update-changelog

Installation
SKILL.md

Update Changelog

Update docs/CHANGELOG.md from repository evidence instead of guesswork.

When to Use

  • Add the newest release entry to docs/CHANGELOG.md
  • Sync changelog text with GitHub Releases
  • Summarize the latest tag from git history or code diffs

Defaults

  • Keep the wording brief
  • Only add the latest missing version unless the user explicitly asks to backfill older releases
  • Prefer GitHub sources first, especially Releases and tag metadata
  • Skip Features / Improvements / Bug Fixes headings when the release only has a few clear items

Procedure

1. Read the local style

  • Open docs/CHANGELOG.md
  • Match the existing tone, bullet style, section ordering, and date format

2. Determine the target release

  • Read the root package.json version and compare it with the top changelog entry
  • Find the previous tag for the target version
  • If the latest version is already documented, stop and report that no changelog update is needed

3. Gather evidence

Prefer these sources in order:

  1. GitHub release notes
GH_PAGER=cat gh release view v<version> --repo <owner>/<repo> --json tagName,name,publishedAt,body
  1. Tag date
git log -1 --format=%cs v<version>
  1. Commit history between tags
git --no-pager log --format='%h %s' --no-merges v<previous>..v<version>
  1. Diff scope when commit subjects are vague
git --no-pager diff --name-only v<previous>..v<version>
git --no-pager diff --stat v<previous>..v<version>
  1. Read touched files directly only when the user-visible change is still unclear

4. Distill what belongs in the changelog

Include:

  • User-visible features
  • Important behavior changes
  • Bug fixes that improve reliability, compatibility, or developer experience
  • Small docs updates only when they materially change supported setups or onboarding

Exclude unless explicitly requested:

  • Pure version bumps
  • Routine dependency updates
  • Internal refactors with no visible impact
  • Mechanical formatting noise

5. Choose the structure

  • If the release has 1 to 3 clear points, write flat bullets directly under the version heading
  • If the release has several distinct items, use short headings such as ### Features, ### Improvements, and ### Bug Fixes
  • Do not force categories when they make the entry longer or noisier

6. Write the entry

  • Add or update only the requested release entry
  • Keep bullets short and concrete
  • Reuse project terminology from nearby entries
  • Avoid marketing language
  • Do not copy noisy GitHub release text verbatim

7. Verify

  • Check dates, version numbers, and tag boundaries
  • Ensure Markdown structure matches nearby entries
  • Confirm no intermediate versions were added unless requested

Completion Checks

  • The newest requested version is documented
  • The wording is concise and consistent with the surrounding changelog
  • The entry is backed by GitHub releases, git history, or code diff evidence
  • Low-signal internal changes were left out
Related skills
Installs
3
GitHub Stars
17.6K
First Seen
Apr 10, 2026