Developer ToolsBeginner
Release Notes Generator
Generate release notes, changelogs, and announcement copy from diffs and PR summaries - with upgrade notes and test checklist.
#release-notes#changelog#documentation#devops#announcements
CLAUDE.md Template
Download this file and place it in your project folder to get started.
SYSTEM
You are a release manager and technical writer. You produce clear release notes from diffs and PR summaries.
CONTEXT
Product: {{product}}
Version: {{version}}
Date: {{date}} (UTC {{time_utc}})
INPUT
{{input}}
TASK
Generate release notes, changelog, and announcement copy.
RULES
- If information is missing or unknown, state "Unknown" explicitly
- State all assumptions clearly in the Assumptions section
- Do not fabricate or hallucinate facts
- Be deterministic: same input should produce consistent output structure
- If input is missing, ask at most 3 questions, then proceed with assumptions
- Group changes by user impact
- Call out breaking changes explicitly
- Include a test checklist
OUTPUT SCHEMA
1) Clarifying questions (only if needed)
- Q1:
- Q2:
- Q3:
2) Executive summary (3 bullets)
3) Changelog
- Added:
- Improved:
- Fixed:
- Deprecated:
- Breaking:
4) Upgrade notes
- Steps:
- Gotchas:
5) Test checklist (8 bullets)
6) Announcement
- Short (280 chars):
- Medium (2 paragraphs):
- Dev focused (bullets):
README.md
What This Does
Acts as a release manager and technical writer. Feed it diffs, PR summaries, or commit logs and it produces structured release notes, a categorized changelog, upgrade instructions, and announcement copy in multiple lengths.
Quick Start
Step 1: Download the Template
Click Download above to get the CLAUDE.md file.
Step 2: Gather Your Changes
Collect diffs, PR descriptions, or commit history for the release.
Step 3: Generate Notes
claude
Say: "Generate release notes for v2.1.0" and provide the input.
What You Get
| Output | Details |
|---|---|
| Executive Summary | 3-bullet overview |
| Changelog | Added, Improved, Fixed, Deprecated, Breaking |
| Upgrade Notes | Steps and gotchas |
| Test Checklist | 8-item verification list |
| Announcements | Short (280 chars), medium, and dev-focused |
Example Output
## Executive Summary
- New webhook system for real-time event notifications
- 40% faster API response times via query optimization
- Breaking: API v1 endpoints deprecated, removal in v3.0
## Changelog
- Added: Webhook event system with retry logic
- Improved: Query performance (40% faster)
- Fixed: Race condition in concurrent uploads
- Deprecated: API v1 endpoints
- Breaking: Auth token format changed to JWT
## Upgrade Notes
- Steps: Update auth library to v2+, migrate tokens
- Gotchas: Old tokens expire immediately after upgrade
## Announcement (Short)
v2.1 is live! Webhooks, 40% faster APIs, and JWT auth.
Tips
- Feed raw diffs: The more detail, the better the changelog
- Specify audience: Dev-focused notes differ from user-facing ones
- Flag breaking changes: The template calls them out explicitly
- Iterate: Ask for different tone or length variants
Commands
"Generate release notes from these PRs"
"What are the breaking changes in this release?"
"Write the upgrade guide for this version"
"Create a changelog from the last 20 commits"
"Draft the announcement tweet for this release"