GitShipNote
AI-powered changelog generator for Git repositories
Turn your messy git history into clean, readable changelogs. No more digging through commits trying to figure out what changed.
What it does
- Generates changelogs from your commits - Just tell it how many commits to look at and it does the rest
- Sorts everything automatically - Groups commits into Features, Fixes, Improvements, and Documentation
- Handles big repos - Works with up to 1000 commits at a time, with smart batching and caching
- Keeps your data private - Your API key stays on your machine, nothing gets uploaded anywhere
- Outputs clean Markdown - Ready to copy into your release notes or documentation
What's new in v1.1
- Increased commit limit from 100 to 1000
- Added commit caching so re-running is faster
- Smart pre-categorization before sending to AI (speeds things up)
- Better error messages when something goes wrong
- Added a "Clear Cache" command
- Cancellable operations with progress updates
Installation
From VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac)
- Search for "GitShipNote"
- Click Install
From VSIX File
code --install-extension gitshipnote-1.0.0.vsix
How to use it
- Open any Git repository in VS Code
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
- Type
GitShipNote: Generate Changelog
- Enter your Anthropic API key if this is your first time
- Pick how many commits to analyze (up to 1000)
- Wait a few seconds and your changelog opens in a new tab
Getting an API key
GitShipNote uses Claude to understand your commits and write the changelog. You'll need an Anthropic API key:
- Head to https://console.anthropic.com/
- Create an account (they have a free tier)
- Generate an API key
- Paste it when the extension asks, or add it in Settings > GitShipNote
Your key is stored locally in VS Code settings. It never leaves your machine.
Example output
# CHANGELOG
*5 features | 3 fixes | 2 improvements | 1 docs*
---
## Features
- Added user authentication with OAuth support
- New dashboard with real-time analytics
- Dark mode toggle in settings
## Fixes
- Fixed memory leak in background service
- Resolved API timeouts during peak hours
- Date formatting now works correctly in exports
## Improvements
- Database queries are faster now
- Better error messages for debugging
- Updated UI for accessibility
## Documentation
- Added API docs with examples
Commands
GitShipNote: Generate Changelog - Create a changelog from your commitsGitShipNote: Clear Cache - Clear the cached commit data (useful if you've made new commits)
Settings
gitshipnote.anthropicApiKey - Your Anthropic API keygitshipnote.maxCommits - Maximum commits allowed (default: 1000)gitshipnote.cacheTTL - How long to cache commits in seconds (default: 300)
Building from source
git clone https://github.com/baoblank25/Git_Ship_Note.git
cd Git_Ship_Note/extension
npm install
npm run compile
To package it:
npm install -g @vscode/vsce
vsce package
Contributing
Found a bug? Have an idea? PRs and issues are welcome at baoblank25/Git_Ship_Note
License
MIT - see LICENSE
Links
