diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
index f3b6a19..ecae640 100644
--- a/.github/pull_request_template.md
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -2,13 +2,21 @@
 Explain the change in 1–3 sentences. Reference any related issues (e.g. Closes #123).
 
 ## Type of Change
-- [ ] Feature
-- [ ] Bug fix
-- [ ] Chore / Refactor
-- [ ] Docs
-- [ ] Tests
-- [ ] CI / Build
-- [ ] Other
+<!-- Select the primary type of change. This helps with automated release note generation. -->
+- [ ] 🚀 **Feature** (`feat:`) - New functionality for users
+- [ ] 🐛 **Bug fix** (`fix:`) - Fixes an issue for users
+- [ ] ⚠️ **Breaking Change** (`feat!:` or `fix!:`) - Changes that break backward compatibility
+- [ ] 📚 **Docs** (`docs:`) - Documentation updates only
+- [ ] 🔧 **Chore / Refactor** (`chore:`, `refactor:`) - Internal changes, no user impact
+- [ ] 🧪 **Tests** (`test:`) - Test additions or updates
+- [ ] 🚀 **CI / Build** (`ci:`) - Build system or CI changes
+- [ ] 📦 **Dependencies** (`deps:`) - Dependency updates
+- [ ] 🎉 **Other** - Changes that don't fit the above categories
+
+## Release Notes Impact
+<!-- This helps generate better automated release notes -->
+- [ ] **User-facing change** - Should be included in release notes
+- [ ] **Internal change only** - No need to include in release notes
 
 ## Motivation / Context
 Why is this change needed? What problem does it solve or what capability does it add?
@@ -42,12 +50,21 @@ node bin/index.js demo --services node --no-install --yes
 ```
 Result: ✅ / ❌
 
+## Breaking Changes & Migration
+<!-- If this is a breaking change, provide details for users -->
+**Breaking changes:**
+
+**Migration steps:**
+
+**Configuration changes needed:**
+
 ## Screenshots / Logs (Optional)
 Add any helpful output (chalk-styled CLI messages, error reproduction, etc.).
 
 ## Docs
 - [ ] Updated `README.md` if needed
 - [ ] Updated `.github/copilot-instructions.md` if internal conventions changed
+- [ ] Added/updated relevant documentation for user-facing changes
 - [ ] Not applicable
 
 ## Checklist
diff --git a/.github/release-notes-config.yml b/.github/release-notes-config.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06a0da3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/release-notes-config.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+# Release Notes Configuration
+
+# This file contains configuration for the automated release notes generation system.
+# It defines how commits are categorized and what patterns to look for.
+
+# Commit categorization patterns (regex patterns, case-insensitive)
+categorization:
+  features:
+    patterns:
+      - "^feat(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^add "
+      - "^implement "
+      - "new feature"
+      - "added support"
+    
+  bugfixes:
+    patterns:
+      - "^fix(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^bug "
+      - "^patch "
+      - "resolve.*issue"
+      - "fixed.*problem"
+    
+  breaking_changes:
+    patterns:
+      - "^feat(\\(.*\\))?!:"
+      - "^fix(\\(.*\\))?!:"
+      - "breaking"
+      - "^BREAKING CHANGE"
+      - "backwards incompatible"
+    
+  documentation:
+    patterns:
+      - "^docs(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "documentation"
+      - "readme"
+      - "update.*docs"
+      - "add.*docs"
+    
+  internal:
+    patterns:
+      - "^chore(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^ci(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^test(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^refactor(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^build(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "^perf(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "internal changes"
+      - "code cleanup"
+    
+  dependencies:
+    patterns:
+      - "^deps(\\(.*\\))?:"
+      - "dependencies"
+      - "package.*update"
+      - "bump.*version"
+      - "upgrade.*to"
+      - "update.*dependency"
+
+# Section configuration
+sections:
+  features:
+    title: "🚀 Features Added"
+    description: "New functionality and capabilities added in this release"
+    
+  bugfixes:
+    title: "🐛 Bug Fixes"
+    description: "Issues and problems resolved in this release"
+    
+  breaking_changes:
+    title: "⚠️ Breaking Changes" 
+    description: "Changes that may break backward compatibility"
+    priority: 1  # Show first after main description
+    
+  documentation:
+    title: "📚 Documentation"
+    description: "Documentation updates and improvements"
+    
+  internal:
+    title: "🔧 Internal/DevOps"
+    description: "Internal improvements, build system, and development tooling changes"
+    
+  dependencies:
+    title: "📦 Dependencies"
+    description: "Dependency updates and package management changes"
+    
+  other:
+    title: "🎉 Other Changes"
+    description: "Other notable changes that don't fit the above categories"
+    
+  refactoring:
+    title: "🔄 Refactoring & Performance"
+    description: "Code quality improvements and performance optimizations"
+
+# Template configuration
+template:
+  # Whether to include sections that have no items
+  include_empty_sections: false
+  
+  # Maximum number of commits to show per section (0 = unlimited)
+  max_commits_per_section: 0
+  
+  # Whether to include commit hashes in the output
+  include_commit_hashes: true
+  
+  # Whether to include author information
+  include_authors: true
+  
+  # Date format for the release
+  date_format: "YYYY-MM-DD"
+
+# Contributors configuration  
+contributors:
+  # Whether to include a contributors section
+  include_contributors: true
+  
+  # How to format contributor names
+  format: "@{username}"
+  
+  # Whether to exclude bot accounts
+  exclude_bots: true
+  
+  # List of usernames to exclude from contributors list
+  exclude_users:
+    - "dependabot[bot]"
+    - "github-actions[bot]"
+
+# Validation rules
+validation:
+  # Minimum number of commits required for a release
+  min_commits: 1
+  
+  # Whether to fail if no categorized changes are found
+  require_categorized_changes: false
+  
+  # Whether to validate that breaking changes have migration notes
+  require_breaking_change_notes: true
+
+# Custom replacements for commit messages (useful for cleaning up automated commits)
+message_replacements:
+  - pattern: "^Merge pull request #\\d+ from .*"
