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How to use Release Workflow Automator agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

Release Workflow Automator is an agent skill named release-skills that guides an AI agent through cutting a new version of a project. It is for maintainers who release often and want consistent version bumps and changelogs. After this guide you will know how to install the skill, trigger it with a normal request, check what it needs, and review its output before anything is published.

Release Workflow AutomatorJimLiu/baoyu-skills · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download the ZIP. Download the release-skills ZIP from this directory page.
  2. 2Install the skill. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into .claude/skills/ inside a project. Alternatively, upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.
  3. 3Check prerequisites. Make sure git is installed and that GitHub CLI (gh) is installed and authenticated if you want GitHub Releases.
  4. 4Run a dry run. Start with /release-skills --dry-run to preview the detected configuration and proposed changes without executing them.
  5. 5Review the version and notes. Check the proposed bump, such as 1.2.3 to 1.3.0, and the generated changelog text. Answer any questions the agent asks.
  6. 6Run the real release. When the preview looks right, run /release-skills or ask for a release in natural language to publish.

What does the release-skills skill make the agent do?

Once installed, asking the agent to release or publish a new version makes it follow a set workflow. It detects your version file, which can be package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml, a Claude plugin marketplace.json, or a VERSION or version.txt file. It also finds changelog files such as CHANGELOG.md and language variants like CHANGELOG.zh.md.

The agent then reviews commits since the last git tag, categorizes them by conventional commit types, and proposes a major, minor or patch bump. It writes changelog entries and can create GitHub Releases or backfill missing ones for existing tags. When it needs a decision, it asks you through your agent's input tools.

  • Detects project type: Node.js, Python, Rust, Claude Plugin or generic
  • Generates changelogs in each detected language
  • Can create GitHub Releases and backfill releases for old tags from changelog sections

How do you install the release-skills skill?

Download the ZIP file from this directory page. Unzip it into your personal skills folder at ~/.claude/skills/, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want the skill to apply only to that repository.

If you use the Claude apps instead, upload the skill under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills. The skill's main file is SKILL.md, so the folder should contain that file.

  • Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project install: .claude/skills/ inside the repository
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload

How do you trigger the skill with natural requests?

You can run the slash command /release-skills, which auto-detects your project configuration. You can also make a natural request. The skill is set to activate when you say things like release, new version, bump version, push, release notes, GitHub Release, or backfill releases. The trigger words include Chinese phrases such as 发布, 推送 and 回填 Release.

Before a real release, ask for a dry run. The --dry-run flag previews changes without executing them.

  • "Release a new version of this project"
  • "Bump version and write release notes"
  • "Backfill GitHub Releases for old tags"
  • "发布新版本"
/release-skills --dry-run

How do you control the version bump and backfill releases?

By default the agent chooses the bump from your commits. Breaking changes lead to a major bump, feat commits lead to a minor bump, and everything else leads to a patch bump. You can override this with --major, --minor or --patch.

Use --backfill-releases to create missing GitHub Releases for existing tags, using the matching sections of your changelog.

  • --major: force a major bump
  • --minor: force a minor bump
  • --patch: force a patch bump
  • --backfill-releases: create missing GitHub Releases for existing tags
/release-skills --backfill-releases

What do you need before running it?

The skill depends on git and on the GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated, which is needed for the GitHub Release steps. Your repository should use git tags and conventional commit messages, because version and changelog logic depends on them. The optional .releaserc.yml file lets you define custom hooks if your project has its own publishing steps.

The skill runs scripts and uses the network, so review what it proposes before it publishes.

  • git
  • GitHub CLI (gh), installed and authenticated, for GitHub Release steps
  • Conventional commit messages and git tags
  • Optional .releaserc.yml with custom hooks

What safety checks should you keep in mind?

Check the proposed version number and release notes before confirming. The agent may publish something you did not intend if you skip this review. Use --dry-run first, and read the changelog text the agent writes.

The skill describes hooks, prepare_artifact and publish_artifact, but the source only mentions them in general terms and does not define exactly how they run. If your project has custom publishing needs, check your hook setup carefully before relying on it.

  • Always preview with --dry-run before a real release
  • Review the version number and release notes yourself
  • Be cautious with custom hooks; their execution is not fully described

What people use it for

  • Releasing a Node.js or Python open-source project with consistent version bumps and changelogs
  • Maintaining a project with CHANGELOG.md plus CHANGELOG.zh.md for multilingual users
  • Creating GitHub Releases for old tags from existing changelog sections using --backfill-releases
  • Marking third-party contributions in changelog entries with the contributor's handle

Frequently asked questions

Is release-skills free to use?

The skill is published under the MIT licence, as listed on this page. Check the repository's licence file for the full terms before using it in your project.

What do I need installed to use release-skills?

You need git, and the GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated if you want GitHub Release steps. Your project should also use git tags and conventional commit messages, since the version and changelog logic depends on them.

How do I install the release-skills skill?

Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.

How do I trigger release-skills?

Run /release-skills, or ask the agent in natural language to release, bump the version, write release notes, or backfill GitHub Releases. Use --dry-run to preview without executing.

Will it publish a release without asking me?

The skill asks you questions through your agent's input tools when it needs a decision. Still, the source warns that the agent may publish something you did not intend, so review the version number and release notes before confirming.

Does this work with projects that do not use git tags or conventional commits?

The source says not to use it for those projects, because the version and changelog logic depends on git tags and conventional commit messages. The output may be wrong otherwise.

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Our verdict

Use release-skills if you maintain an open-source project that releases often, uses git tags and conventional commits, and wants consistent version bumps, multilingual changelogs and backfilled GitHub Releases. Pick something else if your project does not use git tags or conventional commits, or if you need custom publishing that the skill does not describe.

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