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release-notes-gen skill

This skill converts git history into user friendly release notes, grouping changes, cleaning jargon, and adapting tone for audiences.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill release-notes-gen

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (8)
SKILL.md
1.9 KB
---
name: release-notes-gen
description: Turn git history into readable release notes. Use when publishing releases.
---

# Release Notes Generator

Commit messages are for developers. Release notes are for users. This tool turns your messy git log into clean, grouped release notes.

**One command. Zero config. Just works.**

## Quick Start

```bash
npx ai-release-notes --from v1.0.0
```

## What It Does

- Reads commits or changelog files
- Groups changes by category
- Cleans up technical jargon
- Supports different tones

## Usage Examples

```bash
# From git history
npx ai-release-notes --from v1.0.0

# Make it fun
npx ai-release-notes --from v1.0.0 --tone fun

# Between two tags
npx ai-release-notes --from v1.0.0 --to v2.0.0

# From changelog file
npx ai-release-notes --changelog CHANGELOG.md
```

## Best Practices

- **Write for your audience** - users don't care about internal refactors
- **Highlight breaking changes** - make them impossible to miss
- **Group related changes** - features, fixes, improvements
- **Be consistent** - same format every release

## When to Use This

- Publishing GitHub releases
- Writing blog posts about updates
- Communicating with users
- Creating marketing changelogs

## Part of the LXGIC Dev Toolkit

This is one of 110+ free developer tools built by LXGIC Studios. No paywalls, no sign-ups, no API keys on free tiers. Just tools that work.

**Find more:**
- GitHub: https://github.com/LXGIC-Studios
- Twitter: https://x.com/lxgicstudios
- Substack: https://lxgicstudios.substack.com
- Website: https://lxgicstudios.com

## Requirements

No install needed. Just run with npx. Node.js 18+ recommended. Needs OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.

```bash
npx ai-release-notes --help
```

## How It Works

Reads your git history or changelog, parses the technical changes, and rewrites them in user-friendly language. Supports different tones from professional to casual.

## License

MIT. Free forever. Use it however you want.

Overview

This skill turns raw git history and changelog files into clear, user-facing release notes with a single command. It groups changes, removes technical noise, and can adopt tones from professional to playful. Use it when preparing releases to communicate updates to users, stakeholders, or customers.

How this skill works

The tool reads commits or a provided changelog file and parses change entries into categories like features, fixes, and improvements. It rewrites technical commit messages into plain language, highlights breaking changes, and formats grouped notes ready for GitHub releases or blog posts. Tones and scopes can be adjusted to match your audience.

When to use it

  • Publishing GitHub releases or tags
  • Preparing release posts or email announcements
  • Converting developer-oriented commits into user-friendly changelogs
  • Creating marketing changelogs for product updates
  • Documenting changes between two tags or versions

Best practices

  • Run from the commit range or tag that matches the release to avoid noisy history
  • Mark breaking changes clearly in commits or PR descriptions so they are emphasized
  • Group related changes into features, fixes, and improvements for readability
  • Choose a consistent tone that matches your audience and stick to it
  • Use concise, user-focused commit messages where possible to improve output quality

Example use cases

  • Generate release notes from v1.0.0 to v2.0.0 for a GitHub release
  • Create a short, user-friendly changelog for a product blog post
  • Produce customer-facing update summaries for a newsletter
  • Transform an internal changelog file into public release notes
  • Quickly produce notes with a playful tone for community builds

FAQ

Do I need to install anything?

No install is required; run the tool via npx with Node.js 18+ and an OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.

Can I control the tone and scope?

Yes. The tool supports different tones (professional, casual, fun) and accepts from/to tags or a changelog file to limit scope.

How does it handle breaking changes?

Breaking changes are detected and highlighted so they are easy to spot in the final notes.