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Changelog Generator

Generate release notes from git commits, updates, or feature lists

10 minutes
By communitySource
#changelog#release#documentation#developer

Nobody on your team writes release notes because it means reading through 200 git commits and turning cryptic messages like 'fix stuff' into something users actually understand. So your changelog is 6 months behind.

Who it's for: engineering leads managing releases, DevOps engineers automating deployment pipelines, product managers communicating updates to users, open source maintainers, developer advocates documenting features

Example

"Generate release notes for v2.4.0 from our last 200 commits" → Categorized changelog (features, fixes, breaking changes) with user-friendly descriptions, contributor credits, and migration notes for breaking changes

CLAUDE.md Template

New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.

# Changelog Generator

Generate professional release notes and changelogs from commits, feature lists, or updates.

## Overview

This workflow helps you:
- Transform git commits into readable changelogs
- Categorize changes by type
- Write user-friendly release notes
- Maintain changelog history
- Follow conventional formats

## How to Use

### From Git Commits
```
"Generate a changelog from these commits:
- fix: resolve login timeout issue
- feat: add dark mode support
- docs: update API documentation"
```

### From Feature List
```
"Create release notes for version 2.0:
- New dashboard design
- Performance improvements (50% faster)
- Fixed: export button not working
- Removed: legacy API v1"
```

### From Diff/Changes
```
"Summarize these code changes into a changelog entry"
```

## Output Formats

### Standard Changelog (Keep a Changelog)
```markdown
# Changelog

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

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

## [Unreleased]

## [2.1.0] - 2026-01-29

### Added
- Dark mode support across all pages
- Export to CSV functionality
- Keyboard shortcuts for common actions

### Changed
- Redesigned dashboard with improved navigation
- Upgraded authentication to OAuth 2.0
- Performance improvements (50% faster load times)

### Deprecated
- Legacy API v1 (will be removed in v3.0)

### Removed
- Support for Internet Explorer

### Fixed
- Login timeout issue on slow connections
- Export button not responding on mobile
- Memory leak in real-time updates

### Security
- Updated dependencies to patch CVE-2026-XXXX

## [2.0.0] - 2025-12-01
...
```

### User-Friendly Release Notes
```markdown
# What's New in Version 2.1

We're excited to announce version 2.1 with dark mode and major performance improvements!

## ✨ New Features

### Dark Mode
Finally here! Switch between light and dark themes in Settings > Appearance. Your preference syncs across devices.

### CSV Export
Export your data to CSV with one click. Find it in the Actions menu on any data view.

### Keyboard Shortcuts
Work faster with shortcuts:
- `Ctrl/Cmd + K` - Quick search
- `Ctrl/Cmd + N` - New item
- `?` - Show all shortcuts

## šŸš€ Improvements

- **50% Faster Loading** - Completely rebuilt our data loading pipeline
- **New Dashboard** - Cleaner design with customizable widgets
- **Better Authentication** - Upgraded to OAuth 2.0 for enhanced security

## šŸ› Bug Fixes

- Fixed login timeouts on slower connections
- Export button now works properly on mobile devices
- Resolved memory issues with real-time updates

## āš ļø Important Notes

- **Deprecation Notice**: Legacy API v1 will be removed in version 3.0
- **Browser Support**: Internet Explorer is no longer supported

---

Questions? Contact support@example.com or visit our [Help Center](link).
```

### Technical Release Notes
```markdown
# Release v2.1.0

**Release Date**: 2026-01-29
**Type**: Minor Release
**Compatibility**: Breaking changes: None

## Summary
This release introduces dark mode, CSV export, and significant performance improvements.

## Changes

### Features
| ID | Description | PR |
|----|-------------|-----|
| FEAT-123 | Dark mode theme support | #456 |
| FEAT-124 | CSV export functionality | #457 |
| FEAT-125 | Keyboard shortcuts | #458 |

### Fixes
| ID | Description | Severity | PR |
|----|-------------|----------|-----|
| BUG-789 | Login timeout on slow connections | High | #459 |
| BUG-790 | Mobile export button | Medium | #460 |

### Dependencies Updated
| Package | From | To | Reason |
|---------|------|-----|--------|
| lodash | 4.17.20 | 4.17.21 | Security patch |

## Migration Guide
No migration required for this release.

## Known Issues
- Dark mode does not apply to embedded iframes

## Contributors
@developer1, @developer2, @designer1
```

## Category Definitions

### Change Types (Conventional Commits)
| Type | Description | Changelog Section |
|------|-------------|-------------------|
| `feat` | New feature | Added |
| `fix` | Bug fix | Fixed |
| `docs` | Documentation | Documentation |
| `style` | Formatting | Changed |
| `refactor` | Code restructuring | Changed |
| `perf` | Performance | Changed |
| `test` | Tests | N/A (internal) |
| `chore` | Maintenance | N/A (internal) |
| `breaking` | Breaking change | āš ļø BREAKING |
| `security` | Security fix | Security |
| `deprecate` | Deprecation | Deprecated |
| `remove` | Removal | Removed |

### Semantic Versioning
```
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

MAJOR: Breaking changes (incompatible API changes)
MINOR: New features (backwards compatible)
PATCH: Bug fixes (backwards compatible)
```

## Templates

### Commit to Changelog Entry
```
Input: feat(auth): add OAuth 2.0 support (#123)
Output: - Added OAuth 2.0 authentication support
```

### Bug Report to Fix Entry
```
Input: Users reported export failing on files > 10MB
Output: - Fixed export functionality for large files (> 10MB)
```

## Best Practices

### Writing Good Entries
āœ… **Do**:
- Write from user's perspective
- Be specific about what changed
- Include relevant issue/PR numbers
- Group related changes

āŒ **Don't**:
- Use technical jargon for user-facing notes
- Include internal changes in public changelog
- Be vague ("various fixes")
- Include commit hashes in user docs

### Organizing Changes
1. **Impact first**: Most important changes at top
2. **Group logically**: By feature area or type
3. **Be consistent**: Same format throughout
4. **Date everything**: Clear version dates

## Limitations

- Cannot access git repositories directly
- Requires commit messages or change descriptions as input
- Cannot verify semantic versioning automatically
- Technical details should be verified by developers
README.md

What This Does

Generate professional release notes and changelogs from commits, feature lists, or updates.


Quick Start

Step 1: Create a Project Folder

mkdir -p ~/Documents/ChangelogGenerator

Step 2: Download the Template

Click Download above, then:

mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md ~/Documents/ChangelogGenerator/

Step 3: Start Working

cd ~/Documents/ChangelogGenerator
claude

How to Use

From Git Commits

From Feature List

From Diff/Changes

Output Format

Standard Changelog (Keep a Changelog)

# Changelog

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

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

Best Practices

Writing Good Entries

āœ… Do:

  • Write from user's perspective
  • Be specific about what changed
  • Include relevant issue/PR numbers
  • Group related changes

āŒ Don't:

  • Use technical jargon for user-facing notes
  • Include internal changes in public changelog
  • Be vague ("various fixes")
  • Include commit hashes in user docs

Organizing Changes

  1. Impact first: Most important changes at top
  2. Group logically: By feature area or type
  3. Be consistent: Same format throughout
  4. Date everything: Clear version dates

Limitations

  • Cannot access git repositories directly
  • Requires commit messages or change descriptions as input
  • Cannot verify semantic versioning automatically
  • Technical details should be verified by developers

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