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Update Changelog

  • 5 installs
  • 28.4k repo stars
  • Updated August 4, 2026
  • alibaba/page-agent

update-changelog is a Claude Code skill that updates docs/CHANGELOG.md from git history, GitHub releases, and code diffs.

About

This skill updates docs/CHANGELOG.md using repository evidence rather than guesswork. It reads the local changelog style, determines the target release from package.json and tags, gathers evidence from GitHub releases, git history, and diffs, then writes a concise entry. A developer uses it to add release notes for a new version while matching the existing tone.

  • Updates docs/CHANGELOG.md from git history and GitHub releases
  • Adds only the newest missing version by default
  • Grounds entries in tags, commits, and diffs instead of guesswork

Update Changelog by the numbers

  • 5 all-time installs (skills.sh)
  • Ranked #193 of 248 Release Management skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
  • Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
At a glance

update-changelog capabilities & compatibility

Capabilities
changelog generation · release notes · git history summary
Works with
github
Use cases
documentation
From the docs

What update-changelog says it does

Update `docs/CHANGELOG.md` from repository evidence instead of guesswork.
SKILL.md
Only add the latest missing version unless the user explicitly asks to backfill older releases
SKILL.md
npx skills add https://github.com/alibaba/page-agent --skill update-changelog

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Listed on Skillselion
Installs5
repo stars28.4k
Last updatedAugust 4, 2026
Repositoryalibaba/page-agent

What it does

Update the changelog for a new release from git history, tags, and GitHub releases.

Who is it for?

Writing concise release notes for a new version from repository evidence

Skip if: Backfilling older releases unless the user explicitly asks

When should I use this skill?

You are writing release notes, syncing the latest changelog entry, or summarizing a new tag

What you get

A concise, evidence-backed changelog entry for the newest release matching the existing style.

  • An updated docs/CHANGELOG.md entry for the newest release

By the numbers

  • 7-step procedure
  • Prefers GitHub sources, then tag date, then commit history, then diffs

Files

SKILL.mdMarkdownGitHub ↗

Update Changelog

Update docs/CHANGELOG.md from repository evidence instead of guesswork.

When to Use

  • Add the newest release entry to docs/CHANGELOG.md
  • Sync changelog text with GitHub Releases
  • Summarize the latest tag from git history or code diffs

Defaults

  • Keep the wording brief
  • Only add the latest missing version unless the user explicitly asks to backfill older releases
  • Prefer GitHub sources first, especially Releases and tag metadata
  • Skip Features / Improvements / Bug Fixes headings when the release only has a few clear items

Procedure

1. Read the local style

  • Open docs/CHANGELOG.md
  • Match the existing tone, bullet style, section ordering, and date format

2. Determine the target release

  • Read the root package.json version and compare it with the top changelog entry
  • Find the previous tag for the target version
  • If the latest version is already documented, stop and report that no changelog update is needed

3. Gather evidence

Prefer these sources in order:

1. GitHub release notes

GH_PAGER=cat gh release view v<version> --repo <owner>/<repo> --json tagName,name,publishedAt,body

2. Tag date

git log -1 --format=%cs v<version>

3. Commit history between tags

git --no-pager log --format='%h %s' --no-merges v<previous>..v<version>

4. Diff scope when commit subjects are vague

git --no-pager diff --name-only v<previous>..v<version>
git --no-pager diff --stat v<previous>..v<version>

5. Read touched files directly only when the user-visible change is still unclear

4. Distill what belongs in the changelog

Include:

  • User-visible features
  • Important behavior changes
  • Bug fixes that improve reliability, compatibility, or developer experience
  • Small docs updates only when they materially change supported setups or onboarding

Exclude unless explicitly requested:

  • Pure version bumps
  • Routine dependency updates
  • Internal refactors with no visible impact
  • Mechanical formatting noise

5. Choose the structure

  • If the release has 1 to 3 clear points, write flat bullets directly under the version heading
  • If the release has several distinct items, use short headings such as ### Features, ### Improvements, and ### Bug Fixes
  • Do not force categories when they make the entry longer or noisier

6. Write the entry

  • Add or update only the requested release entry
  • Keep bullets short and concrete
  • Reuse project terminology from nearby entries
  • Avoid marketing language
  • Do not copy noisy GitHub release text verbatim

7. Verify

  • Check dates, version numbers, and tag boundaries
  • Ensure Markdown structure matches nearby entries
  • Confirm no intermediate versions were added unless requested

Completion Checks

  • The newest requested version is documented
  • The wording is concise and consistent with the surrounding changelog
  • The entry is backed by GitHub releases, git history, or code diff evidence
  • Low-signal internal changes were left out

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