changelog_skill

Overview

This skill generates and updates changelog entries from git commits and merged pull requests. It parses commit messages, groups changes into conventional categories, formats a release entry, and appends it to CHANGELOG.md with version and date. The output is ready-to-publish release notes that highlight features, fixes, and breaking changes.

How this skill works

The skill fetches commits since the last tag or release and parses messages following the conventional commits format. It extracts type, scope, description, issue references, and any breaking-change notes. Changes are grouped into categories (Added, Changed, Fixed, Breaking Changes, etc.), formatted into a standard markdown changelog entry, and inserted at the top of CHANGELOG.md with version and release date.

When to use it

• When cutting a new release or bumping version
• After merging pull requests into the main branch
• When preparing release notes for stakeholders
• When a user requests an up-to-date changelog
• Before publishing packages to package registries

Best practices

• Follow conventional commits for clear parsing and categorization
• Include issue numbers and concise descriptions in commit subjects
• Add BREAKING CHANGE in body or footer for incompatible changes
• Run the skill after validating tests and CI to ensure accuracy
• Review generated entry before publishing to include any manual notes

Example use cases

• Generate changelog for a patch release after multiple bugfix merges
• Create release notes for a new feature version including contributor credits
• Produce a draft changelog before publishing mobile/Flutter app builds
• Automatically update CHANGELOG.md in CI when a release tag is created
• Consolidate merged PRs into a single formatted entry for release PR