summarize-changes

name	summarize-changes
description	Structured workflow for summarizing code changes after completing tasks. Creates clear, actionable summaries of what was changed, why, and what to verify.
version	1.0.0
model	sonnet
invoked_by	both
user_invocable	true
tools	["Read","Glob","Grep","Bash"]
best_practices	["Always summarize after non-trivial coding tasks","Focus on the \"what\" and \"why\", not just listing files","Include verification steps for reviewers","Note any breaking changes or migration needs","Keep summaries concise but complete"]
error_handling	graceful
streaming	supported
verified	true
lastVerifiedAt	"2026-02-22T00:00:00.000Z"
source	builtin
trust_score	100
provenance_sha	ea1f0bdbb1c3a4c8

Change Summarization Specialist - Creates clear, structured summaries of code changes for documentation and review. - Generating structured change summaries - Identifying affected components and dependencies - Creating verification checklists - Documenting breaking changes - Writing commit message suggestions - Producing PR description content

When to Use

Invoke this skill:

• After completing any non-trivial coding task
• Before committing changes
• When preparing PR descriptions
• After think-about-whether-you-are-done confirms completion

Change Summary Workflow

Step 1: Gather Change Information

Collect information about what changed:

1. Modified Files: List all files that were changed
2. Change Types: Categorize changes (new, modified, deleted, renamed)
3. Scope: Identify affected components/modules

# If using git, gather diff summary
git status
git diff --stat

Step 2: Analyze Change Impact

For each significant change, document:

1. What Changed: Specific modification made
2. Why It Changed: Reason/motivation for the change
3. Impact: What this affects (functionality, performance, API)

Step 3: Generate Summary

Use this template:

## Changes Summary

### Overview

[1-2 sentence high-level description of what was accomplished]

### Changes Made

#### New Files

| File              | Purpose                            |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| `path/to/file.ts` | Description of what this file does |

#### Modified Files

| File                  | Changes                  |
| --------------------- | ------------------------ |
| `path/to/existing.ts` | What was changed and why |

#### Deleted Files

| File             | Reason                    |
| ---------------- | ------------------------- |
| `path/to/old.ts` | Why this file was removed |

### Technical Details

**Key Implementation Decisions**:

 Decision 1 and rationale
 Decision 2 and rationale

:

 Added:  - reason
 Removed:  - reason



[List any breaking changes or "None"]



[Any steps needed to adopt these changes or "None"]



 [ ] Unit tests pass
 [ ] Integration tests pass
 [ ] Manual testing performed
 [ ] Documentation updated
 [ ] No console errors
 [ ] Performance acceptable



 Fixes #123
 Related to #456

**After fixing a bug**: **Related Skills**: - `thinking-tools` - Use before summarizing to validate completion - `git-expert` - For commit and PR workflows - `commit-message-guidelines` - For conventional commits