repo.Name, err)
@@ -265,10 +267,11 @@ func SyncReleasesWithTags(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, gitR
 
 		for _, tag := range updates {
 			if _, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Where("repo_id = ? AND lower_tag_name = ?", repo.ID, strings.ToLower(tag.Name)).
-				Cols("sha1", "created_unix").
+				Cols("sha1", "created_unix", "published_unix").
 				Update(&repo_model.Release{
-					Sha1:        tag.Object.String(),
-					CreatedUnix: timeutil.TimeStamp(tag.Tagger.When.Unix()),
+					Sha1:          tag.Object.String(),
+					CreatedUnix:   timeutil.TimeStamp(util.IfZero(tag.CommitDate, tag.Tagger.When).Unix()),
+					PublishedUnix: timeutil.TimeStamp(tag.Tagger.When.Unix()),
 				}); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("unable to update tag %s for pull-mirror Repo[%d:%s/%s]: %w", tag.Name, repo.ID, repo.OwnerName, repo.Name, err)
 			}

modules/structs/release.go

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Release struct {
 	// swagger:strfmt date-time
 	CreatedAt time.Time `json:"created_at"`
 	// swagger:strfmt date-time
-	PublishedAt time.Time `json:"published_at"`
+	PublishedAt *time.Time `json:"published_at"`
 	// The user who published the release
 	Publisher *User `json:"author"`
 	// The files attached to the release

routers/web/feed/convert.go

@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func releasesToFeedItems(ctx *context.Context, releases []*repo_model.Release) (
 		items = append(items, &feeds.Item{
 			Title:   title,
 			Link:    link,
-			Created: rel.CreatedUnix.AsTime(),
+			Created: rel.PublishedUnix.AsTime(),
 			Author: &feeds.Author{
 				Name:  rel.Publisher.GetDisplayName(),
 				Email: rel.Publisher.GetEmail(),

services/convert/release.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 	repo_model "gitea.dev/models/repo"
 	api "gitea.dev/modules/structs"
+	"gitea.dev/modules/util"
 )
 
 // ToAPIRelease convert a repo_model.Release to api.Release
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ func ToAPIRelease(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, r *repo_mode
 		IsDraft:      r.IsDraft,
 		IsPrerelease: r.IsPrerelease,
 		CreatedAt:    r.CreatedUnix.AsTime(),
-		PublishedAt:  r.CreatedUnix.AsTime(),
+		PublishedAt:  util.Iif(r.IsDraft, nil, r.PublishedUnix.AsTimePtr()),
 		Publisher:    ToUser(ctx, r.Publisher, nil),
 		Attachments:  ToAPIAttachments(repo, r.Attachments),
 	}

services/convert/release_test.go

@@ -24,4 +24,8 @@ func TestRelease_ToRelease(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, apiRelease.ID)
 	assert.Equal(t, "https://try.gitea.io/api/v1/repos/user2/repo1/releases/1", apiRelease.URL)
 	assert.Equal(t, "https://try.gitea.io/api/v1/repos/user2/repo1/releases/1/assets", apiRelease.UploadURL)
+	assert.Equal(t, release1.PublishedUnix.AsTimePtr(), apiRelease.PublishedAt)
+
+	release1.IsDraft = true
+	assert.Nil(t, ToAPIRelease(t.Context(), repo1, release1).PublishedAt, "an unpublished release has no publication date")
 }

services/migrations/gitea_uploader.go

@@ -278,17 +278,20 @@ func (g *GiteaLocalUploader) CreateReleases(ctx context.Context, releases ...*ba
 			release.TargetCommitish = ""
 		}
 
