fix: resolve YAML syntax errors in create-release workflow

Replaced heredocs with echo statements to avoid YAML parsing issues.
The YAML parser was interpreting markdown headings and other content
within heredocs as YAML syntax, causing validation errors.

Using grouped echo statements ({ echo ...; } > file) works correctly
with GitHub Actions YAML parser while maintaining variable expansion.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.env.prebuilt

@@ -29,10 +29,15 @@ COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=azerothcore-realmmaster
 # Module Profile Selection
 # =====================
 # Choose which module profile build to use:
-# - realmmaster: 32 modules (playerbots, transmog, solo-lfg, eluna, etc.) - Recommended
+# - realmmaster: 32 modules (playerbots, transmog, solo-lfg, eluna, etc.) - ✅ Available now (Recommended)
+#
+# Additional profiles (available soon - will be built on demand):
 # - suggested-modules: Alternative suggested module set
 # - all-modules: All supported modules
 # - playerbots-only: Just playerbots
+#
+# Note: Only 'realmmaster' images are currently published to Docker Hub.
+# Other profiles will be available when built via GitHub Actions workflow.
 MODULE_PROFILE=realmmaster
 
 # =====================
@@ -55,6 +60,11 @@ AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_MODULES=${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}:world
 AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE=acore/ac-wotlk-authserver:master
 AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE=acore/ac-wotlk-worldserver:master
 
+# Playerbots images (referenced by docker-compose, even if using modules profile)
+AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}:authserver-playerbots
+AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}:worldserver-playerbots
+AC_CLIENT_DATA_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}:client-data-playerbots
+
 # Database and client data images
 AC_DB_IMPORT_IMAGE=acore/ac-wotlk-db-import:master
 AC_CLIENT_DATA_IMAGE=acore/ac-wotlk-client-data:master
@@ -183,6 +193,11 @@ BACKUP_HEALTHCHECK_GRACE_SECONDS=4500
 # These settings tell the system that modules are already built into the images
 STACK_IMAGE_MODE=modules
 STACK_SOURCE_VARIANT=playerbots
+
+# Key modules enabled (needed for profile detection)
+# The RealmMaster profile includes playerbots, so we need this set for deploy.sh to use the correct profile
+MODULE_PLAYERBOTS=1
+
 # Note: MODULES_ENABLED_LIST varies by profile - the list below is for the 'realmmaster' profile
 # For other profiles, see the corresponding JSON in config/module-profiles/
 MODULES_ENABLED_LIST=MODULE_PLAYERBOTS,MODULE_TRANSMOG,MODULE_SOLO_LFG,MODULE_ELUNA,MODULE_AIO,MODULE_NPC_BUFFER,MODULE_NPC_BEASTMASTER,MODULE_SOLOCRAFT,MODULE_1V1_ARENA,MODULE_ACCOUNT_ACHIEVEMENTS,MODULE_ACTIVE_CHAT,MODULE_ARAC,MODULE_ASSISTANT,MODULE_AUTO_REVIVE,MODULE_BLACK_MARKET_AUCTION_HOUSE,MODULE_BOSS_ANNOUNCER,MODULE_BREAKING_NEWS,MODULE_ELUNA_SCRIPTS,MODULE_EVENT_SCRIPTS,MODULE_FIREWORKS,MODULE_GAIN_HONOR_GUARD,MODULE_GLOBAL_CHAT,MODULE_GUILDHOUSE,MODULE_INSTANCE_RESET,MODULE_ITEM_LEVEL_UP,MODULE_LEARN_SPELLS,MODULE_MORPHSUMMON,MODULE_NPC_ENCHANTER,MODULE_NPC_FREE_PROFESSIONS,MODULE_RANDOM_ENCHANTS,MODULE_REAGENT_BANK,MODULE_TIME_IS_TIME

.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yml

@@ -118,6 +118,14 @@ jobs:
           grep '^STORAGE_PATH_LOCAL=' .env || echo "  STORAGE_PATH_LOCAL not found"
           grep '^MODULES_REBUILD_SOURCE_PATH=' .env || echo "  MODULES_REBUILD_SOURCE_PATH not found"
           grep '^STACK_SOURCE_VARIANT=' .env || echo "  STACK_SOURCE_VARIANT not found"
+          echo ""
+
+          # Verify all Docker images are configured
+          echo "🐳 Docker Images (that we build and push):"
+          grep -E '^AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=' .env || echo "  AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS not found"
+          grep -E '^AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=' .env || echo "  AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS not found"
+          grep -E '^AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE_MODULES=' .env || echo "  AC_AUTHSERVER_IMAGE_MODULES not found"
+          grep -E '^AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_MODULES=' .env || echo "  AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_MODULES not found"
 
