kasperjunge Release Notes Generator
Generate release notes that users actually want to read.
Workflow
- Find the last release (tag)
- Gather commits since then
- Categorize changes
- Generate formatted release notes
Step 1: Find Last Release
# Get the most recent tag
git describe --tags --abbrev=0
# List recent tags
git tag --sort=-version:refname | head -5
# If no tags, use first commit
git rev-list --max-parents=0 HEAD
Step 2: Gather Commits
# Commits since last tag (replace v1.0.0 with actual tag)
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --oneline
# With full messages
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --format="%h %s%n%b---"
# With file changes
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --stat --oneline
Step 3: Categorize Changes
Analyze each commit and categorize:
| Category | Prefix/Keywords | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ✨ Features | feat, add, new |
New dark mode |
| 🐛 Bug Fixes | fix, bug, patch |
Fix login crash |
| 🔧 Improvements | improve, update, enhance |
Faster startup |
| 💥 Breaking | BREAKING, !: |
API renamed |
| 📦 Dependencies | deps, bump, upgrade |
Update React 19 |
| 📝 Docs | docs, readme |
Update API docs |
| 🧪 Tests | test |
Add unit tests |
Use conventional commit prefixes when available. Otherwise, infer from commit message content.
Step 4: Generate Release Notes
Use this template:
# v2.0.0 (YYYY-MM-DD)
[Optional: One paragraph summary of the release theme/highlights]
## ✨ New Features
- Add dark mode support (#123)
- New export to PDF functionality (#145)
- Implement user preferences panel
## 🐛 Bug Fixes
- Fix memory leak in data processing (#134)
- Resolve race condition in auth flow (#156)
- Fix incorrect timezone handling in reports
## 🔧 Improvements
- 40% faster startup time
- Reduced bundle size by 15%
- Better error messages for API failures
## 💥 Breaking Changes
- `oldMethod()` has been renamed to `newMethod()`
- Minimum Node.js version is now 18
- Config file format changed (see migration guide)
## 📦 Dependencies
- Upgraded React from 18.2 to 19.0
- Removed deprecated `moment` in favor of `date-fns`
- Added `zod` for schema validation
## 🙏 Contributors
Thanks to @contributor1, @contributor2 for their contributions!
---
**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/user/repo/compare/v1.0.0...v2.0.0
<sub>📋 Release notes generated with [agent-resources](https://github.com/kasperjunge/agent-resources) • `uvx add-skill kasperjunge/release`</sub>
Formatting Guidelines
Version Number
- Use semantic versioning (vX.Y.Z)
- Major: breaking changes
- Minor: new features
- Patch: bug fixes
Each Entry
- Start with action verb (Add, Fix, Improve, Remove)
- Include PR/issue number if available
- Be specific but concise
Breaking Changes
- Always highlight prominently
- Include migration steps or link to guide
- Explain what users need to do
Handling Edge Cases
No conventional commits: Infer category from message content and changed files
Large releases: Add a "Highlights" section at top with 3-5 key changes
Security fixes: Always mention prominently, consider separate section
Contributors: Extract from commit authors, mention significant contributors
Quick Commands
# Generate contributor list
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --format="%an" | sort -u
# Count commits by type (if using conventional commits)
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --oneline | grep -c "^[a-f0-9]* feat"
# Get PR numbers from commit messages
git log v1.0.0..HEAD --oneline | grep -oE "#[0-9]+"