Streamlining Package Releases with Changesets

What are Changesets?

Changesets is a tool designed to simplify version management within monorepos. It provides a CLI interface for contributors to describe their changes alongside the semver bump type, creating a “changeset” that contains all the necessary information for a release.

yarn changeset

The Benefits of Using Changesets

Using changesets eliminates many of the tedious steps involved in releasing new package versions. Contributors are reminded to make detailed notes about their changes, and maintainers can easily create new versions of packages using a single CLI command.

• Contributors are reminded to make detailed notes about their changes
• Maintainers can easily create new versions of packages using a single CLI command

A Real-World Example

Let’s take a look at an example of how changesets can streamline the release process. Suppose we have an open-source ecommerce store platform with a monorepo containing multiple packages. One of the packages, ordering, needs to be updated with a new feature.

Without changesets, the maintainer would need to:

1. Manually review the pull request
2. Determine the semver bump type
3. Update the changelog

With changesets, the process is much simpler. When a contributor makes a change, they run yarn changeset and create a “changeset” that describes the update, including the semver bump type. The maintainer can then review the pull request and merge it without needing to ask questions or manually update the changelog.

Automating Changesets

To take it a step further, we can automate the changesets process using GitHub Actions and bots. For example, we can:

• Install a bot that comments on pull requests when a “changeset” is missing
• Run a GitHub Action that fails if a contributor forgets to add a “changeset”

name: Changeset Checker

on: [pull_request]

jobs:
  check-changeset:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Check for changeset
        run: |
          if! grep -q "changeset" CHANGELOG.md; then
            echo "Changeset is missing"
            exit 1
          fi

By automating the changesets process, we can ensure that releases are consistent and high-quality, and reduce the workload for maintainers.

Changesets is a game-changer for package maintainers. By simplifying the release process and providing a standardized way to manage version releases, changesets makes it easier to create high-quality releases that facilitate the upgrade process for consumers. Whether you’re a maintainer or a contributor, using changesets can save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on what matters most – building great software.