What method should you implement to automate release management with Cloud Build?

Implementing a build trigger using a Git tag pattern for releases is essential for automating release management with Cloud Build. This method allows the automated system to initiate builds automatically whenever a specific Git tag is pushed to the repository. Tags are particularly useful in versioning since they represent a specific point in the repository's history that usually corresponds to a release version.

By employing this approach, you can ensure that every time a release is created and tagged in the source code repository, Cloud Build will automatically carry out the defined build process without the need for manual initiation. This automation significantly streamlines the release process, enhances efficiency, and minimizes human error, as it lessens the burden of developers having to remember or manually initiate the build for every release.

While other options may involve different methods of triggering builds, they do not provide the same level of seamless integration and version control that tagging offers. For instance, manually triggering builds does not offer automation, and relying on branch naming conventions can complicate the process depending on the branching strategy used in the repository. Using a separate repository for new releases could lead to version management challenges and fragmentation of the codebase, making the process less efficient compared to using Git tags in the same repository.