DEVX-142: fix: tea CLI login failure handling, error messages, release retry

AGENTS.md

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ src/devx/
 ├── translations.json    # Translation strings (en, bg, de, pl, ru, zh)
 ├── ci/                  # CI/CD automation modules (run by workflows)
 │   ├── release.py       # Automated versioning, tagging, changelog
-│   ├── publish.py       # Build and publish to Gitea PyPI registry (--skip-build for non-Python repos)
+│   ├── publish.py       # Build, publish to Gitea PyPI registry, create Gitea release (with retry)
 │   ├── auto_merge.py    # Squash-merge PRs with task ID validation
 │   ├── check_auto_merge_ready.py  # Pre-merge validation gate (branch, PR title, Vikunja, behind-master)
 │   ├── _shared.py      # Shared utilities (get_latest_tag)
@@ -310,6 +310,20 @@ by `python -m devx.tools.install_tools` and configured by
 - `create_pr()` / `merge_pr()` / `review_pr()` — Pull request operations
 - `create_release()` / `list_releases()` — Release management
 
+**`devx.gitea_cli.configure_tea_login()`** — Configures tea login in
+containerized CI environments where `make setup` was not called. Used by
+`publish.py` (`--auto-login`) and `notify_failure.py` (`--auto-login`).
+Raises `TeaCLIError` if login configuration fails — this prevents cryptic
+"no available login" errors from subsequent tea commands.
+
+**Error handling**: `TeaCLI._run()` includes both stdout and stderr in
+`TeaCLIError` messages, because `tea` writes some errors (for example,
+"no available login") to stdout, not stderr.
+
+**Release creation retry**: `publish.py` retries Gitea release creation
+up to 3 times with exponential backoff (2s, 4s) on transient failures.
+"Already exists" errors are treated as success (idempotent).
+
 ### git-cliff Commit Preprocessing
 
 Merge commits on master have the format `DEVX-N: <conventional commit>`. The

src/devx/ci/publish.py

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 Uses git-cliff to generate the release notes from conventional commits.
 Uses the ``tea`` Gitea CLI for release creation.
 
+Gitea release creation is retried up to 3 times with exponential backoff
+(2s, 4s) to handle transient failures (network timeouts, 5xx errors).
+If the release already exists, it is treated as success (idempotent).
+
 Publishing destinations (checked in order):
   1. **Gitea PyPI registry** — if ``--registry-url`` is given (or
      ``DEVX_PYPI_REGISTRY_URL`` env var is set, or ``GITEA_API_URL``
@@ -27,6 +31,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import click
 from dotenv import load_dotenv  # pyright: ignore[reportMissingImports,reportUnknownVariableType]
+from tenacity import retry, retry_if_exception_type, stop_after_attempt, wait_exponential
 
 from devx.config import GITEA_API_URL, REPO_OWNER
 from devx.gitea_cli import TeaCLI, TeaCLIError, configure_tea_login
@@ -312,13 +317,7 @@ def main(
 
     release_body = generate_release_notes(tag)
 
-    try:
+    _create_release_with_retry(tea, repo, tag, release_body)
-        tea.create_release(repo, tag=tag, title=tag, body=release_body)
-    except TeaCLIError as e:
-        if "already" in str(e).lower() and "release" in str(e).lower():
-            click.echo(_("Gitea release {tag} already exists — skipping creation.", tag=tag))
-            return
-        raise click.ClickException(_("Release creation failed: {error}", error=str(e))) from None
 
     click.echo(
         _(
@@ -328,5 +327,36 @@ def main(
     )
 
