itsnex1s changelog-generator
Transform technical git commits into polished, user-friendly changelogs.
When to Use
- Preparing release notes for a new version
- Creating weekly/monthly product updates
- Writing changelog entries for app stores
- Generating internal release documentation
- Maintaining a public changelog page
How It Works
- Scan Git History: Analyze commits from time period or between versions
- Categorize Changes: Group into features, fixes, improvements
- Translate: Convert developer commits into user-friendly language
- Format: Create clean, structured changelog entries
- Filter Noise: Exclude internal commits (refactoring, tests, etc.)
Usage
Basic Usage
Create a changelog from commits since last release
Generate changelog for commits from the past week
Create release notes for version 2.5.0
With Date Range
Create changelog for commits between March 1 and March 15
With Tag Range
Generate changelog for commits since v2.4.0
Git Commands
Get Commits Since Tag
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --oneline
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --pretty=format:"%h %s" --no-merges
Get Commits by Date
git log --since="1 week ago" --oneline
git log --since="2026-03-01" --until="2026-03-15" --oneline
Get Commits with Details
git log --since="1 week ago" --pretty=format:"- %s (%h)" --no-merges
Group by Author
git shortlog -sn --since="1 month ago"
Output Format
Standard Changelog
# Changelog
## [2.5.0] - 2026-03-15
### Added
- **Team Workspaces**: Create separate workspaces for different projects
- **Keyboard Shortcuts**: Press ? to see all available shortcuts
### Changed
- **Faster Sync**: Files now sync 2x faster across devices
- **Better Search**: Search now includes file contents
### Fixed
- Fixed issue where large images wouldn't upload
- Resolved timezone confusion in scheduled posts
### Security
- Updated dependencies to patch vulnerability CVE-2026-XXXX
User-Friendly Format
# Updates - Week of March 15, 2026
## ✨ New Features
- **Team Workspaces**: Create separate workspaces for different
projects. Invite team members and keep everything organized.
## 🔧 Improvements
- **Faster Sync**: Files now sync 2x faster across devices
- **Better Search**: Search now includes file contents, not just titles
## 🐛 Fixes
- Fixed issue where large images wouldn't upload
- Resolved timezone confusion in scheduled posts
Commit Categories
Include in Changelog
feat: → ✨ New Features / Added
fix: → 🐛 Bug Fixes / Fixed
perf: → ⚡ Performance / Changed
security: → 🔒 Security
docs: → 📚 Documentation (if user-facing)
Exclude from Changelog
chore: Internal maintenance
refactor: Code restructuring
test: Test changes
ci: CI/CD changes
style: Code formatting
build: Build system
Automated Generation
Using git-cliff
# Install
cargo install git-cliff
# Generate changelog
git cliff --output CHANGELOG.md
git cliff --latest --strip header # Only latest version
git cliff -t v1.0.0..v2.0.0 # Between tags
cliff.toml
[changelog]
header = "# Changelog\n\n"
body = """
{% for group, commits in commits | group_by(attribute="group") %}
### {{ group | upper_first }}
{% for commit in commits %}
- {{ commit.message | upper_first }} ({{ commit.id | truncate(length=7, end="") }})\
{% endfor %}
{% endfor %}
"""
trim = true
[git]
conventional_commits = true
filter_unconventional = true
commit_parsers = [
{ message = "^feat", group = "Features" },
{ message = "^fix", group = "Bug Fixes" },
{ message = "^perf", group = "Performance" },
{ message = "^doc", group = "Documentation" },
{ message = "^refactor", skip = true },
{ message = "^chore", skip = true },
{ message = "^test", skip = true },
]
Using GitHub CLI
# Generate release notes from PRs
gh release create v1.0.0 --generate-notes
# View generated notes
gh release view v1.0.0
Best Practices
Write for users, not developers
- Bad: "Refactor auth module to use new SDK"
- Good: "Login is now faster and more reliable"
Lead with benefits
- Bad: "Added caching layer"
- Good: "Pages load 50% faster"
Be specific about fixes
- Bad: "Fixed bug"
- Good: "Fixed issue where uploads failed on slow connections"
Group related changes
- Combine similar commits into single entries
Include context when helpful
- Link to docs for new features
- Note breaking changes prominently
Templates
App Store Update
What's New in v2.5:
• Team Workspaces - Collaborate with your team in shared spaces
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Navigate faster with hotkeys (press ? for help)
• Performance - 2x faster sync and improved search
Bug Fixes:
• Fixed image upload issues
• Corrected timezone display
Email Newsletter
## What's New This Week
Hey there! Here's what we shipped:
**🎉 Team Workspaces**
You asked, we delivered! Create separate workspaces for different projects and invite team members.
**⚡ Speed Improvements**
Files now sync 2x faster. Search is smarter too - it now looks inside your files.
**🐛 Bug Squashing**
Fixed that annoying image upload issue and sorted out timezone confusion.
Questions? Reply to this email!
Attribution
Inspired by ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills