chainsafe Release Notes
Write release notes for Lodestar versions by analyzing the changelog, identifying operator-facing changes, and producing both GitHub release header text and a Discord announcement.
Quick Start
- Read
references/style-guide.mdfor tone, structure, and past examples - Read
references/changelog-analysis.mdfor how to categorize and prioritize changes - Generate the changelog diff between the previous stable and new version
- Draft the GitHub release header and Discord announcement
- Output both as a single markdown file for review
Workflow
1. Generate Changelog
# Get commits between last stable and new version
git log <prev-tag>..<new-tag> --oneline --no-merges
# Or use the auto-generated changelog from the RC
gh release view <new-tag> --json body -q '.body'
2. Categorize Changes
Read references/changelog-analysis.md for the prioritization framework.
Focus on what matters to node operators, not internal refactors.
3. Write Header Text
The header text goes at the top of the GitHub release body, before the # Changelog section.
Follow the structure in references/style-guide.md.
4. Write Discord Announcement
Shorter version of the header text for the #lodestar-announcements channel.
See references/style-guide.md for Discord-specific formatting rules.
5. Output
Produce a single markdown file with two sections:
## GitHub Release Header— full header text## Discord Announcement— shorter announcement
Key Rules
- Operator-first: Every highlight should answer "why should I upgrade?"
- Breaking changes up front: Node.js version drops, flag changes, migration steps
- PR numbers: Always link PRs as
(#XXXX) - Recommendation level: Always state mandatory / recommended / optional
- Don't over-detail: The full changelog is linked below the header
- 3-6 highlights: Enough to convey the release but not overwhelming
- Group related PRs: Combine related changes into single highlights
Self-Maintenance
If any commands, file paths, URLs, or configurations in this skill are outdated or no longer work, update this SKILL.md with the correct information after completing your current task. Skills should stay accurate and self-healing — fix what you find broken.