changelog-python-cliff-skill

What I do

I implement automated changelog generation for Python projects using git-cliff:

1. Detect Python Project: Identify version source (pyproject.toml, __init__.py, setup.py, setup.cfg)
2. Verify git-cliff: Check if git-cliff is installed and configured
3. Configure cliff.toml: Generate Python-specific configuration with PEP 440 version support
4. Generate Changelog: Run git cliff to produce changelogs from conventional commits
5. Integrate with Release Workflow: Support bump-my-version, semantic-release, or manual versioning

When to use me

Use this workflow when:

• You need to generate or update a CHANGELOG.md for a Python project
• You are preparing a release and want an automated changelog
• You want to configure git-cliff for a Python project with PEP 440 versioning
• You need CI/CD integration for changelog generation in Python projects
• You are using conventional commits and want structured release notes

Prerequisites

• Python project with git repository
• git-cliff installed (cargo install git-cliff or download from releases)
• Conventional commits in git history (see git-semantic-commits skill)
• Version defined in pyproject.toml, __init__.py, setup.py, or setup.cfg

Steps

Step 1: Detect Python Project

Verify this is a Python project and identify the version source:

[ -f pyproject.toml ] && echo "pyproject.toml found"
[ -f setup.py ] && echo "setup.py found"
[ -f setup.cfg ] && echo "setup.cfg found"
find . -name "__init__.py" -path "*/src/*" -o -name "__init__.py" -path "*/pkg/*" | head -5

Extract the current version:

grep -oP 'version\s*=\s*"\K[^"]+' pyproject.toml 2>/dev/null
grep -oP '__version__\s*=\s*"\K[^"]+' src/**/__init__.py 2>/dev/null

Step 2: Verify git-cliff Installation

Check if git-cliff is available:

git cliff --version

If not installed, guide installation:

cargo install git-cliff
# or download binary from https://github.com/orhun/git-cliff/releases