 
+def _create_release_with_retry(tea: TeaCLI, repo: str, tag: str, release_body: str) -> None:
+    """Create a Gitea release with retry for transient failures.
+
+    Retries up to 3 times with exponential backoff (2s, 4s) on TeaCLIError
+    unless the error indicates the release already exists (which is treated
+    as success). This handles transient issues like network timeouts, Gitea
+    rate limiting, or temporary 5xx errors that caused CI run #2822 to fail.
+    """
+
+    @retry(
+        stop=stop_after_attempt(3),
+        wait=wait_exponential(multiplier=2, min=2, max=10),
+        retry=retry_if_exception_type(TeaCLIError),
+        reraise=True,
+    )
+    def _attempt() -> None:
+        try:
+            tea.create_release(repo, tag=tag, title=tag, body=release_body)
+        except TeaCLIError as e:
+            error_str = str(e).lower()
+            if "already" in error_str and "release" in error_str:
+                click.echo(_("Gitea release {tag} already exists — skipping creation.", tag=tag))
+                return
+            raise
+
+    try:
+        _attempt()
+    except TeaCLIError as e:
+        raise click.ClickException(_("Release creation failed: {error}", error=str(e))) from None
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
     main()

src/devx/gitea_cli.py

@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ def configure_tea_login(login_name: str = "devx") -> None:
     Idempotent: if a login with the same name already exists, it is not re-added.
     Skips silently if tea is not installed or no token is set.
 
+    Raises ``TeaCLIError`` if the login add or default command fails. This is
+    critical because subsequent tea commands (e.g. ``releases create``) will
+    fail with a cryptic "no available login" error if the login was not
+    configured successfully.
+
     Used by CI scripts (publish, notify_failure) that need tea login but
     run in containerized environments where ``make setup`` was not called.
     """
@@ -88,18 +93,31 @@ def configure_tea_login(login_name: str = "devx") -> None:
         return
 
     click.echo(_("Configuring tea login '{name}' for {url}...", name=login_name, url=gitea_url))
-    subprocess.run(  # nosec B603
+    add_result = subprocess.run(  # nosec B603
         [tea_bin, "login", "add", "--name", login_name, "--url", gitea_url, "--token", token],
         capture_output=True,
         text=True,
         check=False,
     )
-    subprocess.run(  # nosec B603
+    if add_result.returncode != 0:
+        raise TeaCLIError(
+            f"tea login add failed (rc={add_result.returncode})\n"
+            f"stdout: {add_result.stdout.strip()}\n"
+            f"stderr: {add_result.stderr.strip()}"
+        )
+
+    default_result = subprocess.run(  # nosec B603
         [tea_bin, "login", "default", login_name],
         capture_output=True,
         text=True,
         check=False,
     )
+    if default_result.returncode != 0:
+        raise TeaCLIError(
+            f"tea login default failed (rc={default_result.returncode})\n"
+            f"stdout: {default_result.stdout.strip()}\n"
+            f"stderr: {default_result.stderr.strip()}"
+        )
 
 
 class TeaCLI:
@@ -145,9 +163,14 @@ class TeaCLI:
         except FileNotFoundError as e:
             raise TeaCLIError(f"tea binary not found ('{self._tea}'). Install tea or add it to PATH.") from e
         if result.returncode != 0:
-            raise TeaCLIError(
+            # tea writes some errors to stdout (for example, "no available
-                f"tea command failed (rc={result.returncode}): {' '.join(args)}\nstderr: {result.stderr.strip()}"
+            # login"), so include both stdout and stderr for debugging.
-            )
+            parts = [
+                f"tea command failed (rc={result.returncode}): {' '.join(args)}",
+                f"stdout: {result.stdout.strip()}" if result.stdout.strip() else "",
+                f"stderr: {result.stderr.strip()}" if result.stderr.strip() else "",
+            ]
+            raise TeaCLIError("\n".join(p for p in parts if p))
         return result.stdout.strip()
 
     def _run_raw(self, args: list[str]) -> str:

tests/unit/test_gitea_cli.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Unit tests for scripts/gitea_cli.py."""
+"""Unit tests for devx/gitea_cli.py."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -77,6 +77,25 @@ class TestTeaCLIRun:
             with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="auth error"):
                 cli._run(["labels", "list"])
 