+		publishedAt := util.Iif(release.Published.IsZero(), release.Created, release.Published)
+
 		rel := repo_model.Release{
-			RepoID:       g.repo.ID,
-			TagName:      release.TagName,
-			LowerTagName: strings.ToLower(release.TagName),
-			Target:       release.TargetCommitish,
-			Title:        release.Name,
-			Note:         release.Body,
-			IsDraft:      release.Draft,
-			IsPrerelease: release.Prerelease,
-			IsTag:        false,
-			CreatedUnix:  timeutil.TimeStamp(release.Created.Unix()),
+			RepoID:        g.repo.ID,
+			TagName:       release.TagName,
+			LowerTagName:  strings.ToLower(release.TagName),
+			Target:        release.TargetCommitish,
+			Title:         release.Name,
+			Note:          release.Body,
+			IsDraft:       release.Draft,
+			IsPrerelease:  release.Prerelease,
+			IsTag:         false,
+			CreatedUnix:   timeutil.TimeStamp(release.Created.Unix()),
+			PublishedUnix: util.Iif(release.Draft, 0, timeutil.TimeStamp(publishedAt.Unix())),
 		}
 
 		if err := g.remapUser(ctx, release, &rel); err != nil {

services/release/release.go

@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ func createTag(ctx context.Context, gitRepo *git.Repository, rel *repo_model.Rel
 					NewCommitID: commit.ID.String(),
 				}, commits)
 			notify_service.CreateRef(ctx, rel.Publisher, rel.Repo, refFullName, commit.ID.String())
-			rel.CreatedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
+		}
+		if rel.PublishedUnix.IsZero() {
+			rel.PublishedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
 		}
 		commit, err := gitRepo.GetTagCommit(ctx, rel.TagName)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -148,6 +150,7 @@ func createTag(ctx context.Context, gitRepo *git.Repository, rel *repo_model.Rel
 		}
 
 		rel.Sha1 = commit.ID.String()
+		rel.CreatedUnix = timeutil.TimeStamp(commit.Committer.When.Unix()) // dated by its commit, so an old commit does not become the latest release
 		rel.NumCommits, err = git.CommitsCountOfCommit(ctx, rel.Repo, commit.ID.String())
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("CommitsCount: %w", err)
@@ -273,6 +276,12 @@ func UpdateRelease(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, gitRepo *git.Repo
 		return err
 	}
 	isConvertedFromTag := oldRelease.IsTag && !rel.IsTag
+	// a zero PublishedUnix means "draft", so withdrawing a release has to clear it again
+	if rel.IsDraft {
+		rel.PublishedUnix = 0
+	} else if isConvertedFromTag || oldRelease.IsDraft {
+		rel.PublishedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
+	}
 
 	if err := db.WithTx(ctx, func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		if err = repo_model.UpdateRelease(ctx, rel); err != nil {

services/release/release_test.go

@@ -165,12 +165,14 @@ func TestRelease_Update(t *testing.T) {
 	release, err := repo_model.GetRelease(t.Context(), repo.ID, "v1.1.1")
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	releaseCreatedUnix := release.CreatedUnix
+	releasePublishedUnix := release.PublishedUnix
 	advance()
 	release.Note = "Changed note"
 	assert.NoError(t, UpdateRelease(t.Context(), user, gitRepo, release, nil, nil, nil))
 	release, err = repo_model.GetReleaseByID(t.Context(), release.ID)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(releaseCreatedUnix), int64(release.CreatedUnix))
+	assert.Equal(t, releasePublishedUnix, release.PublishedUnix, "editing does not republish")
 
 	// Test a changed draft
 	assert.NoError(t, CreateRelease(t.Context(), gitRepo, &repo_model.Release{
@@ -195,6 +197,19 @@ func TestRelease_Update(t *testing.T) {
 	release, err = repo_model.GetReleaseByID(t.Context(), release.ID)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Less(t, int64(releaseCreatedUnix), int64(release.CreatedUnix))
+	assert.Zero(t, release.PublishedUnix, "a draft is unpublished")
+
+	// Test publishing and withdrawing that draft
+	release.IsDraft = false
+	assert.NoError(t, UpdateRelease(t.Context(), user, gitRepo, release, nil, nil, nil))
+	release, err = repo_model.GetReleaseByID(t.Context(), release.ID)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.NotZero(t, release.PublishedUnix, "publishing stamps the publication time")
+	release.IsDraft = true
+	assert.NoError(t, UpdateRelease(t.Context(), user, gitRepo, release, nil, nil, nil))
+	release, err = repo_model.GetReleaseByID(t.Context(), release.ID)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Zero(t, release.PublishedUnix, "withdrawing unpublishes it again")
 