+    replacement: ""  # Remove merge commit messages
+  - pattern: "^Merge branch '.*' into .*"
+    replacement: ""  # Remove branch merge messages
+  - pattern: "\\(#(\\d+)\\)"
+    replacement: "(#$1)"  # Normalize PR references
+
+# Integration settings
+integrations:
+  github:
+    # Whether to link to GitHub commits
+    link_commits: true
+    
+    # Whether to link to GitHub issues/PRs
+    link_issues: true
+    
+    # Base URL for the repository
+    base_url: "https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}"
+  
+  npm:
+    # Whether to include npm installation instructions
+    include_install_instructions: true
+    
+    # Package name for installation instructions
+    package_name: "create-polyglot"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/release-notes-improvements.md b/.github/release-notes-improvements.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ecd903
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/release-notes-improvements.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<!-- This file tracks improvements to the release notes system -->
diff --git a/.github/release-notes-template.md b/.github/release-notes-template.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92c3345
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/release-notes-template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Release Notes Template
+
+This template is used to automatically generate release notes for create-polyglot.
+
+## Release Notes for v{version}
+
+### 🚀 Features Added
+{features}
+
+### 🐛 Bug Fixes
+{bugfixes}
+
+### ⚠️ Breaking Changes
+{breaking}
+
+### 📚 Documentation
+{documentation}
+
+### 🔧 Internal/DevOps
+{internal}
+
+### 📦 Dependencies
+{dependencies}
+
+### 🎉 Other Changes
+{other}
+
+### 🔄 Refactoring & Performance
+{refactoring}
+
+---
+
+**Full Changelog**: {compare_url}
+
+## What's Changed Since Last Release
+
+{commits}
+
+## Contributors
+
+Thanks to all the contributors who made this release possible!
+
+{contributors}
+
+---
+
+### Installation
+
+```bash
+npm install -g create-polyglot@{version}
+# or
+npx create-polyglot@{version} init my-project
+```
+
+### Upgrade Notes
+
+{upgrade_notes}
+
+### Known Issues
+
+{known_issues}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
index 4498e71..69d3a23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,33 @@ on:
     types: [created]
 
 jobs:
+  generate-release-notes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: read
+    steps:
+      - name: Trigger release notes generation
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            // Trigger the release notes workflow
+            await github.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              workflow_id: 'release-notes.yml',
+              ref: 'main',
+              inputs: {
+                tag_name: '${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}',
+                target_commitish: '${{ github.event.release.target_commitish }}'
+              }
+            });
+            console.log('Release notes generation triggered');
+            
+            // Wait a bit for the workflow to complete
+            await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 5000));
+
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
@@ -22,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: npm test
 
   publish-npm:
-    needs: build
+    needs: [generate-release-notes, build]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml b/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3560c21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+name: Generate Release Notes
+
+on:
+  release:
+    types: [created, published]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag_name:
+        description: 'Tag name for the release'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      target_commitish:
+        description: 'Target branch or commit (default: main)'
+        required: false
+        default: 'main'
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  generate-release-notes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: read
+    
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '20'
+
+      - name: Get release information
+        id: release_info
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "workflow_dispatch" ]; then
+            TAG_NAME="${{ github.event.inputs.tag_name }}"
+            TARGET_COMMITISH="${{ github.event.inputs.target_commitish }}"
+          else
+            TAG_NAME="${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}"
+            TARGET_COMMITISH="${{ github.event.release.target_commitish }}"
+          fi
+          
+          echo "tag_name=$TAG_NAME" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "target_commitish=$TARGET_COMMITISH" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          
+          # Get previous tag
+          PREVIOUS_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-version:refname | grep -v "$TAG_NAME" | head -n 1)
+          if [ -z "$PREVIOUS_TAG" ]; then
+            # If no previous tag, use first commit
+            PREVIOUS_TAG=$(git rev-list --max-parents=0 HEAD)
+          fi
+          echo "previous_tag=$PREVIOUS_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          
+          # Get version without 'v' prefix
+          VERSION=${TAG_NAME#v}
+          echo "version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Generate categorized commit list
+        id: categorize_commits
+        run: |
+          # Create arrays for different categories
+          declare -a features=()
+          declare -a bugfixes=()
+          declare -a breaking=()
+          declare -a documentation=()
+          declare -a internal=()
+          declare -a dependencies=()
+          declare -a other=()
+          
+          # Get commits since last release
+          COMMITS=$(git log ${{ steps.release_info.outputs.previous_tag }}..${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }} --pretty=format:"%h|%s|%an" --no-merges)
+          
+          # Categorize commits
+          while IFS='|' read -r hash subject author; do
+            if [[ -z "$hash" ]]; then continue; fi
+            
+            # Convert to lowercase for matching
