[gimlichael]

This pull request makes the MTP package-validation tests use a package that is prepared automatically for each build, instead of one that developers must pack by hand. Local runs and CI each resolve the package that was actually prepared for them, and stale packages no longer affect local validation.

Validation package preparation:

• Local builds of the validation test project pack Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP after each real framework build, including builds started from the IDE, and skip design-time builds.
• Each configuration and target framework gets an isolated output directory, so packages from one build cannot be picked up by another.
• GitHub Actions disables automatic packing and consumes the downloaded release package, and PrepareValidationPackage=false lets developers validate an existing package outside CI.

Validation test infrastructure:

• Tests read the package directory from MSBuild metadata rather than a hard-coded artifacts/package path.
• Missing or ambiguous package errors now direct developers to rebuild the validation test project, replacing the outdated dotnet pack instructions.

Documentation:

• The contributing guide explains that local builds pack the package automatically, how CI differs, and how to opt out.

[greptile-apps]

Confidence Score: 5/5

[Low impact] The PR appears safe to merge, with one non-blocking broken link in the release notes.

Findings

1.  Release heading is not clickable ▶

Fix with agent prompt

### Issue 1
CHANGELOG.md:114
The new `[vNext]` heading has no matching link definition because this definition uses `[10.1.2]`. Readers cannot follow the heading to the release comparison. Rename the definition to `[vNext]`.

```suggestion
[vNext]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.1...vNext
```

---

For each issue above, determine whether it is valid and should be fixed. If so, fix it directly.

Summary

Local validation builds now prepare an isolated Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package, while GitHub Actions and opted-out builds use an existing package.

• Local validation builds prepare the package that MTP tests use.

_{Reviews (3) · Last reviewed commit: "changelog" · Reviewed by Greptile}

[greptile-apps]

Release heading is not clickable

The new [vNext] heading has no matching link definition because this definition uses [10.1.2]. Readers cannot follow the heading to the release comparison. Rename the definition to [vNext].

Suggested change

	[10.1.2]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.1...vNext
	[vNext]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.1...vNext

Prompt To Fix With AI

This is a comment left during a code review.
Path: CHANGELOG.md
Line: 114

Comment:
**Release heading is not clickable**

The new `[vNext]` heading has no matching link definition because this definition uses `[10.1.2]`. Readers cannot follow the heading to the release comparison. Rename the definition to `[vNext]`.

```suggestion
[vNext]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.1...vNext
```

---

For each issue above, determine whether it is valid and should be fixed. If so, fix it directly.