       - name: Cache Go build cache
         uses: actions/cache@v4

.github/workflows/create-release.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+name: Create Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: 'Release version (e.g., v1.0.0)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      profile:
+        description: 'Module profile for this release'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: 'RealmMaster'
+      prerelease:
+        description: 'Mark as pre-release'
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+
+jobs:
+  create-release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Prepare release variables
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${{ github.event.inputs.version }}"
+          PROFILE="${{ github.event.inputs.profile }}"
+          PROFILE_TAG=$(echo "${PROFILE}" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | tr '_' '-')
+
+          echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "PROFILE=${PROFILE}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "PROFILE_TAG=${PROFILE_TAG}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          # Get build date from Docker Hub image (or use current date)
+          BUILD_DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)
+          echo "BUILD_DATE=${BUILD_DATE}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          # Get AzerothCore commit from local-storage if available
+          if [ -d "local-storage/source/azerothcore-playerbots" ]; then
+            ACORE_COMMIT=$(cd local-storage/source/azerothcore-playerbots && git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+          else
+            ACORE_COMMIT="unknown"
+          fi
+          echo "ACORE_COMMIT=${ACORE_COMMIT}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Read module list from profile
+        run: |
+          PROFILE_FILE="config/module-profiles/${PROFILE}.json"
+
+          if [ ! -f "$PROFILE_FILE" ]; then
+            echo "ERROR: Profile file not found: $PROFILE_FILE"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Extract module count
+          MODULE_COUNT=$(python3 -c "import json; data=json.load(open('$PROFILE_FILE')); print(len(data.get('modules', [])))")
+          echo "MODULE_COUNT=${MODULE_COUNT}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          # Extract modules for release notes
+          python3 -c "import json; data=json.load(open('$PROFILE_FILE')); print('\n'.join(['- ' + m for m in data.get('modules', [])]))" > modules.txt
+
+      - name: Create deployment package
+        run: |
+          PACKAGE_NAME="azerothcore-realmmaster-${VERSION}-${PROFILE_TAG}"
+          mkdir -p "${PACKAGE_NAME}"
+
+          # Copy essential deployment files
+          cp .env.prebuilt "${PACKAGE_NAME}/.env.prebuilt"
+          cp docker-compose.yml "${PACKAGE_NAME}/docker-compose.yml"
+          cp deploy.sh "${PACKAGE_NAME}/deploy.sh"
+          cp status.sh "${PACKAGE_NAME}/status.sh"
+          cp cleanup.sh "${PACKAGE_NAME}/cleanup.sh"
+          cp README.md "${PACKAGE_NAME}/README.md"
+
+          # Copy scripts directory
+          cp -r scripts "${PACKAGE_NAME}/scripts"
+
+          # Copy config directory
+          cp -r config "${PACKAGE_NAME}/config"
+
+          # Copy docs directory
+          cp -r docs "${PACKAGE_NAME}/docs"
+
+          # Create a quick start guide specific to this release
+          {
+            echo "# Quick Start - AzerothCore RealmMaster ${VERSION}"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## Module Profile: ${PROFILE}"
+            echo "${MODULE_COUNT} modules included"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## Docker Images"
+            echo "This release uses the following pre-built images:"
+            echo "- \`\${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-${BUILD_DATE}\`"
+            echo "- \`\${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-${BUILD_DATE}\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "Or use the latest tags:"
+            echo "- \`\${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-latest\`"
+            echo "- \`\${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-latest\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## Installation"
+            echo ""
+            echo "1. **Edit .env.prebuilt**:"
+            echo "   \`\`\`bash"
+            echo "   nano .env.prebuilt"
+            echo "   # Set: DOCKERHUB_USERNAME=uprightbass360"
+            echo "   \`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "2. **Rename to .env**:"
+            echo "   \`\`\`bash"
+            echo "   mv .env.prebuilt .env"
+            echo "   \`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "3. **Deploy**:"
+            echo "   \`\`\`bash"
+            echo "   chmod +x deploy.sh status.sh cleanup.sh"
+            echo "   ./deploy.sh"
+            echo "   \`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "4. **Check status**:"
+            echo "   \`\`\`bash"
+            echo "   ./status.sh"
+            echo "   \`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## Documentation"
+            echo "- [Pre-Built Images Guide](docs/PREBUILT_IMAGES.md)"
+            echo "- [Getting Started](docs/GETTING_STARTED.md)"
+            echo "- [Troubleshooting](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## Support"
+            echo "- GitHub Issues: https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/issues"
+            echo "- AzerothCore Discord: https://discord.gg/gkt4y2x"