+            lower_subject=$(echo "$subject" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+            
+            if [[ $lower_subject =~ ^feat(\(.*\))?!: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ breaking ]]; then
+              breaking+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^feat(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^add ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^implement ]]; then
+              features+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^fix(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^bug ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^patch ]]; then
+              bugfixes+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^docs(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ documentation ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ readme ]]; then
+              documentation+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^chore(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^ci(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^test(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^refactor(\(.*\))?: ]]; then
+              internal+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^deps(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ dependencies ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ package ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ bump ]]; then
+              dependencies+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            else
+              other+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+            fi
+          done <<< "$COMMITS"
+          
+          # Export arrays as multiline strings
+          printf '%s\n' "${features[@]}" > features.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${bugfixes[@]}" > bugfixes.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${breaking[@]}" > breaking.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${documentation[@]}" > documentation.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${internal[@]}" > internal.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${dependencies[@]}" > dependencies.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${other[@]}" > other.txt
+
+      - name: Get contributors
+        id: contributors
+        run: |
+          # Get unique contributors for this release
+          CONTRIBUTORS=$(git log ${{ steps.release_info.outputs.previous_tag }}..${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }} --pretty=format:"%an" --no-merges | sort -u | sed 's/^/- @/' | tr '\n' '\n')
+          echo "contributors<<EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "$CONTRIBUTORS" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Generate release notes
+        id: generate_notes
+        run: |
+          # Read template
+          TEMPLATE=$(cat .github/release-notes-template.md)
+          
+          # Read categorized sections
+          FEATURES=$(cat features.txt || echo "No new features in this release.")
+          BUGFIXES=$(cat bugfixes.txt || echo "No bug fixes in this release.")
+          BREAKING=$(cat breaking.txt || echo "No breaking changes in this release.")
+          DOCUMENTATION=$(cat documentation.txt || echo "No documentation changes in this release.")
+          INTERNAL=$(cat internal.txt || echo "No internal changes in this release.")
+          DEPENDENCIES=$(cat dependencies.txt || echo "No dependency updates in this release.")
+          OTHER=$(cat other.txt || echo "No other changes in this release.")
+          
+          # Replace placeholders
+          NOTES="$TEMPLATE"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{version\}/${{ steps.release_info.outputs.version }}}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{features\}/$FEATURES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{bugfixes\}/$BUGFIXES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{breaking\}/$BREAKING}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{documentation\}/$DOCUMENTATION}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{internal\}/$INTERNAL}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{dependencies\}/$DEPENDENCIES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{other\}/$OTHER}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{refactoring\}/No refactoring changes in this release.}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{compare_url\}/https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/compare/${{ steps.release_info.outputs.previous_tag }}...${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }}}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{contributors\}/${{ steps.contributors.outputs.contributors }}}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{commits\}/[View all commits](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/compare/${{ steps.release_info.outputs.previous_tag }}...${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }})}"
+          
+          # Add placeholder sections for manual editing
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{upgrade_notes\}/<!-- Add any upgrade notes or migration steps here -->}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{known_issues\}/<!-- Add any known issues or caveats here -->}"
+          
+          # Save to file
+          echo "$NOTES" > release-notes.md
+          
+          # Also set as output for updating release
+          echo "notes<<EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "$NOTES" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Update release with generated notes
+        if: github.event_name == 'release'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            const fs = require('fs');
+            const releaseNotes = fs.readFileSync('release-notes.md', 'utf8');
+            
+            // Get the current release
+            const release = await github.rest.repos.getReleaseByTag({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              tag: '${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }}'
+            });
+            
+            // Update the release with generated notes
+            await github.rest.repos.updateRelease({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              release_id: release.data.id,
+              body: releaseNotes
+            });
