generate-changelog

name	generate-changelog
description	Use when the user asks to generate, update, draft, or compare a CHANGELOG.md or release notes from .specs, planning docs, milestones, checkpoints, bug-fix records, decisions, business rules, manual QA, checks, security, env, setup, or other spec-based project records. Produces a prepend-only, non-destructive dated changelog block in product/spec language instead of summarizing commit messages.

Spec-Based Changelog Generator

Generate or update a root CHANGELOG.md from planning-spec changes. Prefer product/spec language over commit-message language.

Workflow

1. Preserve git index state. Do not stage, unstage, commit, amend, reset, or discard files unless explicitly asked.
2. Resolve the planning root:
   • Use the root named by the user when provided.
   • Otherwise prefer a directory with GUIDE.md and MILESTONES.md.
   • Check common roots in this order: .specs/, docs/, project-specs/, .agents/specs/, ai/.
   • If multiple plausible roots exist, choose the one whose GUIDE.md describes the active workflow or ask when the answer is not clear.
3. Resolve the comparison range:
   • Use explicit base/target refs from the user when provided.
   • Otherwise use the latest reachable tag to HEAD.
   • Otherwise use origin/main...HEAD.
   • Otherwise use main...HEAD.
   • If no base can be resolved, ask for a base ref.
4. Gather evidence with read-only Git commands:
   • git diff --name-status <base>...<target> -- <planning-root>
   • targeted git diff <base>...<target> -- <changed-spec-paths>
   • git show <ref>:<path> when the before/after shape is easier to inspect separately
5. Read changed spec records in tiers:
   • Start from the git diff --name-status path list.
   • Read only changed files and directly linked source records needed to understand the release impact.
   • Prefer explicit Changelog Impact fields in changed plans, checkpoints, and bug-fix records before opening broader specs.
   • Use rg on changed paths for Changelog Impact, Fixed, Security, Operations, QA / Verification, and similar markers.
   • Do not bulk-read the whole planning root, every checkpoint, or every decision.
6. Draft a changelog block from spec evidence, not from commit messages.
7. Update root CHANGELOG.md using the prepend-only contract below.

What To Include

Include meaningful changes that affect users, operators, product behavior, domain rules, security posture, setup/env requirements, QA expectations, defect outcomes, release checks, or agent/human handoff state.

Prefer explicit Changelog Impact fields when present in plans, checkpoints, and bug-fix records. Otherwise infer from the changed specs and cite the source file.

Use these sections only when they have content:

• Added
• Changed
• Fixed
• Removed
• Security
• Operations
• QA / Verification

Each bullet should be concise, readable to a mixed internal audience, and link to the source spec record when possible.

Do not include:

• coordination-board churn
• template-only edits
• pure formatting
• internal refactors with no behavior, operation, QA, or release impact
• noisy status/date-only changes
• raw commit messages

Prepend-Only Update Contract

CHANGELOG.md lives at the project root.

Use a dated block:

## YYYY-MM-DD

If the user provides a version, milestone, or release label, use:

## YYYY-MM-DD - <label>

When CHANGELOG.md does not exist, create it with:

# Changelog

## YYYY-MM-DD

### Added

- ...

When CHANGELOG.md already exists:

• preserve all existing content exactly except for inserting the new block
• insert after the top # Changelog title and any short intro directly below it
• insert before the first existing ## changelog entry
• do not rewrite, reorder, deduplicate, merge, or clean up older entries unless the user explicitly asks
• when generating another chunk on the same date, create a new dated block instead of merging into the existing block

If there are no meaningful changelog entries, do not edit CHANGELOG.md; report that the spec diff had no release-relevant changes.

Final Response

Report:

• CHANGELOG.md created, updated, or left unchanged
• comparison range used
• planning root used
• number of entries added by section
• any source specs that looked relevant but were intentionally omitted as noise
• checks run, if any

Keep the response concise. Do not paste the full changelog unless the user asks.