changelog-writer_skill

Overview

This skill generates clear, user-focused changelogs and release notes from version histories or Git commits. It follows established formats like Keep a Changelog and SemVer to produce consistent, readable entries for releases and an Unreleased section. Use it to turn commit lists, issues, or feature summaries into structured changelog sections ready for publishing.

How this skill works

I analyze commit messages, issue titles, or a list of changes and classify each item into categories such as Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed, and Security. I format entries in markdown with version headers, release dates, and grouped change sections, following Keep a Changelog and SemVer conventions. I can include Issue/PR references, keep chronological ordering, and produce both compact release notes and detailed changelog sections.

When to use it

• Preparing release notes for a new version before publishing
• Converting Git commit history or PR list into a structured changelog
• Maintaining an Unreleased section for ongoing work
• Standardizing changelogs across multiple projects
• Automatically generating changelogs for CI/CD pipelines

Best practices

• Write concise, user-facing descriptions rather than internal technical details
• Classify each change into one of: Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed, Security
• Include issue or PR numbers for important items (e.g., (#123))
• Order releases newest-first and keep single-line entries per change
• Use SemVer for version headers and include release dates

Example use cases

• Create a CHANGELOG.md from the last 50 Git commits, grouping by change type
• Draft release notes summarizing new features and fixes for a public release
• Convert issue tracker exports into an Unreleased changelog section
• Produce terse release headlines for a blog post and detailed notes for repository
• Integrate with CI to append a new version section on tag creation