Changelog Generator

VerifiedSafe

Generates or updates changelog entries with business-focused language by reviewing file diffs from git diff. Helps create release notes, track version history, and group changes by module or feature.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DocumentationIntermediate
1806/2/2026
Claude CodeCursorWindsurf
#changelog#documentation#git#release-notes

Recommended for

Our review

Generates or updates changelog entries by systematically reviewing file changes via Git, using business-focused language.

Strengths

  • Produces clear, user-impact-oriented changelog entries
  • Automates diff analysis and change categorization
  • Integrates with the widely adopted Keep a Changelog format
  • Provides structured version history tracking

Limitations

  • Requires a Git repository with commit history
  • May need human review for complex or nuanced changes
  • Does not handle binary files or non-versioned changes
When to use it

When preparing a release, conducting code review, or maintaining up-to-date version history for any software project.

When not to use it

For projects without Git, very minor changes with no business impact, or when a manually curated changelog is preferred for editorial control.

Security analysis

Safe
Quality score90/100

The skill only uses git diff/show commands to identify changed files for documentation purposes. It does not execute destructive actions, exfiltrate data, or disable safety mechanisms. No remote scripts, secrets handling, or obfuscation are involved.

No concerns found

Examples

Generate changelog for current PR
Generate a changelog entry for the current branch changes compared to develop.
Update changelog with business language
Update the changelog with a business-focused summary of the latest commits on this branch.
Add changelog for a specific commit range
Add a changelog entry for changes between commit abc123 and def456 using business language.

name: changelog version: 1.1.0 description: '[Documentation] Generate or update changelog entries. Use for release changelogs, version history, and change tracking across any project.' triggers: - changelog - update changelog - add changelog - log changes

allowed-tools: NONE

[IMPORTANT] Use TaskCreate to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ask user whether to skip.

Quick Summary

Goal: Generate business-focused changelog entries by systematically reviewing file changes.

Workflow:

  1. Gather Changes — Get changed files via git diff (PR, commit, or range mode)
  2. Create Temp Notes — Build categorized review notes (Added/Changed/Fixed/etc.)
  3. Review Each File — Read diffs, identify business impact, categorize changes
  4. Generate Entry — Write Keep-a-Changelog formatted entry under [Unreleased]
  5. Cleanup — Delete temp notes file

Key Rules:

  • Use business-focused language, not technical jargon (e.g., "Added pipeline management" not "Added PipelineController.cs")
  • Group related changes by module/feature, not by file
  • Always insert under the [Unreleased] section; create it if missing

Changelog Skill

Generate business-focused changelog entries by systematically reviewing file changes.

Pre-Execution Checklist

  1. Find existing CHANGELOG.md location

    • Check root: ./CHANGELOG.md (preferred)
    • Fallback: ./docs/CHANGELOG.md
    • If not found: Create at root
  2. Read current changelog to understand format and last entries

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Changes

Determine change scope based on mode:

# PR/Branch-based (default)
git diff origin/develop...HEAD --name-only

# Commit-based
git show {commit} --name-only

# Range-based
git diff {from}..{to} --name-only

Step 2: Create Temp Notes File

Create .ai/workspace/changelog-notes-{YYMMDD-HHMM}.md:

# Changelog Review Notes - {date}

## Files Changed

- [ ] file1.ts -
- [ ] file2.cs -

## Categories

### Added (new features)

-

### Changed (modifications to existing)

-

### Fixed (bug fixes)

-

### Deprecated

-

### Removed

-

### Security

-

## Business Summary

<!-- What does this mean for users? -->

Step 3: Systematic File Review

For each changed file:

  1. Read file or diff
  2. Identify business impact (not just technical change)
  3. Check box and note in temp file
  4. Categorize into appropriate section

Business Focus Guidelines:

| Technical (Avoid) | Business-Focused (Use) | | ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Added StageCategory enum | Added stage categories for pipeline tracking | | Created PipelineController.cs | Added API endpoints for pipeline management | | Fixed null reference in GetById | Fixed pipeline loading error | | Added migration file | Database schema updated for new features |

Step 4: Holistic Review

Read temp notes file completely. Ask:

  • What's the main feature/fix?
  • Who benefits and how?
  • What can users now do that they couldn't before?

Step 5: Generate Changelog Entry

Format (Keep a Changelog):

## [Unreleased]

### {Module}: {Feature Title}

**Feature/Fix**: {One-line business description}

#### Added

- {Business-focused item}

#### Changed

- {What behavior changed}

#### Fixed

- {What issue was resolved}

Step 6: Update Changelog

  1. Read existing CHANGELOG.md
  2. Insert new entry under [Unreleased] section
  3. If no [Unreleased] section, create it after header
  4. Preserve existing entries

Step 7: Cleanup

Delete temp notes file: .ai/workspace/changelog-notes-*.md

Grouping Strategy

Group related changes by module/feature:

### Your Service: Hiring Process Management

**Feature**: Customizable hiring process/pipeline management.

#### Added

**Backend**:

- Entities: Pipeline, Stage, PipelineStage
- Controllers: PipelineController, StageController
- Commands: SavePipelineCommand, DeletePipelineCommand

**Frontend**:

- Pages: hiring-process-page
- Components: pipeline-filter, pipeline-stage-display

Anti-Patterns

  1. ❌ Creating new changelog in docs/ when root exists
  2. ❌ Skipping file review (leads to missed changes)
  3. ❌ Technical jargon without business context
  4. ❌ Forgetting to delete temp notes file
  5. ❌ Not using [Unreleased] section
  6. ❌ Listing every file instead of grouping by feature

Examples

Good Entry

### Your Service: Hiring Process Management

**Feature**: Customizable hiring process/pipeline management for recruitment workflows.

#### Added

- Drag-and-drop pipeline stage builder with default templates
- Stage categories (Sourced, Applied, Interviewing, Offered, Hired, Rejected)
- Pipeline duplication for quick setup
- Multi-language stage names (EN/VI)

#### Changed

- Candidate cards now show current pipeline stage
- Job creation wizard includes pipeline selection

Bad Entry (Too Technical)

### Pipeline Changes

#### Added

- Pipeline.cs entity
- StageCategory enum
- PipelineController
- SavePipelineCommand
- 20251216000000_MigrateDefaultStages migration

Reference

See references/keep-a-changelog-format.md for format specification.

Related

  • documentation
  • release-notes
  • commit

IMPORTANT Task Planning Notes (MUST FOLLOW)

  • Always plan and break work into many small todo tasks
  • Always add a final review todo task to verify work quality and identify fixes/enhancements
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