# Semantic Changelog Generator (`fiery_dream/semantic-changelog-generator`) Actor

Generate beautiful changelogs from git commits using Conventional Commits. Automatic semantic versioning, categorized changes, and professional release notes. Simpler alternative to semantic-release.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/fiery\_dream/semantic-changelog-generator.md
- **Developed by:** [Cody Churchwell](https://apify.com/fiery_dream) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.01 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Semantic Changelog Generator

Generate beautiful changelogs from git commits using Conventional Commits. Automatic semantic versioning, categorized changes, and professional release notes. Simpler alternative to semantic-release.

### Features

- **Automatic Changelog**: Generate from git history
- **Semantic Versioning**: Auto-suggest version bumps (major/minor/patch)
- **Conventional Commits**: Parse and categorize commits
- **Release Notes**: Professional formatting
- **Multiple Formats**: Markdown, JSON, HTML, Keep a Changelog

### Operations

#### 1. Generate Changelog

Create comprehensive changelog from commits:

- Categorize by type (features, fixes, breaking)
- Group by scope or author
- Include commit links and references
- Format for documentation

#### 2. Analyze Commits

Understand commit patterns:

- Conventional commit compliance rate
- Commit type distribution
- Author contributions
- Breaking change frequency

#### 3. Suggest Version

Automatic semantic version bumping:

- **Major** (x.0.0): Breaking changes
- **Minor** (0.x.0): New features
- **Patch** (0.0.x): Bug fixes

#### 4. Format Release Notes

Generate GitHub/GitLab release notes:

- Professional formatting
- Summary statistics
- Breaking change warnings
- Installation instructions

#### 5. Export Markdown

Export to CHANGELOG.md:

- Keep a Changelog format
- Semantic versioning compliance
- Ready for version control

### Conventional Commits

Format: `type(scope): subject`

#### Types

- **feat**: New feature (minor bump)
- **fix**: Bug fix (patch bump)
- **docs**: Documentation changes
- **style**: Code style changes
- **refactor**: Code refactoring
- **perf**: Performance improvements
- **test**: Test changes
- **build**: Build system changes
- **ci**: CI/CD changes
- **chore**: Other changes

#### Breaking Changes

- Add `!` after type: `feat!: redesign API`
- Or include `BREAKING CHANGE:` in body

### Input Parameters

- **operation**: Operation to perform (required)
- **repositoryUrl**: Git repository URL
- **gitToken**: Access token for private repos
- **fromVersion**: Starting version/tag
- **toVersion**: Ending version/tag (default: HEAD)
- **currentVersion**: Current version for suggestions
- **preset**: Commit convention (conventional, angular, etc.)
- **includeAll**: Include non-conventional commits
- **groupBy**: Group by type, scope, author, or none
- **includeAuthors**: Show commit authors
- **includeLinks**: Link to commits and issues
- **format**: Output format (markdown, json, html, keepachangelog)

### Use Cases

1. **Release Automation**: Generate changelogs for every release
2. **Version Management**: Auto-determine version bumps
3. **Documentation**: Maintain CHANGELOG.md automatically
4. **Release Notes**: Create GitHub/GitLab release descriptions
5. **Commit Analysis**: Monitor team commit quality

### Example

```json
{
  "operation": "generateChangelog",
  "repositoryUrl": "https://github.com/facebook/react",
  "fromVersion": "v18.0.0",
  "toVersion": "HEAD",
  "currentVersion": "18.0.0",
  "groupBy": "type",
  "includeAuthors": true,
  "includeLinks": true,
  "format": "markdown"
}
```

### Output Example

```markdown
### [18.1.0] - 2024-01-15

#### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES

- **api**: redesign hook system (John Doe) ([abc123](commit/abc123))

#### ✨ Features

- **auth**: add OAuth2 support (Jane Smith) ([def456](commit/def456))
- **ui**: new component library (Bob Johnson) ([ghi789](commit/ghi789))

#### 🐛 Bug Fixes

- **core**: fix memory leak (Alice Williams) ([jkl012](commit/jkl012))
- **api**: handle null responses (Charlie Brown) ([mno345](commit/mno345))
```

### Semantic Versioning Rules

Given version `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`:

1. **MAJOR**: Incompatible API changes (breaking changes)
2. **MINOR**: Add functionality (backward-compatible)
3. **PATCH**: Bug fixes (backward-compatible)

### Comparison to Alternatives

#### vs semantic-release

- **Simpler**: No complex configuration
- **Faster**: Quick changelog generation
- **Flexible**: Multiple output formats
- **Standalone**: No CI/CD integration required

#### vs conventional-changelog

- **All-in-one**: Includes version suggestion
- **Cloud-based**: No local setup
- **Automated**: Zero configuration

### Market Gap

Simpler alternative to semantic-release with zero configuration. Perfect for teams wanting automated changelogs without complex CI/CD setup.

**Target MAU**: 400

# Actor input Schema

## `operation` (type: `string`):

Action to perform

## `repositoryUrl` (type: `string`):

Git repository URL (GitHub, GitLab, etc.)

## `gitToken` (type: `string`):

Access token for private repositories

## `fromVersion` (type: `string`):

Starting version or tag (e.g., v1.0.0)

## `toVersion` (type: `string`):

Ending version or tag (default: HEAD)

## `currentVersion` (type: `string`):

Current version for version suggestion (e.g., 1.2.3)

## `preset` (type: `string`):

Conventional commit preset

## `includeAll` (type: `boolean`):

Include non-conventional commits

## `groupBy` (type: `string`):

How to group changelog entries

## `includeAuthors` (type: `boolean`):

Show commit authors

## `includeLinks` (type: `boolean`):

Link to commits and issues

## `format` (type: `string`):

Changelog format

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "operation": "generateChangelog",
  "repositoryUrl": "https://github.com/owner/repo",
  "toVersion": "HEAD",
  "currentVersion": "1.2.3",
  "preset": "conventional",
  "includeAll": false,
  "groupBy": "type",
  "includeAuthors": true,
  "includeLinks": true,
  "format": "markdown"
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "operation": "generateChangelog"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("fiery_dream/semantic-changelog-generator").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "operation": "generateChangelog" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("fiery_dream/semantic-changelog-generator").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "operation": "generateChangelog"
}' |
apify call fiery_dream/semantic-changelog-generator --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fiery_dream/semantic-changelog-generator",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/TOe6pKTefFge29lfC/builds/UHMmcvNeQpPR9mmLf/openapi.json