+            
+            console.log('Release notes updated successfully!');
+
+      - name: Create draft release (for manual dispatch)
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            const fs = require('fs');
+            const releaseNotes = fs.readFileSync('release-notes.md', 'utf8');
+            
+            try {
+              // Try to get existing release
+              const existingRelease = await github.rest.repos.getReleaseByTag({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                tag: '${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }}'
+              });
+              
+              // Update existing release
+              await github.rest.repos.updateRelease({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                release_id: existingRelease.data.id,
+                body: releaseNotes
+              });
+              
+              console.log('Existing release updated with generated notes!');
+            } catch (error) {
+              if (error.status === 404) {
+                // Create new draft release
+                const release = await github.rest.repos.createRelease({
+                  owner: context.repo.owner,
+                  repo: context.repo.repo,
+                  tag_name: '${{ steps.release_info.outputs.tag_name }}',
+                  target_commitish: '${{ steps.release_info.outputs.target_commitish }}',
+                  name: `Release ${{ steps.release_info.outputs.version }}`,
+                  body: releaseNotes,
+                  draft: true,
+                  prerelease: false
+                });
+                
+                console.log(`Draft release created: ${release.data.html_url}`);
+              } else {
+                throw error;
+              }
+            }
+
+      - name: Upload release notes as artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: release-notes-${{ steps.release_info.outputs.version }}
+          path: release-notes.md
+          retention-days: 30
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-release-notes.yml b/.github/workflows/test-release-notes.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5e46a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-release-notes.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,374 @@
+name: Test Release Notes Generation
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      test_scenario:
+        description: 'Test scenario to run'
+        required: true
+        default: 'basic'
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - basic
+          - with_breaking_changes
+          - comprehensive
+      target_branch:
+        description: 'Target branch for testing (default: current branch)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  test-release-notes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: read
+    
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.target_branch || github.ref }}
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '20'
+
+      - name: Create test commits for scenario
+        run: |
+          # Configure git for test commits
+          git config user.name "Test Release Notes"
+          git config user.email "test@create-polyglot.dev"
+          
+          # Create a test branch
+          TEST_BRANCH="test-release-notes-$(date +%s)"
+          git checkout -b "$TEST_BRANCH"
+          
+          # Create test commits based on scenario
+          case "${{ github.event.inputs.test_scenario }}" in
+            "basic")
+              echo "# Test feature" > test-feature.md
+              git add test-feature.md
+              git commit -m "feat: add new test feature for users"
+              
+              echo "# Test fix" > test-fix.md  
+              git add test-fix.md
+              git commit -m "fix: resolve issue with test functionality"
+              
+              echo "# Test docs" > test-docs.md
+              git add test-docs.md
+              git commit -m "docs: update README with test information"
+              ;;
+              
+            "with_breaking_changes")
+              echo "# Breaking feature" > breaking-feature.md
+              git add breaking-feature.md
+              git commit -m "feat!: change API structure (breaking change)"
+              
+              echo "# Regular fix" > regular-fix.md
+              git add regular-fix.md  
+              git commit -m "fix: patch minor bug in CLI"
+              
+              echo "# Chore" > chore-update.md
+              git add chore-update.md
+              git commit -m "chore: update build dependencies"
+              ;;
+              
+            "comprehensive")
+              # Features
+              echo "# New feature 1" > feature1.md
+              git add feature1.md
+              git commit -m "feat(cli): add Kong API gateway support"
+              
+              echo "# New feature 2" > feature2.md
+              git add feature2.md
+              git commit -m "feat(templates): implement Go service template"
+              
+              # Bug fixes
+              echo "# Bug fix 1" > bugfix1.md
+              git add bugfix1.md
+              git commit -m "fix(docker): resolve port binding issues"
+              
+              echo "# Bug fix 2" > bugfix2.md
+              git add bugfix2.md
+              git commit -m "fix: patch service discovery problems"
+              
+              # Breaking change
+              echo "# Breaking change" > breaking.md
+              git add breaking.md
+              git commit -m "feat!: restructure service configuration format"
+              
+              # Documentation
+              echo "# Docs update" > docs.md
+              git add docs.md
+              git commit -m "docs: add comprehensive API documentation"
+              
+              # Dependencies
+              echo "# Deps update" > deps.md
+              git add deps.md
+              git commit -m "deps: bump chalk to v5.6.2 for security fix"
+              
+              # Internal changes
+              echo "# Test update" > test.md
+              git add test.md
+              git commit -m "test: add integration tests for CLI commands"
+              
+              echo "# CI update" > ci.md
+              git add ci.md
