diff --git a/branches.go b/branches.go
index a2635d7..ec86c20 100644
--- a/branches.go
+++ b/branches.go
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 package gitpb
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 // returns true if 'git pull' will work
@@ -50,3 +55,71 @@ func (repo *Repo) ExistsDevelBranch() bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+func (repo *Repo) GetBranchHash(branchname string) string {
+	if branchname == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if repo.Exists(filepath.Join(".git/refs/remotes", branchname)) {
+		return readRefHash(filepath.Join(repo.FullPath, ".git/refs/remotes", branchname))
+	}
+	if repo.Exists(filepath.Join(".git/refs/heads", branchname)) {
+		return readRefHash(filepath.Join(repo.FullPath, ".git/refs/heads", branchname))
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) GetBranchVersion(branchname string) string {
+	if branchname == repo.GetUserBranchName() {
+		return "user"
+	}
+	if branchname == repo.GetDevelBranchName() {
+		return "devel"
+	}
+	if branchname == repo.GetMasterBranchName() {
+		return "master"
+	}
+	base, branchname := filepath.Split(branchname)
+	if base != "" {
+		if branchname == repo.GetUserBranchName() {
+			return "remote user"
+		}
+		if branchname == repo.GetDevelBranchName() {
+			return "remote devel"
+		}
+		if branchname == repo.GetMasterBranchName() {
+			return "remote master"
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func readRefHash(filename string) string {
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(filename)
+	return string(data)
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) GetLocalBranches() []string {
+	return ListFiles(filepath.Join(repo.GetFullPath(), "/.git/refs/heads"))
+}
+
+func (repo *Repo) GetRemoteBranches() []string {
+	remotes := ListFiles(filepath.Join(repo.GetFullPath(), "/.git/refs/remotes"))
+	return remotes
+}
+
+// git describe --tags e548b0fb6d0d14cdfb693850d592419f247dc2b1
+// v0.22.61-15-gbab84d7
+func (repo *Repo) GetHashName(h string) (string, error) {
+	h = strings.TrimSpace(h)
+	log.Info("GetHashName() is looking for", repo.GetGoPath(), h)
+	cmd := []string{"git", "describe", "--tags", h}
+	r, err := repo.RunStrictNew(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if len(r.Stdout) == 0 {
+		return "", errors.New("git describe was empty")
+	}
+	return r.Stdout[0], nil
+}
diff --git a/reloadRepoState.go b/reloadRepoState.go
index b4928c7..9536234 100644
--- a/reloadRepoState.go
+++ b/reloadRepoState.go
@@ -26,8 +26,13 @@ func (repo *Repo) setRepoState() {
 		repo.State = "merge to main"
 		return
 	}
+	// if IsGoTagVersionGreater(oldtag string, newtag string) bool {
+	if !IsGoTagVersionGreater(repo.GetLastTag(), repo.GetMasterVersion()) {
+		repo.State = "last tag greater error"
+		return
+	}
 	if repo.GetLastTag() != repo.GetMasterVersion() {
-		repo.State = "unchanged"
+		repo.State = "ready to release"
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -40,3 +45,29 @@ func (repo *Repo) setRepoState() {
 	log.Info("Branches are not Perfect", repo.GetFullPath())
 	repo.State = "unknown branches"
 }
+
+// returns true if old="v0.2.4" and new="v0.3.3"
+// returns true if equal
+// todo: make all of this smarter someday
+func IsGoTagVersionGreater(oldtag string, newtag string) bool {
+	olda, oldb, oldc := splitInts(oldtag)
+	newa, newb, newc := splitInts(newtag)
+
+	if newa < olda {
+		return false
+	}
+	if newb < oldb {
+		return false
+	}
+	if newc < oldc {
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// returns true for "v0.2.4" and false for "v0.2.43-asdfj"
+// actually returns false for anything not perfectly versioned
+func IsGoTagPublished(oldtag string, newtag string) bool {
+	// todo
+	return true
+}