changelog-generator

name	changelog-generator
description	Automatically creates user-facing changelogs from git commits by analyzing commit history, categorizing changes, and transforming technical commits into clear, customer-friendly release notes. Turns hours of manual changelog writing into minutes of automated generation.
allowed-tools	Bash(*), Glob(*), Grep(*), Read(*), WebFetch(*), WebSearch(*), mcp__claude_ai_Context7__*, mcp__plugin_context7_context7__*

Changelog Generator

This skill transforms technical git commits into polished, user-friendly changelogs that your customers and users will actually understand and appreciate.

When to Use This Skill

• Preparing release notes for a new version
• Creating weekly or monthly product update summaries
• Documenting changes for customers
• Writing changelog entries for app store submissions
• Generating update notifications
• Creating internal release documentation
• Maintaining a public changelog/product updates page

Verify Library and Framework Usage

The model's training data has a knowledge cutoff. When changelog commits reference library upgrades, new framework features, or dependency changes, actively verify that descriptions are accurate:

1. Identify versions — Check pom.xml, build.gradle.kts, package.json, or other dependency files to determine the exact versions of libraries and frameworks mentioned in commits.
2. Look up current documentation — Use Context7 (mcp__claude_ai_Context7__resolve-library-id then mcp__claude_ai_Context7__query-docs) to retrieve up-to-date documentation for any library or framework where:
   • The version is newer than what the model may have been trained on
   • You need to accurately describe what a library upgrade or new feature does in user-friendly terms
3. Search the web — Use WebSearch and WebFetch to check for:
   • Release notes and changelogs for upgraded dependencies to accurately summarize what changed
   • Feature announcements that help translate technical commits into user-friendly language
4. Check GitHub — Use gh CLI to check release notes, changelogs, or issues for dependencies when needed (e.g., gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/releases/latest)

Do not assume that a library feature or behavior is correct based solely on model knowledge. When in doubt, look it up.

What This Skill Does

1. Scans Git History: Analyzes commits from a specific time period or between versions
2. Categorizes Changes: Groups commits into logical categories (features, improvements, bug fixes, breaking changes, security)
3. Translates Technical → User-Friendly: Converts developer commits into customer language
4. Formats Professionally: Creates clean, structured changelog entries
5. Filters Noise: Excludes internal commits (refactoring, tests, etc.)
6. Follows Best Practices: Applies changelog guidelines and your brand voice

How to Use

Basic Usage

From your project repository:

Create a changelog from commits since last release

Generate changelog for all commits from the past week

Create release notes for version 2.5.0

With Specific Date Range

Create a changelog for all commits between March 1 and March 15

With Custom Guidelines

Create a changelog for commits since v2.4.0, using my changelog
guidelines from CHANGELOG_STYLE.md

Example

User: "Create a changelog for commits from the past 7 days"

Output:

# Updates - Week of March 10, 2024

## ✨ New Features

- **Team Workspaces**: Create separate workspaces for different
  projects. Invite team members and keep everything organized.

- **Keyboard Shortcuts**: Press ? to see all available shortcuts.
  Navigate faster without touching your mouse.

## 🔧 Improvements

- **Faster Sync**: Files now sync 2x faster across devices
- **Better Search**: Search now includes file contents, not just titles

## 🐛 Fixes

- Fixed issue where large images wouldn't upload
- Resolved timezone confusion in scheduled posts
- Corrected notification badge count

Inspired by: Manik Aggarwal's use case from Lenny's Newsletter

Tips

• Run from your git repository root
• Specify date ranges for focused changelogs
• Use your CHANGELOG_STYLE.md for consistent formatting
• Review and adjust the generated changelog before publishing
• Save output directly to CHANGELOG.md

Related Use Cases

• Creating GitHub release notes
• Writing app store update descriptions
• Generating email updates for users
• Creating social media announcement posts