 	// Test a changed pre-release
 	assert.NoError(t, CreateRelease(t.Context(), gitRepo, &repo_model.Release{
@@ -387,3 +402,34 @@ func TestCreateNewTag(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, CreateNewTag(t.Context(), user, repo, "master", "v2.0",
 		"v2.0 is released \n\n BUGFIX: .... \n\n 123"))
 }
+
+func TestRelease_DatedByTargetCommit(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
+	user := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 2})
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 1})
+	gitRepo, err := git.OpenRepository(t.Context(), repo)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	defer gitRepo.Close()
+
+	newRelease := func(tagName, target string) *repo_model.Release {
+		rel := &repo_model.Release{
+			RepoID: repo.ID, Repo: repo, PublisherID: user.ID, Publisher: user,
+			TagName: tagName, Target: target, Title: tagName,
+		}
+		assert.NoError(t, CreateRelease(t.Context(), gitRepo, rel, nil, ""))
+		return rel
+	}
+
+	recent := newRelease("v9.9-recent", "DefaultBranch")
+	// released afterwards, but from an older commit, so it must not take over as the latest release
+	old := newRelease("v9.9-old", "master")
+
+	oldCommit, err := gitRepo.GetBranchCommit(t.Context(), "master")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, oldCommit.Committer.When.Unix(), int64(old.CreatedUnix), "a release is dated by the commit it points at")
+	assert.Greater(t, int64(old.PublishedUnix), int64(old.CreatedUnix), "but its publication time is now")
+
+	latest, err := repo_model.GetLatestReleaseByRepoID(t.Context(), repo.ID)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, recent.ID, latest.ID)
+}

services/repository/push.go

@@ -368,47 +368,45 @@ func pushUpdateAddTags(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, gitRepo
 			return fmt.Errorf("Commit: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		sig := tag.Tagger
-		if sig == nil {
-			sig = commit.Author
-		}
-		if sig == nil {
-			sig = commit.Committer
-		}
-
-		createdAt := time.Unix(1, 0)
-		if sig != nil {
-			createdAt = sig.When
+		createdUnix := timeutil.TimeStamp(commit.Committer.When.Unix()) // tagged whenever, but dated by its commit
+		publishedUnix := createdUnix
+		if tag.Tagger != nil {
+			publishedUnix = timeutil.TimeStamp(tag.Tagger.When.Unix())
 		}
 
 		rel, has := relMap[lowerTag]
 		title, note := git.SplitCommitTitleBody(tag.MessageUTF8(), 255)
 		if !has {
 			rel = &repo_model.Release{
-				RepoID:       repo.ID,
-				Title:        title,
-				TagName:      tags[i],
-				LowerTagName: lowerTag,
-				Target:       "",
-				Sha1:         commit.ID.String(),
-				NumCommits:   -1, // the commits count will be updated when the UI needs it
-				Note:         note,
-				IsDraft:      false,
-				IsPrerelease: false,
-				IsTag:        true,
-				PublisherID:  pusher.ID,
-				CreatedUnix:  timeutil.TimeStamp(createdAt.Unix()),
+				RepoID:        repo.ID,
+				Title:         title,
+				TagName:       tags[i],
+				LowerTagName:  lowerTag,
+				Target:        "",
+				Sha1:          commit.ID.String(),
+				NumCommits:    -1, // the commits count will be updated when the UI needs it
+				Note:          note,
+				IsDraft:       false,
+				IsPrerelease:  false,
+				IsTag:         true,
+				PublisherID:   pusher.ID,
+				CreatedUnix:   createdUnix,
+				PublishedUnix: publishedUnix,
 			}
 
 			newReleases = append(newReleases, rel)
 		} else {
 			rel.Sha1 = commit.ID.String()
-			rel.CreatedUnix = timeutil.TimeStamp(createdAt.Unix())
+			rel.CreatedUnix = createdUnix
 			if rel.IsTag {
 				rel.Title = title
 				rel.Note = note
+				rel.PublishedUnix = publishedUnix
 			} else {
 				rel.IsDraft = false
+				if rel.PublishedUnix.IsZero() {
+					rel.PublishedUnix = timeutil.TimeStampNow()
+				}
 			}
 			rel.PublisherID = pusher.ID
 			if err = repo_model.UpdateRelease(ctx, rel); err != nil {