+              git commit -m "ci: improve GitHub Actions workflow performance"
+              
+              # Other
+              echo "# Other change" > other.md
+              git add other.md
+              git commit -m "update project configuration for better DX"
+              ;;
+          esac
+          
+          # Create a test tag
+          TEST_TAG="v0.0.0-test-$(date +%s)"
+          git tag "$TEST_TAG"
+          
+          # Export variables for next steps
+          echo "TEST_BRANCH=$TEST_BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "TEST_TAG=$TEST_TAG" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          
+          # Get the previous tag for comparison
+          PREVIOUS_TAG=$(git tag --sort=-version:refname | grep -v "$TEST_TAG" | head -n 1)
+          if [ -z "$PREVIOUS_TAG" ]; then
+            PREVIOUS_TAG=$(git rev-list --max-parents=0 HEAD)
+          fi
+          echo "PREVIOUS_TAG=$PREVIOUS_TAG" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Test categorization logic
+        run: |
+          # Simulate the categorization logic from the main workflow
+          declare -a features=()
+          declare -a bugfixes=()
+          declare -a breaking=()
+          declare -a documentation=()
+          declare -a internal=()
+          declare -a dependencies=()
+          declare -a other=()
+          
+          # Get commits for testing
+          COMMITS=$(git log $PREVIOUS_TAG..$TEST_TAG --pretty=format:"%h|%s|%an" --no-merges)
+          
+          echo "=== Testing Commit Categorization ==="
+          echo "Commits to categorize:"
+          echo "$COMMITS"
+          echo ""
+          
+          # Categorize commits (same logic as main workflow)
+          while IFS='|' read -r hash subject author; do
+            if [[ -z "$hash" ]]; then continue; fi
+            
+            lower_subject=$(echo "$subject" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+            
+            echo "Processing: $subject"
+            
+            if [[ $lower_subject =~ ^feat(\(.*\))?!: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ breaking ]]; then
+              breaking+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: BREAKING CHANGE"
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^feat(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^add ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^implement ]]; then
+              features+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: FEATURE"
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^fix(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^bug ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^patch ]]; then
+              bugfixes+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: BUG FIX"
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^docs(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ documentation ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ readme ]]; then
+              documentation+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: DOCUMENTATION"
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^chore(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^ci(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^test(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ ^refactor(\(.*\))?: ]]; then
+              internal+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: INTERNAL"
+            elif [[ $lower_subject =~ ^deps(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ dependencies ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ package ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ bump ]]; then
+              dependencies+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: DEPENDENCIES"
+            else
+              other+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+              echo "  → Categorized as: OTHER"
+            fi
+            echo ""
+          done <<< "$COMMITS"
+          
+          # Save results
+          printf '%s\n' "${features[@]}" > features.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${bugfixes[@]}" > bugfixes.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${breaking[@]}" > breaking.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${documentation[@]}" > documentation.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${internal[@]}" > internal.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${dependencies[@]}" > dependencies.txt
+          printf '%s\n' "${other[@]}" > other.txt
+          
+          # Display categorization results
+          echo "=== Categorization Results ==="
+          echo "Features ($(wc -l < features.txt)):"
+          cat features.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Bug Fixes ($(wc -l < bugfixes.txt)):"
+          cat bugfixes.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Breaking Changes ($(wc -l < breaking.txt)):"
+          cat breaking.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Documentation ($(wc -l < documentation.txt)):"
+          cat documentation.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Internal ($(wc -l < internal.txt)):"
+          cat internal.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Dependencies ($(wc -l < dependencies.txt)):"
+          cat dependencies.txt | head -5
+          echo ""
+          echo "Other ($(wc -l < other.txt)):"
+          cat other.txt | head -5
+
+      - name: Test template generation
+        run: |
+          # Test the template substitution logic
+          echo "=== Testing Template Generation ==="
+          
+          # Read template
+          TEMPLATE=$(cat .github/release-notes-template.md)
+          
+          # Read categorized sections
+          FEATURES=$(cat features.txt || echo "No new features in this release.")
+          BUGFIXES=$(cat bugfixes.txt || echo "No bug fixes in this release.")  
+          BREAKING=$(cat breaking.txt || echo "No breaking changes in this release.")
+          DOCUMENTATION=$(cat documentation.txt || echo "No documentation changes in this release.")
+          INTERNAL=$(cat internal.txt || echo "No internal changes in this release.")
+          DEPENDENCIES=$(cat dependencies.txt || echo "No dependency updates in this release.")
+          OTHER=$(cat other.txt || echo "No other changes in this release.")
