---
title: changelog init cli command
description: Initialize changelog configuration and folder structure for a repository. The command locates the docs folder using the following priority: A docs folder...
url: https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-builder/pull/2736/cli/changelog/init
products:
  - Elastic Docs Builder
---

# changelog init cli command
```bash
docs-builder changelog init [options]
```

Initialize changelog configuration and folder structure for a repository.
The command locates the docs folder using the following priority:
1. A `docs` folder containing `docset.yml` in the repository root or `docs/` directory.
2. A `docs` folder without `docset.yml`.
3. If no docs folder exists, creates `{path}/docs`.

The command creates a `changelog.yml` configuration file and `changelog` and `releases` subdirectories in the docs folder.
When the template is written for the first time, the command seeds `bundle.owner`, `bundle.repo`, and `bundle.link_allow_repos` from your `git` remote `origin` (when it points at `github.com`) and/or from `--owner` and `--repo`. CLI values override values inferred from `git`. If neither source provides enough information, the placeholder lines are removed from the template for manual editing.

## Options

<definitions>
  <definition term="--path string">
    Repository root. Defaults to cwd.
    **Constraints:** symbolic links not allowed, supports `~` home expansion
  </definition>
  <definition term="--changelog-dir string">
    Changelog entry directory. Defaults to docs/changelog.
    **Constraints:** symbolic links not allowed, supports `~` home expansion
  </definition>
  <definition term="--bundles-dir string">
    Bundle output directory. Defaults to docs/releases.
    **Constraints:** symbolic links not allowed, supports `~` home expansion
  </definition>
  <definition term="--owner string">
    GitHub owner for seeding bundle defaults. Overrides the value inferred from git remote origin.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--repo string">
    GitHub repository name for seeding bundle defaults. Overrides the value inferred from git remote origin.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-l --log-level enum">
    Minimum log level.
    **Values:** trace, debug, information, warning, error, critical, none
    **Default:** `information`
  </definition>
  <definition term="-c --config-source enum">
    Override the configuration source: local, remote
    **Values:** local, remote, embedded
  </definition>
  <definition term="--[no-]skip-private-repositories">
    Skip cloning private repositories
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Examples

```sh
# Standard initialization
docs-builder changelog init

# From a subdirectory, specifying the repo root
docs-builder changelog init --path /path/to/my-repo

# Custom changelog and bundles directories
docs-builder changelog init \
  --changelog-dir ./my-changelogs \
  --bundles-dir ./my-releases

# Explicitly set GitHub owner and repo (useful in CI without git)
docs-builder changelog init --owner elastic --repo kibana
```