fill-changelog

Automate filling changelog entries based on the changes in the current branch.

Prerequisites

Version bumps MUST be configured before running this skill. If yarn version check fails, version files need to be adjusted first using yarn version patch/minor/major or yarn bumpVersions (interactive).

Workflow

Step 1: Validate Version Configuration

Run yarn version check to validate version manifests exist:

yarn version check

If fails: Stop and report error. The user must run yarn version patch, yarn version minor, yarn version major, or yarn bumpVersions first to configure version bumps.

Step 2: Create/Recreate Changelog Drafts

Run with force flag to ensure all drafts are created or recreated:

yarn changelog create -f

This creates files in .yarn/changelogs/ with the pattern {package-name}.{manifest-id}.md.

Step 3: Analyze Branch Changes

Gather information about changes:

git diff master...HEAD --stat
git log master...HEAD --oneline

Read the changed files to understand what was actually modified.

Step 4: Read Changelog Drafts

Use Glob to find .yarn/changelogs/*.md files, then Read to load their content.

Step 5: Fill Changelog Entries

Map changes to the appropriate sections and fill the changelog drafts.

Section Mapping

Quality Guidelines

Writing Style: Documentation, NOT Git Log

Write for package consumers, not as git history.

Avoid vague terms:

• "improved", "updated", "refactored", "fixed bugs", "changed internal implementation"

Use specific, actionable language:

• "Added dark theme support with automatic system preference detection"
• "Fixed JSON validation not detecting trailing commas"

Version-Specific Requirements

Major Versions:

• Document ALL breaking changes with descriptive titles
• Explain WHAT changed and WHY
• Include before/after code examples using ❌/✅ markers
• Provide migration guide with step-by-step instructions
• Explain impact (who is affected)

Minor Versions:

• Document new features with descriptive titles
• Provide usage examples
• Explain benefits/use cases

Patch Versions:

• Be specific about bug fixes (not vague "fixed bugs")
• Describe what was broken

Entry Format Examples

Simple List (straightforward changes)

## ✨ Features

- Added JSON schema validation support
- Implemented diff view for comparing JSON files

Detailed Entry (complex changes)

## ✨ Features

### New JSON Schema Validation

Validate JSON documents against JSON Schema drafts.

**Usage:**

Select a schema from the dropdown and paste your JSON to validate.

Validation

After filling entries, run:

yarn changelog check

This validates:

• Every release has a changelog file
• Major releases have filled "💥 Breaking Changes" section
• At least one section has content
• Version type matches the manifest