Version Bump Automation

VerifiedCaution

Automatically bump version numbers across plugins in a monorepo during the release process.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevOpsBeginner
7/23/2026
Claude Code
#versioning#release-management#monorepo#automation#python

Recommended for

Automated summary

This skill automates version bumping for plugins in the Claude Code Handbook monorepo, either individually or across the repository.

Strengths

  • Supports independent versioning for each plugin through its plugin.json file.
  • Can bump one, several, or all plugins using major, minor, or patch increments.
  • Shows current versions and reports the old → new version for each bumped plugin.
  • Uses dedicated Python scripts to validate and apply the version changes.

Limitations

  • It is specific to the Claude Code Handbook monorepo layout and its scripts.
  • It does not create Git commits or automatically update CHANGELOG files.
  • It assumes plugin.json is the source of truth and that the referenced scripts are present.
When to use it

Use it when preparing a release or incrementing version numbers for one or more plugins in this monorepo.

When not to use it

Do not use it for another repository, for versions not stored in plugin.json, or when commits and changelogs must be fully automated.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score85/100

The skill is a legitimate release-version bump utility and does not use network access, secrets, obfuscation, or destructive commands. However, it relies on executing local Python scripts whose contents are not shown, and it gives a broad `git add .` example, so it warrants caution rather than a fully safe rating.

Findings
  • •Instructs running repository-local Python scripts via bash; the script contents are not included in SKILL.md, so their exact behavior cannot be verified.
  • •Example workflow suggests `git add . && git commit`, which stages all repository changes rather than only version files.
How this analysis is made

Examples

Bump a single plugin
Bump the patch version for handbook-dotnet.
Bump multiple plugins
Bump handbook and handbook-extras to a new minor version.
Bump all plugins
Bump all plugins with a patch version.

name: version-bump description: This skill automates version bumping during the release process for the Claude Code Handbook monorepo. It should be used when the user requests to bump versions, prepare a release, or increment version numbers across the repository.

Version Bump Skill

Per-plugin version bumping for the Claude Code Handbook monorepo. Each plugin can have independent versions.

When to Use This Skill

Trigger this skill when users mention:

  • "bump version" or "bump the version"
  • "increment version" or "update version numbers"
  • Any mention of "major", "minor", or "patch" version changes

Version Locations

Single source of truth: plugins/<name>/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

The marketplace.json is a lightweight registry (no version field) — versions live only in plugin.json.

Workflow Instructions

Step 1: List Current Versions

Show current plugin versions:

python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/validate_versions.py

Step 2: Ask User Which Plugin(s) to Bump

Ask the user:

  1. Which plugin(s) to bump (can be multiple, or "all")
  2. Which bump type: major, minor, or patch

Step 3: Execute Version Bump

Run the script with the selected plugins:

# Single plugin
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py <bump_type> --plugin <name>

# Multiple plugins
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py <bump_type> --plugin <name1> --plugin <name2>

# All plugins
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py <bump_type> --all

Step 4: Report Results

After successful completion, display:

  • Plugins bumped with old → new versions
  • Next steps for git commit

CLI Reference

# Show help
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py --help

# Error + list plugins when no --plugin flag
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py patch

# Bump specific plugin(s)
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py patch --plugin handbook-dotnet
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py minor --plugin handbook --plugin handbook-extras

# Bump all plugins (legacy monorepo behavior)
python .claude/skills/version-bump/scripts/bump_version.py patch --all

Examples

Example 1: Bump Single Plugin

User: "Bump the version for handbook-dotnet"
Claude: "I'll check current versions first..."

[Runs validate_versions.py]

Claude: "handbook-dotnet is currently at 1.19.5. What bump type: major, minor, or patch?"
User: "patch"

[Runs: python bump_version.py patch --plugin handbook-dotnet]

Claude: "Done!
  handbook-dotnet: 1.19.5 → 1.19.6

Next steps:
1. git diff
2. git add . && git commit -m 'chore: bump handbook-dotnet to 1.19.6'"

Example 2: Bump Multiple Plugins

User: "Bump handbook and handbook-extras to a new minor version"

[Runs: python bump_version.py minor --plugin handbook --plugin handbook-extras]

Claude: "Done!
  handbook: 1.19.5 → 1.20.0
  handbook-extras: 1.19.5 → 1.20.0"

Example 3: Bump All Plugins

User: "Bump all plugins patch version"

[Runs: python bump_version.py patch --all]

Claude: "Done! All 13 plugins bumped from their current versions."

Notes

  • The script does NOT create git commits - user handles version control
  • Plugins can now have different versions (independent versioning)
  • Changelog updates are manual - user maintains CHANGELOG.md as needed

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/download' --output '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

After inspection, copy the complete folder into your project using one of the commands below, then open a new tool session. The command stops if a folder with the same name already exists: compare the files before replacing it.

Claude Code
test -f '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.claude/skills' && test ! -e '.claude/skills/version-bump' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm' '.claude/skills/version-bump'

OpenSkills

OpenSkills must already be installed. The local install/read procedure is checked with OpenSkills 1.5.0, which requires Node.js ≥ 20.6.0. Catalog slugs are not resolved automatically.

Official OpenSkills installation
openskills install './.skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm'

openskills read 'version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm'

Reading should display the installed file content and its base directory. It does not run the skill or install its dependencies.

For an agent that reads AGENTS.md, then sync the index. This command changes AGENTS.md: review the diff before using it.

openskills sync

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/version-bump-automation-mrx3xzzm/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

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