templates/repo/home_sidebar_bottom.tmpl

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 					{{template "repo/release/label" (dict "Release" .LatestRelease "IsLatest" true)}}
 				</div>
 			</div>
-			<div class="tw-ml-[24px] tw-text-12">{{DateUtils.TimeSince .LatestRelease.CreatedUnix}}</div>
+			<div class="tw-ml-[24px] tw-text-12">{{DateUtils.TimeSince .LatestRelease.PublishedUnix}}</div>
 		</div>
 	{{end}}
 

templates/repo/release/list.tmpl

@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@
 								Ghost
 							{{end}}
 							</span>
-							<span class="released">
-								{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.released_this"}}
-							</span>
-							{{if $release.CreatedUnix}}
-								<span class="time">{{DateUtils.TimeSince $release.CreatedUnix}}</span>
+							{{if not $release.IsDraft}}
+								<span class="released">
+									{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.released_this"}}
+								</span>
+								<span class="time">{{DateUtils.TimeSince $release.PublishedUnix}}</span>
 							{{end}}
 							{{if and (gt $release.NumCommits 0) (not $release.IsDraft) ($.Permission.CanRead ctx.Consts.RepoUnitTypeCode)}}
 								| <span class="ahead"><a href="{{$.RepoLink}}/compare/{{$release.TagName | PathEscapeSegments}}...{{$release.TargetBehind | PathEscapeSegments}}">{{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.release.ahead.commits" $release.NumCommitsBehind}}</a> {{ctx.Locale.Tr "repo.release.ahead.target" $release.TargetBehind}}</span>

tests/integration/release_test.go

@@ -46,18 +46,21 @@ func createNewRelease(t *testing.T, session *TestSession, repoURL, tag, title st
 	assert.NotEmpty(t, test.ParseJSONRedirect(resp.Body.Bytes()))
 }
 
-func checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t *testing.T, session *TestSession, repoURL, version, label string, count int) {
+// returns the first listed title, which is not necessarily the one just created because releases are ordered by commit date
+func checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t *testing.T, session *TestSession, repoURL, version, label string, count int) string {
 	req := NewRequest(t, "GET", repoURL+"/releases")
 	resp := session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
 
-	htmlDoc := NewHTMLParser(t, resp.Body)
-	labelText := htmlDoc.doc.Find("#release-list > li .detail .label").First().Text()
-	assert.Equal(t, label, labelText)
-	titleText := htmlDoc.doc.Find("#release-list > li .detail h4 a").First().Text()
-	assert.Equal(t, version, titleText)
-
-	releaseList := htmlDoc.doc.Find("#release-list > li")
+	releaseList := NewHTMLParser(t, resp.Body).doc.Find("#release-list > li")
 	assert.Equal(t, count, releaseList.Length())
+
+	item := releaseList.FilterFunction(func(_ int, selection *goquery.Selection) bool {
+		return selection.Find(".detail h4 a").Text() == version
+	})
+	if assert.Equal(t, 1, item.Length(), "release %q is listed exactly once", version) {
+		assert.Equal(t, label, item.Find(".detail .label").First().Text())
+	}
+	return releaseList.Find(".detail h4 a").First().Text()
 }
 
 func TestViewReleases(t *testing.T) {
@@ -113,11 +116,11 @@ func TestCreateReleasePaging(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	createNewRelease(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.12", "v0.0.12", false, true)
 
-	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.12", translation.NewLocale("en-US").TrString("repo.release.draft"), 10)
+	assert.Equal(t, "v0.0.12", checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.12", translation.NewLocale("en-US").TrString("repo.release.draft"), 10))
 
 	// Check that user4 does not see draft and still see 10 latest releases
 	session2 := loginUser(t, "user4")
-	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session2, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.11", translation.NewLocale("en-US").TrString("repo.release.stable"), 10)
+	assert.Equal(t, "v0.0.11", checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session2, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.11", translation.NewLocale("en-US").TrString("repo.release.stable"), 10))
 }
 
 func TestViewReleaseListNoLogin(t *testing.T) {