+          
+          # Get contributors
+          CONTRIBUTORS=$(git log $PREVIOUS_TAG..$TEST_TAG --pretty=format:"%an" --no-merges | sort -u | sed 's/^/- @/' | tr '\n' '\n')
+          
+          # Replace placeholders
+          NOTES="$TEMPLATE"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{version\}/0.0.0-test}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{features\}/$FEATURES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{bugfixes\}/$BUGFIXES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{breaking\}/$BREAKING}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{documentation\}/$DOCUMENTATION}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{internal\}/$INTERNAL}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{dependencies\}/$DEPENDENCIES}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{other\}/$OTHER}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{compare_url\}/https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/compare/$PREVIOUS_TAG...$TEST_TAG}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{contributors\}/$CONTRIBUTORS}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{commits\}/[View all commits](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/compare/$PREVIOUS_TAG...$TEST_TAG)}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{upgrade_notes\}/<!-- Add any upgrade notes or migration steps here -->}"
+          NOTES="${NOTES//\{known_issues\}/<!-- Add any known issues or caveats here -->}"
+          
+          # Save generated notes
+          echo "$NOTES" > test-release-notes.md
+          
+          echo "✅ Template generation completed successfully!"
+          echo ""
+          echo "=== Generated Release Notes Preview ==="
+          head -50 test-release-notes.md
+
+      - name: Validate generated content
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Validating Generated Content ==="
+          
+          # Check if file was created
+          if [[ ! -f test-release-notes.md ]]; then
+            echo "❌ Release notes file was not generated"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          
+          # Check if template placeholders were replaced
+          if grep -q "{version}" test-release-notes.md; then
+            echo "❌ Version placeholder was not replaced"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          
+          if grep -q "{compare_url}" test-release-notes.md; then
+            echo "❌ Compare URL placeholder was not replaced"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          
+          # Check for expected sections
+          sections=("Features Added" "Bug Fixes" "Breaking Changes" "Documentation" "Internal/DevOps" "Dependencies" "Other Changes")
+          for section in "${sections[@]}"; do
+            if ! grep -q "$section" test-release-notes.md; then
+              echo "❌ Missing section: $section"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+          
+          # Check scenario-specific content
+          case "${{ github.event.inputs.test_scenario }}" in
+            "basic")
+              if ! grep -q "add new test feature" test-release-notes.md; then
+                echo "❌ Expected feature commit not found in basic scenario"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              ;;
+            "with_breaking_changes")
+              if ! grep -q "change API structure" test-release-notes.md; then
+                echo "❌ Expected breaking change not found"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              ;;
+            "comprehensive")
+              if ! grep -q "Kong API gateway" test-release-notes.md; then
+                echo "❌ Expected comprehensive feature not found"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              ;;
+          esac
+          
+          echo "✅ All validations passed!"
+
+      - name: Cleanup test artifacts
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Cleaning up test artifacts ==="
+          
+          # Remove test tag if it exists
+          if git tag -l | grep -q "$TEST_TAG"; then
+            git tag -d "$TEST_TAG" || echo "Failed to delete test tag (non-critical)"
+          fi
+          
+          # Switch back to original branch and delete test branch
+          git checkout "${{ github.event.inputs.target_branch || github.ref_name }}" || git checkout main
+          if git branch | grep -q "$TEST_BRANCH"; then
+            git branch -D "$TEST_BRANCH" || echo "Failed to delete test branch (non-critical)"
+          fi
+          
+          echo "✅ Cleanup completed"
+
+      - name: Upload test results
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        if: always()
+        with:
+          name: release-notes-test-results-${{ github.event.inputs.test_scenario }}
+          path: |
+            test-release-notes.md
+            features.txt
+            bugfixes.txt
+            breaking.txt
+            documentation.txt
+            internal.txt
+            dependencies.txt
+            other.txt
+          retention-days: 7
+
+      - name: Test summary
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Test Summary ==="
+          echo "✅ Scenario: ${{ github.event.inputs.test_scenario }}"
+          echo "✅ Commit categorization working correctly"
+          echo "✅ Template generation successful"
+          echo "✅ Content validation passed"
+          echo "✅ All test artifacts uploaded"
+          echo ""
+          echo "🎉 Release notes generation system is working correctly!"
+          echo ""
+          echo "Next steps:"
+          echo "1. Review the generated release notes in the artifacts"
+          echo "2. Test the actual workflow with a real release"
+          echo "3. Make any necessary adjustments to categorization rules"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7488b5e..f586bff 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -466,6 +466,22 @@ Pass `--git` to automatically run `git init`, create an initial commit, and (if
 ### Lint & Format
 Generates ESLint + Prettier base configs at the root. Extend rules per service if needed.
 
+### Release Notes Automation
+
+This project uses an automated release notes generation system that:
+
+- **Automatically categorizes commits** by type (features, bug fixes, breaking changes, etc.)
+- **Generates structured release notes** when new versions are published
+- **Provides templates** for consistent release documentation
+- **Integrates with the CI/CD pipeline** for seamless releases
+
+Contributors can help improve release notes by:
+- Using [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) format
+- Filling out PR templates with appropriate categorization
+- Including clear descriptions of user-facing changes
+
+See [`docs/automated-release-notes.md`](docs/automated-release-notes.md) for detailed documentation.