+          } > "${PACKAGE_NAME}/QUICKSTART.md"
+
+          # Make scripts executable
+          chmod +x "${PACKAGE_NAME}/deploy.sh"
+          chmod +x "${PACKAGE_NAME}/status.sh"
+          chmod +x "${PACKAGE_NAME}/cleanup.sh"
+
+          # Create zip archive
+          zip -r "${PACKAGE_NAME}.zip" "${PACKAGE_NAME}"
+
+          echo "PACKAGE_NAME=${PACKAGE_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Generate release notes
+        run: |
+          {
+            echo "# AzerothCore RealmMaster ${VERSION} - ${PROFILE} Profile"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 🎯 Module Profile: ${PROFILE}"
+            echo "${MODULE_COUNT} modules included"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 📦 Docker Images"
+            echo ""
+            echo "Pull these pre-built images from Docker Hub:"
+            echo ""
+            echo "**Date-specific (recommended for production)**:"
+            echo "\`\`\`bash"
+            echo "docker pull \${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-${BUILD_DATE}"
+            echo "docker pull \${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-${BUILD_DATE}"
+            echo "\`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "**Latest (auto-updated nightly)**:"
+            echo "\`\`\`bash"
+            echo "docker pull \${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-latest"
+            echo "docker pull \${DOCKERHUB_USERNAME}/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-${PROFILE_TAG}-latest"
+            echo "\`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 🚀 Quick Start"
+            echo ""
+            echo "\`\`\`bash"
+            echo "# Download and extract"
+            echo "wget https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/releases/download/${VERSION}/${PACKAGE_NAME}.zip"
+            echo "unzip ${PACKAGE_NAME}.zip"
+            echo "cd ${PACKAGE_NAME}"
+            echo ""
+            echo "# Configure Docker Hub username"
+            echo "nano .env.prebuilt"
+            echo "# Set: DOCKERHUB_USERNAME=uprightbass360"
+            echo ""
+            echo "# Deploy"
+            echo "mv .env.prebuilt .env"
+            echo "./deploy.sh"
+            echo "\`\`\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "Full documentation in \`docs/PREBUILT_IMAGES.md\`"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 📋 Included Modules"
+            echo ""
+            cat modules.txt
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 📊 Build Information"
+            echo ""
+            echo "- **Built**: ${BUILD_DATE}"
+            echo "- **AzerothCore Commit**: ${ACORE_COMMIT}"
+            echo "- **Source Variant**: playerbots (for MODULE_PLAYERBOTS support)"
+            echo "- **Profile**: ${PROFILE}"
+            echo "- **Module Count**: ${MODULE_COUNT}"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 📖 Documentation"
+            echo ""
+            echo "Full documentation available in the \`docs/\` directory of the release package:"
+            echo "- [Pre-Built Images Guide](https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/blob/${VERSION}/docs/PREBUILT_IMAGES.md)"
+            echo "- [Getting Started Guide](https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/blob/${VERSION}/docs/GETTING_STARTED.md)"
+            echo "- [Module Catalog](https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/blob/${VERSION}/docs/MODULES.md)"
+            echo "- [Troubleshooting](https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/blob/${VERSION}/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 🐛 Known Issues"
+            echo ""
+            echo "None at this time. Report issues at: https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/issues"
+            echo ""
+            echo "## 💬 Support"
+            echo ""
+            echo "- **GitHub Issues**: https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/issues"
+            echo "- **AzerothCore Discord**: https://discord.gg/gkt4y2x"
+            echo "- **Documentation**: https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/tree/${VERSION}/docs"
+          } > release_notes.md
+
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+        with:
+          tag_name: ${{ env.VERSION }}
+          name: "RealmMaster ${{ env.VERSION }} - ${{ env.PROFILE }} Profile"
+          body_path: release_notes.md
+          files: |
+            ${{ env.PACKAGE_NAME }}.zip
+          prerelease: ${{ github.event.inputs.prerelease }}
+          draft: false
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Release summary
+        run: |
+          echo "## Release Created Successfully! 🎉" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "**Version**: ${{ env.VERSION }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "**Profile**: ${{ env.PROFILE }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "**Modules**: ${{ env.MODULE_COUNT }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "**Package**: ${{ env.PACKAGE_NAME }}.zip" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "📦 Release available at:" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/releases/tag/${{ env.VERSION }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY

docs/CICD.md

@@ -58,16 +58,21 @@ The workflow **automatically fetches all module repositories** during the build.
 The workflow publishes images with **profile-specific tags** so you know exactly which modules are included:
 
