Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Release Automation Skill agent skill (release)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The release skill is a short instruction file, SKILL.md, that tells an AI coding agent to run a release workflow for a project. It names two other claude-mem skills, version-bump and childhood, and asks the agent to use them in that order, passing along whatever task you typed. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it, and what to check before you rely on it.
Release Automation Skillthedotmack/claude-mem · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the release skill ZIP from this page and unzip it on your computer.
- 2Choose an install location. Place the skill in ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project.
- 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill there.
- 4Install the referenced skills. Make sure the claude-mem version-bump and childhood skills are also installed, because release calls them in order.
- 5Make a request. Ask the agent in plain language to use the release skill, naming the project and the release you want.
- 6Review the results. Check the changes the agent made, since the skill asks for full automation with no built-in review step.
What is an agent skill, and what does this one make the agent do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file. The file holds instructions that an AI agent can read and follow when a request matches what the skill describes. This skill is named release and is described as fully automating a release with version-bump and childhood.
The file asks the agent to deploy a subagent that carries out a coding session as if it were typing it itself. The agent is told to use the version-bump skill first and the childhood skill second. Your request is inserted where the file reads Task.
- Step 1: use the version-bump skill.
- Step 2: use the childhood skill.
- Your typed request is passed in as the task.
Task: $ARGUMENTSWhat you need before installing the release skill
The skill itself is only instructions. It needs an agent runtime that can read SKILL.md files, such as Claude Code or another runtime that supports this format. The two referenced skills, version-bump and childhood, must also be installed, or the workflow cannot run as written.
The skill file contains no scripts and makes no network calls. Its behaviour depends on what the referenced skills do, and those files are not part of this review.
- An agent runtime that can read SKILL.md files, for example Claude Code.
- The claude-mem version-bump skill installed.
- The claude-mem childhood skill installed.
How to install the release skill
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. To make it available across your work, place the unzipped skill in ~/.claude/skills/. To make it available only inside one project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps instead, you can upload the skill under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills. Repeat the same steps for version-bump and childhood, since release depends on them.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/.
- Project install: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- Claude apps: upload under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
How to trigger the release skill with a request
The skill's description is the part an agent uses to decide when it applies. Describe your release goal in plain language and say you want the release skill used. The text after the request is what the skill receives as its task, so include the project, the target and any constraints you care about.
Because the skill asks for full automation, state clearly what you want done and what must not happen. The source does not describe a confirmation step, so do not assume the agent will pause for review.
- Name the project or repository the release applies to.
- State the version change you expect, if you have one in mind.
- Say what should not be done, such as publishing without review.
Example requests and how the workflow runs
A request such as asking the agent to use the release skill to bump the version of the current project and run the release steps sends that sentence into the task slot. The agent then runs version-bump and childhood in order.
Results depend on the referenced skills. Check what version-bump and childhood actually change in your project before you run a release, since this review does not cover their files.
- Example: use the release skill to bump the patch version of this project and complete the release.
- Example: use the release skill for the claude-mem repository, following its usual release sequence.
Safety notes and limits
The release skill asks for full automation with no human checkpoint described in the file. Changes could therefore be made or published without anyone reviewing each step. The purpose of the childhood skill is not explained in this file, and it could take actions beyond a release.
Teams that need step-by-step review should not use this skill as written. Read the childhood and version-bump skill files first, and test in a non-production project.
- No scripts are included in this skill file.
- No network use is declared in this skill file.
- The childhood skill's behaviour is not documented here.
Tips for using the release skill well
Keep the skill in a project's .claude/skills/ folder when only one repository needs releases. Install the personal copy in ~/.claude/skills/ only if you want it everywhere. Keep version-bump and childhood installed alongside it so the sequence can run.
Give the agent a specific task rather than a vague one, since the whole request is passed through unchanged.
- Use a project install to limit where the skill applies.
- Confirm both referenced skills are present before you start.
- Run it on a test branch or test project first.
What people use it for
- Bumping a project's version number as the first step of a release.
- Running a repeatable release sequence for a project you already maintain.
- Giving maintainers of claude-mem a single entry point for the release sequence.
- Testing a release workflow on a non-production branch before using it elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is the release skill free to use?
The source file does not state a price or licence terms for this skill itself beyond the listed licence of Apache-2.0 for the project. Check the repository's licence file before using or redistributing it.
What do I need to run the release skill?
You need an agent runtime that can read SKILL.md files, such as Claude Code, plus the claude-mem version-bump and childhood skills installed. The skill file declares no scripts and no network use.
Where do I install the release skill?
Unzip the downloaded ZIP into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. In the Claude apps you can upload it under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
Does the release skill run scripts or access the internet?
The skill file itself contains no code, runs no scripts and declares no network use. Its actual behaviour depends on the version-bump and childhood skills, which are not included in this review.
What does the childhood skill do?
The release skill file does not explain it. Its purpose is not documented in SKILL.md, and it could take actions beyond a release, so read its files before running the workflow.
How does this compare to running a release by hand?
The skill is built for full automation, with no step-by-step review described. If you need each release step checked, a manual or reviewed process is a better fit than this skill.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you maintain a project you already know well and want an agent to run version bumping and release steps in a fixed order. Pick something else if you need each release step reviewed, or if you cannot first check what the childhood skill does.
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