+    def test_run_failure_includes_stdout(self) -> None:
+        """tea writes some errors to stdout (e.g. 'no available login')."""
+        cli = TeaCLI(tea_bin="/fake/tea")
+        mock_result = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="no available login", stderr="")
+        with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result):
+            with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="no available login"):
+                cli._run(["releases", "create"])
+
+    def test_run_failure_includes_both_stdout_and_stderr(self) -> None:
+        """When both stdout and stderr have content, both are included."""
+        cli = TeaCLI(tea_bin="/fake/tea")
+        mock_result = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="partial error", stderr="auth error")
+        with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result):
+            with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="partial error"):
+                cli._run(["labels", "list"])
+            with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result):
+                with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="auth error"):
+                    cli._run(["labels", "list"])
+
     def test_run_tea_not_found_raises_tea_error(self) -> None:
         cli = TeaCLI(tea_bin="tea")
         with patch("subprocess.run", side_effect=FileNotFoundError("tea not found")):
@@ -380,9 +399,11 @@ class TestConfigureTeaLogin:
     def test_configures_login_when_not_present(self, mock_subprocess: MagicMock, mock_which: MagicMock) -> None:
         """configure_tea_login adds login when not already configured."""
         mock_list = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="")
-        mock_subprocess.return_value = mock_list
+        mock_add = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="Login successful", stderr="")
+        mock_default = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="", stderr="")
+        mock_subprocess.side_effect = [mock_list, mock_add, mock_default]
         configure_tea_login()
-        assert mock_subprocess.call_count >= 2  # login list + login add + login default
+        assert mock_subprocess.call_count == 3  # login list + login add + login default
 
     @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "tok"})
     @patch("devx.gitea_cli.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/tea")
@@ -393,3 +414,37 @@ class TestConfigureTeaLogin:
         mock_subprocess.return_value = mock_list
         configure_tea_login()
         assert mock_subprocess.call_count == 1  # only login list, no add
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "tok"})
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/tea")
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.subprocess.run")
+    def test_raises_on_login_add_failure(self, mock_subprocess: MagicMock, mock_which: MagicMock) -> None:
+        """configure_tea_login raises TeaCLIError if tea login add fails."""
+        mock_list = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="")
+        mock_add = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="invalid token")
+        mock_subprocess.side_effect = [mock_list, mock_add]
+        with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="login add failed"):
+            configure_tea_login()
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "tok"})
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/tea")
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.subprocess.run")
+    def test_raises_on_login_default_failure(self, mock_subprocess: MagicMock, mock_which: MagicMock) -> None:
+        """configure_tea_login raises TeaCLIError if tea login default fails."""
+        mock_list = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="")
+        mock_add = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="Login successful", stderr="")
+        mock_default = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="login not found")
+        mock_subprocess.side_effect = [mock_list, mock_add, mock_default]
+        with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="login default failed"):
+            configure_tea_login()
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "tok"})
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/tea")
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.subprocess.run")
+    def test_login_add_failure_includes_stdout(self, mock_subprocess: MagicMock, mock_which: MagicMock) -> None:
+        """Error message includes stdout when tea writes errors there."""
+        mock_list = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="")
+        mock_add = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="Error: invalid username", stderr="")
+        mock_subprocess.side_effect = [mock_list, mock_add]
+        with pytest.raises(TeaCLIError, match="invalid username"):
+            configure_tea_login()

tests/unit/test_publish.py

@@ -387,8 +387,10 @@ class TestMain:
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.TeaCLI")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_pypi")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    @patch("time.sleep")
     def test_release_failure_raises_click(
         self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
         mock_build: MagicMock,
         mock_publish: MagicMock,
         mock_tea_cls: MagicMock,
@@ -397,6 +399,7 @@ class TestMain:
         mock_tag: MagicMock,
         mock_login: MagicMock,
     ) -> None:
+        """Release creation failure after retries raises ClickException."""
         mock_tea = MagicMock()
         mock_tea.list_releases.return_value = []
         mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("server error")
@@ -405,6 +408,8 @@ class TestMain:
         result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
         assert result.exit_code == 1
         assert "Release creation failed" in result.output
+        # Retried 3 times (stop_after_attempt(3))
+        assert mock_tea.create_release.call_count == 3
 