 **Profile-Tagged Images** (recommended):
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-latest`
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD`
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-latest`
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD`
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-latest` ✅ Built nightly
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD` ✅ Built nightly
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-latest` ✅ Built nightly
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD` ✅ Built nightly
 
 **Generic Tags** (backward compatibility, defaults to RealmMaster profile):
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-latest`
-- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-latest`
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-latest` ✅ Built nightly
+- `<dockerhub-username>/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-latest` ✅ Built nightly
 
-The profile name in the tag tells you which module set is included (e.g., `realmmaster`, `suggested-modules`, `all-modules`).
+**Other Profile Tags** (built on-demand via manual workflow trigger):
+- `authserver-suggested-modules-latest` - Available when built
+- `authserver-all-modules-latest` - Available when built
+- `authserver-playerbots-only-latest` - Available when built
+
+**Note**: Only the RealmMaster profile is built automatically on schedule. Other profiles can be built by manually triggering the workflow with different profile names.
 
 ## Required GitHub Secrets
 

docs/PREBUILT_IMAGES.md

@@ -91,10 +91,12 @@ Each module profile gets its own tag:
 - **`:authserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD`** - Date-tagged RealmMaster builds
 - **`:worldserver-realmmaster-YYYYMMDD`** - Date-tagged RealmMaster builds
 
-Other available profiles (if built):
-- **`:authserver-suggested-modules-latest`** - Suggested modules profile
-- **`:authserver-all-modules-latest`** - All modules profile
-- **`:authserver-playerbots-only-latest`** - Playerbots only
+Other profiles (available when built via GitHub Actions):
+- **`:authserver-suggested-modules-latest`** - Suggested modules profile (not yet published)
+- **`:authserver-all-modules-latest`** - All modules profile (not yet published)
+- **`:authserver-playerbots-only-latest`** - Playerbots only (not yet published)
+
+**Note**: Currently only the RealmMaster profile is built nightly. Other profiles can be built on-demand by manually triggering the CI/CD workflow.
 