+
 ### Roadmap / Ideas
 - Plugin hook execution pipeline
 - Healthchecks and depends_on in `compose.yaml`
diff --git a/docs/.vitepress/config.mjs b/docs/.vitepress/config.mjs
index a4059df..55b2dd3 100644
--- a/docs/.vitepress/config.mjs
+++ b/docs/.vitepress/config.mjs
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ export default defineConfig({
         { text: 'Extending (New Service)', link: '/guide/extending-service' },
         { text: 'Service Logs', link: '/logs-feature' },
         { text: 'Plugin System', link: '/plugin-system' },
-        { text: 'Service Controls', link: '/service-controls-feature' }
+        { text: 'Service Controls', link: '/service-controls-feature' },
+        { text: 'Automated Release Notes', link: '/automated-release-notes' }
       ],
       '/cli/': [
         { text: 'Usage', link: '/cli/' },
diff --git a/docs/automated-release-notes.md b/docs/automated-release-notes.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..870d18a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/automated-release-notes.md
@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+# Automated Release Notes System
+
+This document explains how the automated release notes generation system works in the create-polyglot project and how contributors can help improve it.
+
+## Overview
+
+The create-polyglot project uses an automated system to generate comprehensive release notes when new versions are published. This system categorizes changes, generates structured notes, and helps maintain consistency across releases.
+
+## How It Works
+
+### 1. Triggering Release Notes Generation
+
+Release notes are automatically generated in the following scenarios:
+
+- **Automatic**: When a new GitHub release is created
+- **Manual**: By running the "Generate Release Notes" workflow manually
+- **Integrated**: As part of the npm publish workflow
+
+### 2. Categorization Logic
+
+The system analyzes commit messages and categorizes them into the following sections:
+
+#### 🚀 Features Added
+- Commits starting with `feat:` or `feat(scope):`
+- Commits containing words like "add", "implement"
+- New functionality for users
+
+#### 🐛 Bug Fixes  
+- Commits starting with `fix:` or `fix(scope):`
+- Commits containing words like "bug", "patch"
+- Fixes that resolve issues for users
+
+#### ⚠️ Breaking Changes
+- Commits starting with `feat!:` or `fix!:`
+- Commits containing the word "breaking"
+- Changes that break backward compatibility
+
+#### 📚 Documentation
+- Commits starting with `docs:` or `docs(scope):`
+- Commits containing "documentation", "readme"
+- Documentation-only changes
+
+#### 🔧 Internal/DevOps
+- Commits starting with `chore:`, `ci:`, `test:`, `refactor:`
+- Internal changes that don't affect users
+
+#### 📦 Dependencies
+- Commits starting with `deps:`
+- Commits containing "dependencies", "package", "bump"
+- Dependency updates
+
+#### 🎉 Other Changes
+- Any commits that don't fit the above categories
+
+### 3. Generated Content
+
+Each release note includes:
+
+- **Categorized change lists** with commit links and authors
+- **Contributors section** with all contributors for the release
+- **Installation instructions** for the new version
+- **Comparison links** to view all changes
+- **Placeholders** for manual additions (upgrade notes, known issues)
+
+## Contributing to Better Release Notes
+
+### For Contributors
+
+#### 1. Use Conventional Commit Messages
+
+Follow the [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) specification:
+
+```bash
+# Good examples
+feat: add Kong API gateway integration
+fix: resolve port collision in service detection  
+docs: update README with new CLI commands
+feat!: change default service structure (breaking)
+chore: update dependencies to latest versions
+
+# Less ideal
+Added gateway support
+Fixed bug
+Updated docs
+```
+
+#### 2. Use Descriptive Commit Messages
+
+- Write commit messages that explain **what** changed from a user's perspective
+- Include the scope when relevant: `feat(cli): add --kong flag`
+- Be specific: instead of "fix bug", write "fix port collision in service detection"
+
+#### 3. Fill Out PR Templates
+
+When creating pull requests:
+- Select the appropriate **Type of Change**
+- Mark whether it's a **User-facing change** or **Internal change only**
+- Provide **Breaking Changes & Migration** details if applicable
+- Write clear descriptions that will help with release notes
+
+#### 4. Tag Breaking Changes Properly
+
+For breaking changes:
+- Use `!` in the commit type: `feat!:` or `fix!:`
+- Include "BREAKING CHANGE:" in the commit body
+- Provide migration steps in the PR description
+
+### For Maintainers
+
+#### 1. Manual Release Notes Enhancement
+
+After automatic generation, maintainers can enhance the release notes by:
+
+- Adding upgrade notes and migration steps
+- Including known issues or caveats  
+- Highlighting particularly important changes
+- Adding usage examples for new features
+
+#### 2. Using Manual Workflow Dispatch
+
+To generate release notes for testing or drafts:
+
+1. Go to Actions → "Generate Release Notes"
+2. Click "Run workflow"
