init-changesets

Sets changesets up in a repository: initializes .changeset/, writes the config, adds the version and release scripts, and creates the CI release workflow. It also migrates a repository off another release tool.

When it runs

Ask for it directly, or say something like “add changesets”, “set up releases”, or “configure versioning”. It also fits when the release workflow is missing or broken, or when you want to move off semantic-release, release-it, lerna, release-please, or a similar tool.

To add or review a changeset in an existing setup, use changesets instead.

What it does

1. Detects the package manager, monorepo layout, CI platform, and any competing release tool from the filesystem — it asks only what the files cannot answer.
2. Offers to migrate if another release tool is present, and stops if you decline.
3. Runs changeset init (skipped when .changeset/ already exists) and writes .changeset/config.json, including fixed, linked, and ignore groups for a monorepo.
4. Adds version, release, and cs scripts to package.json.
5. Writes the release workflow — an inline GitHub Actions workflow, a shared one in your <org>/.github repository, or the equivalent for GitLab, CircleCI, Bitbucket, Azure Pipelines, Jenkins, Travis, or Drone.
6. Tells you which secrets to add, and verifies the setup.

What you need

• A repository with at least one package.json.
• An npm automation token stored as NPM_TOKEN in the CI secrets, for publishing.
• On GitHub, a PAT stored as RELEASE_TOKEN only if branch protection blocks the Version Packages PR.

References

The skill reads these on demand — one migration file per detected tool, one CI file per detected platform. It never loads them all.

• references/migration/ — semantic-release, release-it, standard-version, beachball, release-please, auto, Nx Release, lerna, bumpp, changelogen
• references/ci/ — _common.md plus GitLab, CircleCI, Bitbucket, Azure Pipelines, Jenkins, Travis, Drone