Changelog Generation

brel changelog computes the next release version (using the same rules as brel next-version) and hands changelog generation to one of two providers. If changelog generation is disabled, or no releasable commits exist, it exits successfully without touching any files.

Configuration lives under [release_pr.changelog]:

[release_pr.changelog]
enabled = true               # default
provider = "git-cliff"       # default; or "changelogen"
output_file = "CHANGELOG.md" # default

When changelog generation is enabled, brel release-pr stages output_file in the release commit whenever that file exists — so the changelog update ships inside the release PR.

Providers

git-cliff

brel runs:

git-cliff --config cliff.toml --unreleased --tag <rendered-tag> --prepend <output_file>

• Requires the git-cliff binary. The workflow generated by brel init installs it (via taiki-e/install-action@git-cliff on GitHub, cargo install git-cliff elsewhere).
• Keep a cliff.toml in your repository to customize grouping, formatting, and filtering — brel does not create or manage it.

changelogen

brel runs:

npx --yes changelogen@<version> --to HEAD -r <next-version> --output <output_file>

• Requires npx (Node.js). The generated workflow sets up Node 24.

• The version is pinned via config (default 0.6.2); explicit values must be valid SemVer:

  [release_pr.changelog]
  provider = "changelogen"
  
  [release_pr.changelog.changelogen]
  version = "0.6.2"

• brel never asks changelogen to bump versions, commit, tag, push, publish, or create releases — it is used purely as a changelog renderer.

• Customize output with changelogen’s own config files (changelog.config.*, .changelogrc, or the changelog field in package.json).

Note

Running changelogen goes through npx, which downloads the package on first use — CI needs network access to the npm registry.

Disabling changelogs

[release_pr.changelog]
enabled = false

With changelogs disabled, brel changelog is a no-op and brel release-pr skips staging the output file.