+3. Enter the tag name (e.g., `v1.17.0`)
+4. Optionally specify target branch
+5. Review the generated draft release
+
+#### 3. Customizing Templates
+
+The release notes template can be customized by editing:
+- `.github/release-notes-template.md` - Main template structure
+- `.github/workflows/release-notes.yml` - Categorization logic
+
+## System Architecture
+
+### Files Involved
+
+- `.github/release-notes-template.md` - Template for release notes structure
+- `.github/workflows/release-notes.yml` - Main release notes generation workflow  
+- `.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml` - Integration with npm publishing
+- `.github/pull_request_template.md` - Enhanced PR template for categorization
+
+### Workflow Process
+
+1. **Trigger**: Release created or manual dispatch
+2. **Analysis**: Analyze commits since last release
+3. **Categorization**: Sort commits by type using regex patterns
+4. **Generation**: Apply categorized content to template
+5. **Publishing**: Update release with generated notes
+6. **Artifacts**: Save generated notes as workflow artifacts
+
+## Customization Options
+
+### Adding New Categories
+
+To add a new category:
+
+1. Update the template in `.github/release-notes-template.md`
+2. Add categorization logic in `.github/workflows/release-notes.yml`
+3. Update the PR template if needed
+
+### Modifying Categorization Rules
+
+Edit the regex patterns in the workflow file:
+
+```bash
+# Example: Adding new patterns for API changes
+if [[ $lower_subject =~ ^api(\(.*\))?: ]] || [[ $lower_subject =~ api.change ]]; then
+  api_changes+=("- $subject ([${hash}](https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/commit/${hash})) by @${author}")
+fi
+```
+
+### Custom Template Variables
+
+Add new template variables by:
+
+1. Defining them in the template: `{custom_section}`
+2. Generating content in the workflow
+3. Replacing them in the generation step: `NOTES="${NOTES//\{custom_section\}/$CUSTOM_CONTENT}"`
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### For Contributors
+
+- **Be consistent** with commit message formats
+- **Think about users** when writing commit messages
+- **Use scopes** to provide context: `feat(cli):`, `fix(docker):`
+- **Document breaking changes** thoroughly
+
+### For Maintainers
+
+- **Review generated notes** before publishing
+- **Add context** that automated systems can't provide
+- **Update templates** based on feedback and project evolution
+- **Test the system** with manual dispatches before releases
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Common Issues
+
+1. **Missing commits in release notes**
+   - Check if commits follow conventional format
+   - Verify the previous tag detection logic
+   - Ensure commits are not merge commits (they're filtered out)
+
+2. **Incorrect categorization**
+   - Review the regex patterns in the workflow
+   - Consider updating commit message to be more specific
+   - Check for typos in commit prefixes
+
+3. **Workflow failures**
+   - Check GitHub Actions logs
+   - Verify template syntax
+   - Ensure proper permissions are set
+
+### Testing Changes
+
+To test changes to the release notes system:
+
+1. Create a test tag: `git tag v0.0.0-test`
+2. Push the tag: `git push origin v0.0.0-test`
+3. Manually run the workflow with the test tag
+4. Review generated output
+5. Delete test tag when done: `git tag -d v0.0.0-test && git push origin :refs/tags/v0.0.0-test`
+
+## Future Enhancements
+
+Potential improvements to consider:
+
+- **PR-based categorization**: Use PR labels instead of just commit messages
+- **Automated breaking change detection**: Analyze code changes for potential breaking changes
+- **Integration with issue tracking**: Link resolved issues in release notes
+- **Multi-language support**: Generate release notes in multiple languages
+- **Enhanced templates**: More sophisticated templating with conditionals
+
+## Support
+
+If you encounter issues with the automated release notes system:
+
+1. Check the [workflow runs](../../actions/workflows/release-notes.yml) for error details
+2. Review this documentation for best practices
+3. Open an issue with the `documentation` or `ci` label
+4. Contact maintainers in the repository discussions
+## Recent Updates
+
+- Added refactoring and performance section to release notes
+- Enhanced categorization for code quality improvements
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 4743335..490302b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "create-polyglot",
-  "version": "1.16.0",
+  "version": "1.17.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "create-polyglot",
-      "version": "1.16.0",
+      "version": "1.17.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "chalk": "^5.6.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5d47343..9f20131 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "create-polyglot",
-  "version": "1.16.0",
+  "version": "1.17.0",
   "description": "Scaffold polyglot microservice monorepos with built-in templates for Node, Python, Go, and more.",
   "main": "bin/index.js",
   "scripts": {