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Changelog Automation

Seth HobsonCommunityCreated by Seth Hobson

  • Skill
  • Guidelines
  • Software development
  • MIT
  • Low risk
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From the author

Automate changelog generation from commits, PRs, and releases following Keep a Changelog format. Use when setting up release workflows, generating release notes, or standardizing commit conventions.
— the description by Seth Hobson

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a comprehensive framework for automating changelog generation and release management. It centers on the Keep a Changelog format and Conventional Commits, offering patterns for structuring commit messages, implementing semantic versioning, and configuring automated release tools. By standardizing how changes are documented and tracked, teams can reduce manual effort and ensure consistent, readable release history.

What it does

  • Defines the Keep a Changelog structure for project documentation
  • Establishes Conventional Commits standards for standardized commit messages
  • Maps commit types to specific changelog sections
  • Provides guidance on implementing semantic versioning
  • Offers configuration patterns for automated release tools
  • Includes best practices for maintaining clean commit history

When to use it

  • When setting up automated release workflows
  • When implementing or enforcing Conventional Commits
  • When standardizing how release notes are generated
  • When managing semantic versioning for software projects
  • When preparing to automate GitHub or GitLab release notes

Advantages

  • Reduces manual effort in writing release notes
  • Ensures consistent and professional changelog formatting
  • Improves traceability between commits and project issues
  • Facilitates automated version bumping and release tagging
  • Enhances clarity for end-users regarding project updates

Usage examples

“How should I format a commit message for a new feature?”
The skill provides the Conventional Commits structure: feat(scope): description, which maps to the 'Added' section of your changelog.
“What is the standard way to document a breaking change?”
Use the '!' suffix in the commit type (e.g., feat!) or include 'BREAKING CHANGE:' in the footer to trigger major version updates.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/wshobson/changelog-automation/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip changelog-automation.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Seth Hobson

Changelog Automation

Patterns and tools for automating changelog generation, release notes, and version management following industry standards.

When to Use This Skill

  • Setting up automated changelog generation

  • Implementing Conventional Commits

  • Creating release note workflows

  • Standardizing commit message formats

  • Generating GitHub/GitLab release notes

  • Managing semantic versioning

Core Concepts

1. Keep a Changelog Format
# Changelog

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).

## Detailed patterns and worked examples

Detailed pattern documentation lives in `references/details.md`. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.

## Summary

This release introduces dark mode support and improves checkout performance
by 40%. It also includes important security updates.

## Highlights

### 🌙 Dark Mode

Users can now switch to dark mode from settings. The preference is
automatically saved and synced across devices.

### ⚡ Performance

- Checkout flow is 40% faster
- Reduced bundle size by 15%

## Breaking Changes

None in this release.

## Upgrade Guide

No special steps required. Standard deployment process applies.

## Known Issues

- Dark mode may flicker on initial load (fix scheduled for v2.1.1)

## Dependencies Updated

| Package | From    | To      | Reason                   |
| ------- | ------- | ------- | ------------------------ |
| react   | 18.2.0  | 18.3.0  | Performance improvements |
| lodash  | 4.17.20 | 4.17.21 | Security patch           |

Commit Message Examples

# Feature with scope
feat(auth): add OAuth2 support for Google login

# Bug fix with issue reference
fix(checkout): resolve race condition in payment processing

Closes #123

# Breaking change
feat(api)!: change user endpoint response format

BREAKING CHANGE: The user endpoint now returns `userId` instead of `id`.
Migration guide: Update all API consumers to use the new field name.

# Multiple paragraphs
fix(database): handle connection timeouts gracefully

Previously, connection timeouts would cause the entire request to fail
without retry. This change implements exponential backoff with up to
3 retries before failing.

The timeout threshold has been increased from 5s to 10s based on p99
latency analysis.

Fixes #456
Reviewed-by: @alice

Best Practices

Do's

  • Follow Conventional Commits - Enables automation

  • Write clear messages - Future you will thank you

  • Reference issues - Link commits to tickets

  • Use scopes consistently - Define team conventions

  • Automate releases - Reduce manual errors

Don'ts

  • Don't mix changes - One logical change per commit

  • Don't skip validation - Use commitlint

  • Don't manual edit - Generated changelogs only

  • Don't forget breaking changes - Mark with ! or footer

  • Don't ignore CI - Validate commits in pipeline

Files

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

  • Instructions that use the network

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
Seth Hobson
Publisher
Seth Hobson (Community)
Source
wshobson/agents · plugins/documentation-generation/skills/changelog-automation · commit 4bde316
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Seth Hobson or Seth Hobson.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download changelog-automation.zip