changelog-update
Update CHANGELOG.md [Unreleased] section with business-focused entries via systematic file review
Best use case
changelog-update is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Update CHANGELOG.md [Unreleased] section with business-focused entries via systematic file review
Teams using changelog-update should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/changelog-update/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How changelog-update Compares
| Feature / Agent | changelog-update | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Update CHANGELOG.md [Unreleased] section with business-focused entries via systematic file review
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Changelog-Update Skill
Update CHANGELOG.md with business-focused entries by systematically reviewing file changes.
**Note**: For automated release notes from conventional commits, use the `release-notes` skill instead.
## When to Use
- **During development**: Document feature/fix for users before PR/merge
- **PR preparation**: Add business-focused entry to CHANGELOG.md
- **Manual documentation**: When commits don't capture full business impact
**Don't use for releases**: Use `release-notes` skill to generate versioned release docs.
## Pre-Execution Checklist
1. [ ] Find existing CHANGELOG.md location
- Check root: `./CHANGELOG.md` (preferred)
- Fallback: `./docs/CHANGELOG.md`
- If not found: Create at root
2. [ ] Read current changelog to understand format and last entries
## Workflow
### Step 1: Gather Changes
Determine change scope:
- **PR-based**: `git diff origin/main...HEAD --name-only`
- **Branch-based**: `git log origin/main..HEAD --oneline`
- **Commit-based**: `git show {commit} --name-only`
### Step 2: Create Temp Notes File
Create `.ai/workspace/changelog-notes-{YYMMDD-HHMM}.md`:
```markdown
# Changelog Review Notes - {date}
## Files Changed
- [ ] file1.ts -
- [ ] file2.cs -
## Categories
### Added (new features)
-
### Changed (modifications to existing)
-
### Fixed (bug fixes)
-
### Deprecated
-
### Removed
-
### Security
-
## Business Summary
<!-- What does this mean for users? -->
```
### Step 3: Systematic File Review
For each changed file:
1. Read file or diff
2. Identify business impact (not just technical change)
3. Check box and note in temp file
4. Categorize into appropriate section
**Business Focus Guidelines**:
- ❌ "Added `StageCategory` enum"
- ✅ "Added stage categories (Sourced, Applied, Interviewing, etc.) for pipeline tracking"
- ❌ "Created `PipelineController.cs`"
- ✅ "Added API endpoints for pipeline management"
### Step 4: Holistic Review
Read temp notes file completely. Ask:
- What's the main feature/fix?
- Who benefits and how?
- What can users now do that they couldn't before?
### Step 5: Generate Changelog Entry
Format (Keep a Changelog):
```markdown
## [Unreleased]
### {Feature/Module Name}: {Feature Title}
**Feature/Fix**: {One-line business description}
#### Added
- {Business-focused item}
#### Changed
- {What behavior changed}
#### Fixed
- {What issue was resolved}
```
### Step 6: Update Changelog
1. Read existing CHANGELOG.md
2. Insert new entry under [Unreleased] section
3. If no [Unreleased] section, create it after the header
### Step 7: Cleanup
Delete temp notes file: `.ai/workspace/changelog-notes-*.md`
## Examples
### Good Entry
```markdown
### TextSnippet: Content Management
**Feature**: Rich text snippet management with categorization and search capabilities.
#### Added
- Rich text editor with markdown support
- Category-based organization with tags
- Full-text search across snippets
- Multi-language content support (EN/VI)
```
### Bad Entry (Too Technical)
```markdown
### Pipeline Changes
#### Added
- Pipeline.cs entity
- StageCategory enum
- PipelineController
- SavePipelineCommand
```
## Anti-Patterns
1. ❌ Creating new changelog in docs/ when root exists
2. ❌ Skipping file review (leads to missed changes)
3. ❌ Technical jargon without business context
4. ❌ Forgetting to delete temp notes file
5. ❌ Not using [Unreleased] section
## IMPORTANT Task Planning Notes
- Always plan and break many small todo tasks
- Always add a final review todo task to review the works done at the end to find any fix or enhancement neededRelated Skills
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