release-notes - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: release-notes description: "Generate release notes from CHANGELOG.md without cutting a release" argument-hint: "[version] [--format markdown|slack|discord|twitter]" allowed-tools: Bash(git tag:), Bash(git log:), Bash(date:), Bash(gh repo view:), Read

Generate Release Notes

Generate polished release notes from the CHANGELOG.md without making any changes. Useful for:

Drafting release announcements before cutting a release
Creating posts for Slack, Discord, Twitter, or other platforms
Reviewing changelog content quality before release
Generating notes for an existing release retroactively

Context

Repository: !gh repo view --json nameWithOwner -q .nameWithOwner 2>/dev/null || git remote get-url origin 2>/dev/null | sed 's/.*github.com[:/]$[^/]*\/[^.]*$.*/\1/'
Latest tags: !git tag --sort=-v:refname | head -3

Arguments

The user may provide: "$ARGUMENTS"

Version (optional):

vX.Y.Z or X.Y.Z - Generate notes for a specific released version
unreleased or empty - Generate notes for the Unreleased section (default)

Format (optional):

--format markdown - Full GitHub/documentation format (default)
--format slack - Slack-optimized announcement
--format discord - Discord-optimized announcement
--format twitter - Twitter/X thread format (280 char limit per tweet)
--format email - Email announcement format

Workflow

Step 1: Identify Target Content

Read CHANGELOG.md and locate the section to generate notes for:

If no version specified or unreleased:

Use the ## [Unreleased] section
Warn if empty

If version specified:

Find the ## [X.Y.Z] section
Error if version not found

Report which section you're using:

Generating release notes for: [Unreleased]

Generating release notes for: v0.13.0 (released 2026-01-29)

Step 2: Extract and Analyze Changes

Parse the changelog section into categories and identify highlights:

Categories: Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed, Security, Performance

Identify highlights - Pick 2-3 most significant items (priority: Security > Features > Breaking changes > Bug fixes)

Report the analysis:

Changes Summary:
├─ Security: 0
├─ Added: 3 entries (highlights: Color Themes, Adversarial Mode)
├─ Changed: 2 entries
├─ Fixed: 4 entries (highlight: Stale status fix)
└─ Total: 9 entries

Step 3: Generate Release Notes

Based on the format argument (default: markdown), generate appropriate release notes.

Format: Markdown (default)

Full-featured release notes for GitHub Releases or documentation.

# [Compelling Title Summarizing Release]

[Opening paragraph: 1-2 sentences describing the release theme and primary value]

## Highlights

### [Most Significant Feature]
[2-3 sentences explaining what it does and why users should care]
- Key capability 1
- Key capability 2

### [Second Significant Item]
[Similar structure]

## What's New
- **Feature Name** - Brief description of the new capability
- **Another Feature** - Brief description

## Improvements
- **Changed Item** - What changed and why

## Bug Fixes
- **Issue Fixed** - What was broken and how it's now resolved
- **Another Fix** - Description

## Breaking Changes
<!-- Only if applicable -->
⚠️ **Breaking**: [What changed]
- Migration: [How to update]

---
📋 Full changelog: [CHANGELOG.md](link)
📦 Release: [vX.Y.Z](link)

Format: Slack

Optimized for Slack announcements. Uses Slack markdown (mrkdwn).

:rocket: *[Project Name] vX.Y.Z Released!*

[One compelling sentence about the release]

*Highlights:*
• *[Feature 1]* - Brief description
• *[Feature 2]* - Brief description
• *[Key Fix]* - What was fixed

*Other changes:*
• [Minor item 1]
• [Minor item 2]

:link: <https://github.com/owner/repo/releases/tag/vX.Y.Z|View Release Notes>
:book: <https://github.com/owner/repo/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md|Full Changelog>

Format: Discord

Optimized for Discord announcements. Uses Discord markdown.

## :rocket: [Project Name] vX.Y.Z Released!

[One compelling sentence about what's new]

### Highlights
- **[Feature 1]** - Brief description
- **[Feature 2]** - Brief description
- **[Key Fix]** - What was fixed

### Other Changes
- [Minor item 1]
- [Minor item 2]

:link: **Release:** <https://github.com/owner/repo/releases/tag/vX.Y.Z>

Format: Twitter

Thread format optimized for Twitter/X (280 char limit per tweet).

🧵 Thread: [Project] vX.Y.Z Release

1/N
🚀 [Project] vX.Y.Z is out!

[Compelling one-liner about the release]

Here's what's new: 👇

2/N
✨ [Feature 1]

[2 sentences max describing the feature and its benefit]

3/N
✨ [Feature 2]

[2 sentences max]

4/N
🐛 Bug Fixes:
• [Fix 1]
• [Fix 2]
• [Fix 3]

5/N
📦 Get it now:
github.com/owner/repo/releases/tag/vX.Y.Z

Full changelog in thread or link in bio.

#opensource #[relevant hashtag]

Important for Twitter:

Each tweet must be ≤280 characters
Number tweets as 1/N, 2/N, etc.
Use emoji for visual appeal
End with relevant hashtags

Format: Email

Formatted for email newsletters or announcements.

Subject: [Project Name] vX.Y.Z Released - [Key Feature Highlight]

Hi [community/team],

We're excited to announce the release of [Project Name] vX.Y.Z!

WHAT'S NEW
==========

[Feature 1]
[2-3 sentences explaining the feature and its benefits]

[Feature 2]
[2-3 sentences]

BUG FIXES
=========
• [Fix 1 description]
• [Fix 2 description]

BREAKING CHANGES
================
[Only if applicable]
• [What changed and how to migrate]

GET THE UPDATE
==============
Release: https://github.com/owner/repo/releases/tag/vX.Y.Z
Changelog: https://github.com/owner/repo/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md

Thanks for using [Project Name]!

The [Project/Team] Team

Step 4: Output

Present the generated notes in a clearly marked code block:

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║                    GENERATED RELEASE NOTES                         ║
║                    Format: [selected format]                       ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

[Generated notes in code block for easy copying]

If generating for Unreleased section:

NOTE: These notes are for unreleased changes.
When ready to release, run: /release [version-type]

If generating for a past release:

NOTE: These notes were generated for an already-released version.
The GitHub Release may already have notes that differ from these.

Writing Guidelines

Lead with value - What does this release give users?
Be specific - "Fixed memory leak in cache handler" not "Fixed bug"
Group related changes - Summarize multiple small fixes together
Highlight breaking changes - Make them impossible to miss
Use active voice - "Added support for..." not "Support has been added..."
Match the platform - Slack uses mrkdwn, Discord uses different markdown
Respect character limits - Twitter tweets must be ≤280 chars