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.subprocess.run")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
@@ -496,8 +501,10 @@ class TestMain:
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_gitea_registry")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_pypi")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    @patch("time.sleep")
     def test_create_release_already_exists_is_idempotent(
         self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
         mock_build: MagicMock,
         mock_publish: MagicMock,
         mock_gitea_pub: MagicMock,
@@ -507,7 +514,7 @@ class TestMain:
         mock_tag: MagicMock,
         mock_login: MagicMock,
     ) -> None:
-        """If create_release fails with 'already exists', treat as success."""
+        """If create_release fails with 'already exists', treat as success (no retry)."""
         mock_tea = MagicMock()
         mock_tea.list_releases.side_effect = TeaCLIError("api error")
         mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("there is already a release for this tag")
@@ -516,6 +523,8 @@ class TestMain:
         result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
         assert result.exit_code == 0
         assert "already exists" in result.output
+        # "already exists" is caught immediately — no retry
+        assert mock_tea.create_release.call_count == 1
 
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.subprocess.run")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
@@ -526,8 +535,10 @@ class TestMain:
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_gitea_registry")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.publish_to_pypi")
     @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    @patch("time.sleep")
     def test_create_release_other_error_raises(
         self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
         mock_build: MagicMock,
         mock_publish: MagicMock,
         mock_gitea_pub: MagicMock,
@@ -537,7 +548,7 @@ class TestMain:
         mock_tag: MagicMock,
         mock_login: MagicMock,
     ) -> None:
-        """If create_release fails with a non-'already exists' error, raise."""
+        """If create_release fails with a non-'already exists' error, raise after retries."""
         mock_tea = MagicMock()
         mock_tea.list_releases.side_effect = TeaCLIError("api error")
         mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("network error")
@@ -546,6 +557,75 @@ class TestMain:
         result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo"])
         assert result.exit_code != 0
         assert "Release creation failed" in result.output
+        # Retried 3 times before giving up
+        assert mock_tea.create_release.call_count == 3
+
+
+class TestReleaseRetry:
+    """Tests for retry logic on transient release creation failures."""
+
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.subprocess.run")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.configure_tea_login")
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "gitea-tok"})
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.generate_release_notes", return_value="Release notes")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.TeaCLI")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    @patch("time.sleep")
+    def test_transient_failure_retried_and_succeeds(
+        self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
+        mock_build: MagicMock,
+        mock_tea_cls: MagicMock,
+        mock_notes: MagicMock,
+        mock_run: MagicMock,
+        mock_tag: MagicMock,
+        mock_login: MagicMock,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Transient failure on first attempt succeeds on retry."""
+        mock_tea = MagicMock()
+        mock_tea.list_releases.return_value = []
+        mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = [
+            TeaCLIError("connection timeout"),
+            None,  # second attempt succeeds
+        ]
+        mock_tea_cls.return_value = mock_tea
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo", "--skip-build"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "Gitea release v1.0.0 created" in result.output
+        assert mock_tea.create_release.call_count == 2
+        mock_sleep.assert_called()  # slept between attempts
+
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.subprocess.run")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.get_latest_tag", return_value="v0.1.0")
+    @patch("devx.gitea_cli.configure_tea_login")
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"CI_GITEA_TOKEN": "gitea-tok"})
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.generate_release_notes", return_value="Release notes")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.TeaCLI")
+    @patch("devx.ci.publish.build_package")
+    @patch("time.sleep")
+    def test_all_retries_exhausted_raises(
+        self,
+        mock_sleep: MagicMock,
+        mock_build: MagicMock,
+        mock_tea_cls: MagicMock,
+        mock_notes: MagicMock,
+        mock_run: MagicMock,
+        mock_tag: MagicMock,
+        mock_login: MagicMock,
+    ) -> None:
+        """All 3 retry attempts fail — raises ClickException."""
+        mock_tea = MagicMock()
+        mock_tea.list_releases.return_value = []
+        mock_tea.create_release.side_effect = TeaCLIError("503 service unavailable")
+        mock_tea_cls.return_value = mock_tea
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["v1.0.0", "owner/repo", "--skip-build"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 1
+        assert "Release creation failed" in result.output
+        assert mock_tea.create_release.call_count == 3
+        assert mock_sleep.call_count == 2  # slept between 3 attempts (2 sleeps)
 
 
 class TestFromTag: