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write-changelog

✓ Official★ 2,599

by microsoft · part of microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github

Write a CHANGELOG.md entry for a new extension release. Use when: writing changelog, updating changelog, adding release notes, preparing a release, documenting milestone changes. Requires a milestone name and extension version number.

🔥🔥🔥✓ VerifiedFreeQuick setup
#git
🧰 Not standalone. This skill ships with microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github and only works together with that tool — install the tool first, then add this skill.

This is the playbook your agent receives when the skill activates — you don't need to read it to use the skill, but it's here to audit before installing.

Write Changelog Entry

Generate a new entry in CHANGELOG.md for an extension release by gathering closed issues and merged PRs from a GitHub milestone.

Inputs

The user must provide:

  1. Extension version number - the version for the changelog heading (e.g. 0.134.0)
  2. GitHub milestone name - the milestone to query (e.g. 1.112.0)

Procedure

1. Gather Milestone Items

Search for all closed items in the milestone scoped to microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github:

  • Issues (bugs/features): Search for closed issues with milestone:"<name>" repo:microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github is:closed
  • Merged PRs: Search for merged PRs with milestone:"<name>" repo:microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github is:pr is:merged

2. Classify Items

Sort every item into one of these buckets:

BucketCriteria
ChangesFeature requests, enhancements, new settings, new commands, infrastructure improvements (e.g. dependency upgrades, build system changes)
FixesItems labeled bug, or PRs that fix a specific issue
Thank YouMerged PRs authored by external contributors (user type is not Bot, and user is not a GitHub staff / site_admin)
SkipVersion-bump PRs (title is just a version like "0.132.0"), test plan items, items from other repos

3. Write the Entry

Insert the new section at the top of CHANGELOG.md, directly after the # Changelog heading and before the previous release section.

Follow this format exactly:


## <version>

### Changes

- Description of change one.
- Description of change two with setting `"settingName"`.

### Fixes

- Short description of bug. https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github/issues/<number>
- Another bug fix. https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github/issues/<number>

**_Thank You_**

* [@username (Display Name)](https://github.com/username): Short description of contribution [PR #1234](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github/pull/1234)

Format Rules

  • Changes: Write a concise, user-facing description. Do NOT link to issues. Use backticks for setting names and commands. Each entry is a single - bullet.
  • Fixes: Use the issue title (cleaned up for readability) followed by a space and the full issue URL. Each entry is a single - bullet. If a fix came from a PR without a linked issue, describe it without a URL.
  • Thank You: Use * bullets (not - ). Format: [@login (Name)](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github/blob/main/.github/skills/write-changelog/profile-url): Description [PR #number](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github/blob/main/.github/skills/write-changelog/pr-url). Only include for external community contributors.
  • Sections: Omit any section (### Changes, ### Fixes, **_Thank You_**) if there are no items for it.
  • No blank lines between bullets within a section.
  • One blank line between sections.

4. Validate

  • Confirm the new section is positioned correctly (after # Changelog, before the previous version).
  • Verify all issue/PR links are correct and point to microsoft/vscode-pull-request-github.
  • Ensure no duplicate entries.