# Automate Commit Based Gh Release Changelog

> Automate GitHub release creation and changelog generation from Conventional Commits using changelogithub — includes GitHub release mechanics, tag-based triggers, required permissions, and fetch-depth gotcha. Use when setting up GitHub releases, generating changelogs from commits, using changelogithub, or configuring v* tag triggers and contents:write permissions.

- Skill: `jd-solanki/automate-commit-based-gh-release-changelog` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jd-solanki/automate-commit-based-gh-release-changelog`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jd-solanki/automate-commit-based-gh-release-changelog/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: jd-solanki (https://skillmd.com/u/jd-solanki)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jd-solanki/automate-commit-based-gh-release-changelog

---


# Automate Commit-Based GitHub Release Changelog

Uses [`changelogithub`](https://github.com/antfu/changelogithub) to read Conventional Commits between tags and create (or update) a GitHub release with a formatted changelog.

## Workflow setup

### Trigger and permissions

```yaml
on:
  push:
    tags:
      - 'v*'

permissions:
  contents: write   # required — default contents:read cannot create releases
```

### Changelog step

Run changelogithub as the **last step** — after `npm publish` (if any) — so a failed publish doesn't create a dangling GitHub release:

```yaml
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
  with:
    fetch-depth: 0  # full tag history required; shallow clone produces empty changelog

- name: Generate changelog
  run: npx changelogithub
  env:
    GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
```

## Conventional Commits

changelogithub groups entries by type and surfaces breaking changes at the top:

| Commit prefix | Changelog section |
|---|---|
| `feat:` | Features |
| `fix:` | Bug Fixes |
| `chore:` | Chores |
| `feat!:` / `chore!:` | Breaking Changes (top) |

Commits that don't follow the convention are omitted from the changelog.

## Preview before pushing a tag

```bash
npx changelogithub --dry
```

## Reference

- For a complete end-to-end workflow combining npm publish + changelog generation, see `automate-npm-release/EXAMPLE_WORKFLOW.yml` if that skill is installed locally.