 ### Generic Tags (Backward Compatibility)
 

docs/RELEASES.md

@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+# Release Strategy
+
+This document explains how AzerothCore RealmMaster releases work and what they contain.
+
+## Release Philosophy
+
+Since **Docker images are stored on Docker Hub**, GitHub releases serve as **deployment packages** rather than source distributions. Each release contains everything users need to deploy pre-built images without building from source.
+
+## What's in a Release?
+
+### Release Assets (ZIP Archive)
+
+Each release includes a downloadable `.zip` file containing:
+
+```
+azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.0.0-realmmaster.zip
+├── .env.prebuilt              # Pre-configured for Docker Hub images
+├── docker-compose.yml         # Service definitions
+├── deploy.sh                  # Deployment script
+├── status.sh                  # Status monitoring
+├── cleanup.sh                 # Cleanup utilities
+├── scripts/                   # Required Python/Bash scripts
+├── config/                    # Module manifest and presets
+├── docs/                      # Complete documentation
+├── QUICKSTART.md             # Release-specific quick start
+└── README.md                 # Project overview
+```
+
+### Release Notes
+
+Each release includes:
+- Module profile and count
+- Docker Hub image tags (date-specific and latest)
+- Quick start instructions
+- Complete module list
+- Build information (commit, date, source variant)
+- Links to documentation
+- Known issues
+
+## Release Types
+
+### 1. Profile-Based Releases
+
+Each module profile gets its own release variant:
+
+- **v1.0.0-realmmaster** - RealmMaster profile (32 modules, recommended)
+- **v1.0.0-suggested-modules** - Alternative suggested module set
+- **v1.0.0-all-modules** - All supported modules
+- **v1.0.0-playerbots-only** - Just playerbots
+
+Users choose the release that matches their desired module set.
+
+### 2. Version Numbering
+
+We use semantic versioning:
+- **Major** (v1.0.0 → v2.0.0): Breaking changes, major feature additions
+- **Minor** (v1.0.0 → v1.1.0): New modules, feature enhancements
+- **Patch** (v1.0.0 → v1.0.1): Bug fixes, documentation updates
+
+## Docker Hub Image Tags
+
+Releases reference specific Docker Hub tags:
+
+### Date-Tagged Images (Recommended for Production)
+```
+uprightbass360/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-20260109
+uprightbass360/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-20260109
+```
+- **Immutable**: Never change
+- **Stable**: Guaranteed to match the release
+- **Recommended**: For production deployments
+
+### Latest Tags (Auto-Updated)
+```
+uprightbass360/azerothcore-realmmaster:authserver-realmmaster-latest
+uprightbass360/azerothcore-realmmaster:worldserver-realmmaster-latest
+```
+- **Mutable**: Updated nightly by CI/CD
+- **Convenient**: Always get the newest build
+- **Use case**: Development, testing, staying current
+
+## Creating a Release
+
+### Automated (Recommended)
+
+Use the GitHub Actions workflow:
+
+1. Go to **Actions** → **Create Release**
+2. Click **Run workflow**
+3. Fill in:
+   - **Version**: `v1.0.0`
+   - **Profile**: `RealmMaster` (or other profile)
+   - **Pre-release**: Check if beta/RC
+4. Click **Run workflow**
+
+The workflow automatically:
+- Creates deployment package with all files
+- Generates release notes with module list
+- Uploads ZIP archive as release asset
+- Creates GitHub release with proper tags
+
+### Manual
+
+If you need to create a release manually:
+
+```bash
+# 1. Tag the release
+git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release v1.0.0 - RealmMaster Profile"
+git push origin v1.0.0
+
+# 2. Create deployment package
+./scripts/create-release-package.sh v1.0.0 RealmMaster
+
+# 3. Create GitHub release
+# Go to GitHub → Releases → Draft a new release
+# - Tag: v1.0.0
+# - Title: RealmMaster v1.0.0 - RealmMaster Profile
+# - Upload: azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.0.0-realmmaster.zip
+# - Add release notes
+```
+
+## Release Checklist
+
+Before creating a release:
+
+- [ ] Verify CI/CD build succeeded
+- [ ] Test Docker Hub images work correctly
+- [ ] Update CHANGELOG.md
+- [ ] Update version in documentation if needed
+- [ ] Verify all module SQL migrations are included
+- [ ] Test deployment on clean system
+- [ ] Update known issues section
+
+## For Users: Using a Release
+
+### Quick Start
+
+```bash
+# 1. Download release
+wget https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/releases/download/v1.0.0/azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.0.0-realmmaster.zip
+
+# 2. Extract
+unzip azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.0.0-realmmaster.zip
+cd azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.0.0-realmmaster
+
+# 3. Configure
+nano .env.prebuilt
+# Set: DOCKERHUB_USERNAME=uprightbass360
+
+# 4. Deploy
+mv .env.prebuilt .env
+./deploy.sh
+```
+
+### Upgrading Between Releases
+
+```bash
+# 1. Backup your data
+./scripts/bash/backup.sh
+
+# 2. Download new release
+wget https://github.com/.../releases/download/v1.1.0/...
+
+# 3. Extract to new directory
+unzip azerothcore-realmmaster-v1.1.0-realmmaster.zip
+
+# 4. Copy your .env and data
+cp old-version/.env new-version/.env
+cp -r old-version/storage new-version/storage
+
+# 5. Deploy new version
+cd new-version
+./deploy.sh
+```
+
+## Release Schedule
+
+- **Nightly Builds**: Images built automatically at 2 AM UTC
+- **Releases**: Created as needed when significant changes accumulate
+- **LTS Releases**: Planned quarterly for long-term support
+
+## Support
+
+- **Release Issues**: https://github.com/uprightbass360/AzerothCore-RealmMaster/issues
+- **Documentation**: Included in each release ZIP
+- **Discord**: https://discord.gg/gkt4y2x
+
+## FAQ
+
+### Why are images on Docker Hub and not in releases?
+
+Docker images can be 1-2GB each. GitHub has a 2GB file limit and releases should be lightweight. Docker Hub is designed for hosting images, GitHub releases are for deployment packages.
+
+### Can I use latest tags in production?
+
+We recommend **date-tagged images** for production (e.g., `authserver-realmmaster-20260109`). Latest tags are updated nightly and may have untested changes.
+
+### How do I know which image version a release uses?
+
+Check the release notes - they include the specific Docker Hub tags (date-stamped) that were tested with that release.
+
+### What if I want to build from source instead?
+
+Clone the repository and use `./setup.sh` + `./build.sh` instead of using pre-built releases. See [GETTING_STARTED.md](GETTING_STARTED.md) for instructions.
+
+### Are releases required?
+
+No! You can:
+1. **Use releases**: Download ZIP, deploy pre-built images (easiest)
+2. **Use nightly images**: Pull latest tags directly from Docker Hub
+3. **Build from source**: Clone repo, build locally (most flexible)
+
+Releases are just convenient snapshots for users who want stability.