# changelog-updates

Draft changelogs and product updates that explain changes to developers. Use it for API and SDK updates, version guidance, and breaking-change notices.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 87
- Author: jonathimer
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-03
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/changelog-updates

## What it does

This skill helps draft changelogs and product updates for developers. It sorts entries into categories such as additions, changes, deprecations, removals, fixes, and security updates. Entries should say what changed and how the change affects an integration.

It also covers explaining Semantic Versioning, advising on version pins, communicating API versions, and drafting breaking-change announcements. Before writing, it recommends consulting `developer-audience-context` to choose a suitable tone and level of detail.

For Claude Code, install it with `npx skills add`; the skill file is at `~/.claude/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md`. The suggested workflow starts with learning how developers want updates delivered, so that context informs the changelog.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill changelog-updates -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/changelog-updates/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill changelog-updates -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill changelog-updates -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install jonathimer/devmarketing-skills changelog-updates
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill changelog-updates -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --path skills/changelog-updates
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill changelog-updates -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- group release changes into changelog categories
- explain how an API change affects integrations
- clarify Semantic Versioning for developers
- draft a breaking-change announcement
- write a notice about a deprecated feature

## Example prompts
- Draft a changelog for this release and group entries by change type.
- Explain how this API change affects existing integrations.
- Write a breaking-change announcement describing what developers need to update.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: a19bf4ccbb67558e.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE a19bf4ccbb67558e
````text
---
name: changelog-updates
description: |
  Create release notes and product updates that developers actually read and care about. This skill covers changelog formatting, versioning communication, breaking change announcements, deprecation notices, and building anticipation for new features.

  Trigger phrases: "changelog", "release notes", "product updates", "version communication", "breaking changes", "deprecation notice", "what's new", "release communication", "developer updates", "API versioning", "migration announcement"
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
---

# Changelogs and Product Updates Developers Care About

Release notes are developer communication, not documentation. When done well, they build trust, demonstrate momentum, and turn updates into marketing moments.

## Overview

Changelogs serve multiple audiences and purposes:
- **Active developers**: "What changed that affects my integration?"
- **Evaluating developers**: "Is this product actively maintained?"
- **Developer advocates**: "What's worth sharing with my audience?"
- **Your team**: Historical record of what shipped and when

This skill covers creating changelogs that inform, build trust, and occasionally delight.

## Before You Start

Review the **developer-audience-context** skill to understand:
- How do your developers prefer to receive updates?
- What changes do they care most about?
- How much detail do they need?
- What's their tolerance for breaking changes?

Your changelog tone and detail level should match your audience.

## Changelog Format

### The Standard Structure

```markdown
# Changelog

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/),
and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).

## [Unreleased]
### Added
- New feature in development

## [2.3.0] - 2024-01-15
### Added
- New `analyze()` method for sentiment analysis
- Support for batch processing up to 100 items

### Changed
- Improved error messages with troubleshooting links
- Default timeout increased from 30s to 60s

### Deprecated
- `old_analyze()` will be removed in v3.0.0

### Fixed
- Race condition in concurrent requests (#234)
- Memory leak when processing large files (#256)

## [2.2.1] - 2024-01-08
### Fixed
- Critical security patch for authentication bypass

## [2.2.0] - 2024-01-01
...
```

### Change Categories

| Category | Use For |
|----------|---------|
| **Added** | New features, new endpoints, new parameters |
| **Changed** | Behavior changes, performance improvements |
| **Deprecated** | Features being phased out (still working) |
| **Removed** | Features that no longer exist |
| **Fixed** | Bug fixes |
| **Security** | Security-related changes |

### Good vs. Bad Entries

**Good Changelog Entries:**
```markdown
### Added
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE a19bf4ccbb67558e

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the a19bf4ccbb67558e tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2842 of 13113 bytes. © jonathimer · MIT · https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/changelog-updates/SKILL.md

_Part of the page did not fit — see the HTML version._

---
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