perf(ci): reuse dependency checks in release builds (#9399)

Author: t3dotgg

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ jobs:
           node-version-file: package.json
           cache: true
           run-install: true
+        env:
+          pnpm_config_cache_dir: ${{ runner.temp }}/pnpm-metadata
 
       - id: release_meta
         name: Resolve release version
@@ -174,6 +176,14 @@ jobs:
             --current-tag "${{ steps.release_meta.outputs.tag }}" \
             --github-output
 
+      # Share only the verification results, not the large registry metadata cache.
+      - name: Upload dependency verification
+        continue-on-error: true
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: release-dependency-verification
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/pnpm-metadata/lockfile-verified.jsonl
+
   quality:
     name: Release quality checks
     needs: [preflight]
@@ -446,7 +456,18 @@ jobs:
           path: ${{ steps.package_cache_path.outputs.path }}
           key: windows-release-packages-v1-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ hashFiles('pnpm-lock.yaml') }}
 
+      # pnpm checks the lockfile and policy before reusing this result. A missing
+      # artifact leaves the cache empty, so installation runs the checks again.
+      - name: Download dependency verification
+        continue-on-error: true
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: release-dependency-verification
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/pnpm-metadata
+
       - name: Install desktop dependencies
+        env:
+          pnpm_config_cache_dir: ${{ runner.temp }}/pnpm-metadata
         run: vp install --filter=@t3tools/desktop... --filter=t3... --filter=@t3tools/scripts...
 
       - name: Cache resource monitor
@@ -583,6 +604,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build desktop artifact
         shell: bash
         env:
+          pnpm_config_cache_dir: ${{ runner.temp }}/pnpm-metadata
           T3CODE_DESKTOP_REUSE_RESOURCE_MONITOR: ${{ steps.resource_monitor_cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true' }}
           CSC_LINK: ${{ secrets.CSC_LINK }}
           CSC_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.CSC_KEY_PASSWORD }}

docs/internals/ci.md

@@ -28,4 +28,9 @@ signing only when platform credentials are present. macOS passkey builds additio
 `APPLE_TEAM_ID` and the `MACOS_PROVISIONING_PROFILE` secret; Windows uses Azure Trusted Signing.
 Without the core signing credentials, it still releases unsigned artifacts.
 
+Preflight shares pnpm's lockfile verification results with the desktop build jobs through a small
+artifact. This avoids repeating dependency checks, especially on Windows, without transferring the
+large registry metadata cache. pnpm checks the current lockfile and policy before it reuses a result.
+If the artifact is unavailable, installation runs the checks again.
+
 See [Release Checklist](../operations/release.md) for the full release/signing setup checklist.