---
name: autoship
description: CLI tool for automated changeset-based releases with AI-generated descriptions. Use when the user needs to release a package, create changesets, bump versions,…
---

# autoship

CLI tool for automated changeset-based releases with AI-generated descriptions. Use when the user needs to release a package, create changesets, bump versions,…

# autoshipby vercel
CLI tool for automated changeset-based releases with AI-generated descriptions. Use when the user needs to release a package, create changesets, bump versions,…

`npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/autoship --skill autoship`Download ZIPGitHub

## Automated Releases with autoship

## Core Workflow

Every release follows this pattern:

* Configure: `autoship add <name>` (one-time setup)

* Release: `autoship <name>` (interactive) or `autoship <name> -t patch -y` (automated)

The tool handles the complete release cycle:

* Clone repository

* Analyze changes and suggest release type (patch/minor/major)

* Generate AI-powered changeset description

* Create and merge changeset PR

* Wait for and merge Version Packages PR

* Trigger npm publish

## Requirements

Before using autoship, ensure:

```
`# GitHub CLI must be authenticated
gh auth login

# API key for AI features
export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="your-key"
`
```

## Essential Commands

```
`# One-time setup: add a repository
autoship add myproject
# Prompts for: owner, repo name, base branch

# List configured repositories
autoship list

# Interactive release (prompts for type and message)
autoship myproject

# Automated release (no prompts)
autoship myproject -t patch -y
autoship myproject -t minor -y
autoship myproject -t major -y

# Release with custom message (skips AI generation)
autoship myproject -t patch -m "Fixed login bug" -y
`
```

## Command Options

```
`autoship [repo] # Interactive repo selection if omitted
-t, --type <type> # Release type: patch, minor, major
-m, --message <message> # Custom changeset description
-y, --yes # Skip all confirmations
-h, --help # Show help
`
```

## Common Patterns

### Fully Automated Patch Release

```
`autoship myproject -t patch -y
`
```

### AI-Assisted Interactive Release

```
`autoship myproject
# 1. AI analyzes commits since last release
# 2. AI suggests release type (patch/minor/major)
# 3. You confirm or change the type
# 4. AI generates changeset description
# 5. You review and approve
# 6. Tool handles PR creation and merging
`
```

### Custom Message Release

```
`autoship myproject -t minor -m "Added new authentication providers" -y
`
```

### CI/CD Integration

```
`# In GitHub Actions or CI pipeline
export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="${{ secrets.AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY }}"
npx autoship myproject -t patch -y
`
```

## What autoship Does (10 Steps)

* Clone - Clones the repository from the base branch

* Analyze - Finds latest version tag, analyzes commits and diff

* Suggest - AI suggests release type based on changes

* Generate - AI generates changeset description

* Branch - Creates release branch with changeset file

* PR - Creates pull request for the changeset

* Wait - Waits for CI checks to pass

* Merge - Merges the changeset PR

* Version PR - Waits for changesets action to create Version Packages PR

* Publish - Merges Version Packages PR to trigger npm publish

## Output Format

autoship provides clear step-by-step output:

```
`[1/10] Cloning repository from main...
> Repository cloned
> Package: my-package @ 1.2.3

[2/10] Creating release branch...
> Branch created: release/patch-1706123456789

[3/10] Generating changeset...
> Changeset created: fluffy-pants-dance.md

...

Release Complete!
The patch release has been published.
`
```

## Configuration

Config is stored at `~/.autoship/config.json`:

```
`{
"repos": {
"myproject": {
"owner": "vercel-labs",
"repo": "myproject",
"baseBranch": "main",
"cloneUrl": "https://github.com/vercel-labs/myproject.git"
}
}
}
`
```

## Deep-Dive Documentation

ReferenceWhen to Usereferences/commands.mdFull command reference with all optionsreferences/configuration.mdConfig file format and repository setupreferences/ci-integration.mdGitHub Actions and CI/CD setup

## Ready-to-Use Templates

TemplateDescriptiontemplates/automated-release.shFully automated release scripttemplates/setup-repo.shNon-interactive repository setup

```
`./templates/automated-release.sh myproject patch
./templates/setup-repo.sh myproject vercel-labs myproject main
`
```

## Troubleshooting

### "No repositories configured"

Run `autoship add <name>` to configure a repository first.

### "Repository not found"

Check `autoship list` for available repos. The name is case-sensitive.

### CI checks failing

The tool will show which checks failed. Fix the issues in the target repository, then retry.

### AI generation failed

If AI fails, autoship falls back to manual input. Ensure `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY` is set.

## More skills from vercel
agent-friendly-apisby vercelCompanion skill for the Agent-Friendly APIs course on Vercel Academy. Build a feedback API, make it agent-friendly with structured documentation, then create a Claude Code skill that generates the docs automatically.filesystem-agentsby vercelYou are a knowledgeable teaching assistant for the Building Filesystem Agents course on Vercel Academy. You help students build agents that navigate filesystems with bash to answer questions about structured data.add-provider-packageby vercelGuide for adding new AI provider packages to the AI SDK. Use when creating a new @ai-sdk/<provider> package to integrate an AI service into the SDK.csvby vercelAnalyze and transform CSV data using bash toolsaiby vercelPython `ai` module — models, agents, hooks, middleware, MCP, structured outputcron-jobsby vercelVercel Cron Jobs configuration and best practices. Use when adding, editing, or debugging scheduled tasks in vercel.json.frontend-designby vercelCreate distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces with high design quality. Use this skill when the user asks to build web components, pages, artifacts,…vercel-react-best-practicesby vercelReact and Next.js performance optimization guidelines from Vercel Engineering. This skill should be used when writing, reviewing, or refactoring React/Next.js…

---

**Source**: https://github.com/vercel-labs/autoship/tree/HEAD/skills/autoship
**Author**: vercel
**Discovered via**: mcpservers.org