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jackin-release-notes — Claude Code skill: install

Collects PRs since the last tag, assigns Keep a Changelog categories, and updates the [Unreleased] section in CHANGELOG.md.

Install into Claude Code · Skills CLI (Vercel) All methods and platforms ↓
npx skills add jackin-project/jackin-dev --skill jackin-release-notes -a claude-code
Open on GitHub

What jackin-release-notes does

This skill finds the latest Git tag, establishes the change boundary, and asks GitHub CLI for merged PRs with gh pr list. It assigns each PR to Added, Fixed, Security, Changed, Deprecated, or Removed using its title prefix and labels. Items without a matching rule go to Changed.

It then checks non-merge commits after the tag and looks for related PRs. Commits with no PR are placed under Ungrouped commits. The skill rewrites the [Unreleased] block in CHANGELOG.md, keeps the <!-- next-header --> marker, and adds a link for every PR.

Before replacing entries that an operator edited, it asks for approval. It also displays the generated section for review. The skill runs only after an explicit request, and gh pr list needs access to the repository’s live GitHub data.

What it helps with

  • collect PRs merged after the latest tag
  • sort changes into Keep a Changelog sections
  • find commits that have no linked PR
  • rewrite [Unreleased] with PR links
  • prepare a changelog section for review

Example prompts for the agent

  • Build the next changelog from every PR merged after the latest tag.
  • Check commits after the previous release and put ones without a PR under Ungrouped commits.
  • Update [Unreleased] in CHANGELOG.md, then show me the section before release work continues.

How to install jackin-release-notes

1Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add jackin-project/jackin-dev --skill jackin-release-notes -a claude-code

2Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/jackin-release-notes/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/jackin-release-notes/

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways

Questions about jackin-release-notes

How do I install jackin-release-notes in Claude Code?

Run npx skills add jackin-project/jackin-dev --skill jackin-release-notes -a claude-code, then check ~/.claude/skills/jackin-release-notes/SKILL.md.

What does jackin-release-notes do?

It classifies every merged PR after the latest tag and writes an [Unreleased] section to CHANGELOG.md. The generated section is shown for review.

How are PRs without a Conventional Commits prefix handled?

They are assigned to Changed by default, so they remain in the changelog instead of being dropped.

Source text

SKILL.md · Apache-2.0
---
name: jackin-release-notes
description: Use only when the user explicitly requests this skill. Classifies every PR merged since the last tag into Keep a Changelog categories and writes the [Unreleased] section of CHANGELOG.md.
argument-hint: "[context]"
disable-model-invocation: true
license: Apache-2.0
user-invocable: true
---

# jackin-release-notes

**Classify** every PR merged since the last release tag into a Keep a Changelog bucket, then write the `[Unreleased]` section of `CHANGELOG.md`. The bar is exhaustive — every merged PR accounted for, none dropped, none doubled.

## When to use

- Before a release, to populate the changelog.
- When the operator asks to preview what the next release would contain.

## When NOT to use

- Cutting the release itself → `jackin-release` (it runs this skill as its notes step).

## Process

1. **Find the boundary.** `LAST_TAG=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)`; if none, start from the initial commit (`git rev-list --max-parents=0 HEAD`). `TAG_DATE=$(git log -1 --format=%aI "$LAST_TAG")`.

   *Done when* you hold the boundary commit and its date.

2. **Gather merged PRs.** `gh pr list --state merged --base main --search "merged:>$TAG_DATE" --json number,title,labels,mergedAt`.

   *Done when* every PR merged after the tag is in the list.

3. **Classify each.** Sort by Conventional Commits prefix and label:

   | Prefix / label | Bucket |
   |---|---|
   | `feat:` / `feature` | **Added** |
   | `fix:` / `bug` | **Fixed** |
   | `security:` | **Security** |
   | `refactor:`, `chore:`, `docs:`, `ci:`, `build:` | **Changed** |
   | `deprecate:` | **Deprecated** |
   | `remove:` | **Removed** |
   | no match | **Changed** (default) |

   Strip the prefix from the title; capitalize the first word (`feat: add TUI launcher` → `Add TUI launcher`).

   *Done when* every PR sits in exactly one bucket.

4. **Catch ungrouped commits.** `git log <last-tag>..HEAD --oneline --no-merges`; for each, `gh pr list --state merged --search "<sha>"`. Commits with no PR land under **Ungrouped commits**.

   *Done when* every non-merge commit since the tag is matched to a PR or listed.

5. **Write `[Unreleased]`.** Keep a Changelog format: one section per non-empty bucket, each entry linking its PR (`[#N](…/pull/N)`). Replace the existing `[Unreleased]` block (between `## [Unreleased]` and the next `## [`) — ask before overwriting entries an operator already edited. Keep the `<!-- next-header -->` marker intact.

   *Done when* `CHANGELOG.md` carries every merged PR under the right bucket, empty buckets omitted, and the marker survives.

6. **Present for review.** Show the section; let the operator re-classify or reword. Do not proceed to a release until approved.

## Idempotency

Safe to re-run: reads `CHANGELOG.md` fresh each time, asks before overwriting existing entries, fetches PR data live from GitHub.

## Common mistakes

- Dropping a PR that has no conventional-commit prefix — it defaults to **Changed**, never omitted.
- Listing an empty bucket ("no **Removed** entries" is noise — drop the section).
- Forgetting the PR link in each entry.
- Overwriting an operator-edited `[Unreleased]` without asking.

© jackin-project · Apache-2.0 · jackin-project/jackin-dev

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