Default module release decisions to namespaced labels #359

Process-PSModule currently defaults its release-bump settings to bare labels that overlap with Dependabot's SemVer metadata. A dependency's upstream version jump can therefore be mistaken for this module's release intent.

Request

Current experience

The default mappings are major/breaking, minor/feature, patch/fix, prerelease, and NoRelease. Dependabot may apply the bare SemVer labels when those repository labels exist.

Desired experience

Process-PSModule defaults to the owned labels release:major, release:minor, release:patch, release:pre-release, and release:skip. Release behavior remains settings-driven so consumers retain control over their mappings and AutoPatching choice.

Acceptance criteria

• MajorLabels defaults to release:major.
• MinorLabels defaults to release:minor.
• PatchLabels defaults to release:patch.
• PrereleaseLabels defaults to release:pre-release.
• IgnoreLabels defaults to release:skip.
• AutoPatching remains supported and unchanged.
• All five mappings remain supported and consumer-configurable.
• Resolve-PSModuleVersion continues to use resolved settings rather than hard-coded label names.
• Schema, tests, and documentation describe the same defaults.
• Existing Plan, direct-push, manual-dispatch, cleanup, and publication behavior remains unchanged.

Technical decisions

Root fix: Separate the default release vocabulary from Dependabot's bare SemVer labels through the release: namespace. Do not branch behavior on the pull-request author and do not add a label-stripping step.

Compatibility: The settings remain the contract. Repositories with intentional custom mappings can override every default, and AutoPatching continues to default to enabled.

Versioning: Changing default labels is a breaking consumer migration and is prepared for Process-PSModule v9 without moving v8.

Authority: Resolve-PSModuleVersion remains the module-version authority. Release-GHRepository governs Process-PSModule's own repository release only.

Rollout boundary: This issue changes producer defaults. Consumer label provisioning and deletion are separate fleet work after compatible release implementations exist.

Implementation plan

• Centralize and update the five release-label defaults in Get-PSModuleSettings.
• Add matching defaults to the settings schema.
• Test canonical defaults and consumer overrides.
• Update release and settings documentation.
• Keep the draft PR blocked from publication until the v9 release path is ready.

Related work

• References 📖 [Docs]: Release decisions use owned labels MSXOrg/docs#188
• Blocked for publication by 🌟 [Major]: Release decisions use owned labels Release-GHRepository#109
• Followed by the release-label fleet migration campaign