diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bede29c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/init.sh
diff --git a/generate_changelog.py b/generate_changelog.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..17fc9eb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generate_changelog.py
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import git
+import argparse
+import json
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+
+def get_tags(repo, branch_name):
+    """Returns sorted tags by date, filtered by branch name."""
+    tags = [tag for tag in repo.tags if tag.name.startswith(branch_name)]
+    # Sort tags in reverse chronological order based on the tag commit's date.
+    tags = sorted(tags, key=lambda t: t.commit.committed_datetime, reverse=True)
+    return tags
+
+
+def get_commits_between(repo, start_commit, end_commit):
+    """Get commit objects between two commits (excluding merges)."""
+    commits = list(repo.iter_commits(f"{start_commit}..{end_commit}", no_merges=True))
+    return commits
+
+
+def format_tag(tag, branch_name):
+    """Formats the tag as 'branch-YYYYMMDD-shortsha'."""
+    commit_date = datetime.fromtimestamp(
+        tag.commit.committed_date, timezone.utc
+    ).strftime("%Y%m%d")
+    commit_hash = tag.commit.hexsha[:7]  # Short commit hash
+    return f"{branch_name}-{commit_date}-{commit_hash}"
+
+
+def generate_changelog(repo_path, changelog_path, branch_name):
+    repo = git.Repo(repo_path)
+    tags = get_tags(repo, branch_name)
+    changelog_data = []
+
+    if not tags:
+        # No tags exist: output an "Initial Release" entry covering the entire history.
+        start_commit = repo.commit(repo.git.rev_list("--max-parents=0", "HEAD"))
+        commits = get_commits_between(repo, start_commit.hexsha, "HEAD")
+        date_str = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+        release_entry = {"tag": "Initial Release", "date": date_str, "commits": []}
+        for commit in commits:
+            commit_entry = {
+                "sha": commit.hexsha[:7],
+                "message": commit.message.strip(),
+                "author": commit.author.name,
+                "date": commit.committed_datetime.astimezone(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+            }
+            release_entry["commits"].append(commit_entry)
+        changelog_data.append(release_entry)
+    else:
+        # Process each pair of tags (newer tag and the one immediately older).
+        for i in range(len(tags) - 1):
+            newer_tag = tags[i]
+            older_tag = tags[i + 1]
+            commits = get_commits_between(
+                repo, older_tag.commit.hexsha, newer_tag.commit.hexsha
+            )
+            if not commits:
+                continue
+            date_str = newer_tag.commit.committed_datetime.astimezone(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+            formatted_tag = format_tag(newer_tag, branch_name)
+            release_entry = {"tag": formatted_tag, "date": date_str, "commits": []}
+            for commit in commits:
+                commit_entry = {
+                    "sha": commit.hexsha[:7],
+                    "message": commit.message.strip(),
+                    "author": commit.author.name,
+                    "date": commit.committed_datetime.astimezone(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+                }
+                release_entry["commits"].append(commit_entry)
+            changelog_data.append(release_entry)
+
+        # If HEAD is ahead of the most recent tag, add a changelog entry for commits from the latest tag to HEAD.
+        head_commit = repo.head.commit
+        if head_commit.hexsha != tags[0].commit.hexsha:
+            commits = get_commits_between(
+                repo, tags[0].commit.hexsha, head_commit.hexsha
+            )
+            if commits:
+                date_str = head_commit.committed_datetime.astimezone(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+                # Generate a tag for HEAD using its commit info.
+                formatted_tag = f"{branch_name}-{head_commit.committed_datetime.strftime('%Y%m%d')}-{head_commit.hexsha[:7]}"
+                release_entry = {"tag": formatted_tag, "date": date_str, "commits": []}
+                for commit in commits:
+                    commit_entry = {
+                        "sha": commit.hexsha[:7],
+                        "message": commit.message.strip(),
+                        "author": commit.author.name,
+                        "date": commit.committed_datetime.astimezone(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+                    }
+                    release_entry["commits"].append(commit_entry)
+                # Insert this entry at the beginning since it is the most recent.
+                changelog_data.insert(0, release_entry)
+
+    # Write the changelog data as a JSON file.
+    with open(changelog_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        json.dump(changelog_data, f, indent=4)
+
+    # print(json.dumps(changelog_data))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Generate a changelog from git history and output JSON."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--repo_path", "-p", type=str, help="Path to the git repository", default="."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--changelog_path",
+        "-f",
+        type=str,
+        default="./CHANGELOG.json",
+        help="Path to the output JSON file (default: ./CHANGELOG.json)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--branch_name",
+        "-b",
+        type=str,
+        default="master",
+        help="Branch name to filter tags (default: master)",
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    generate_changelog(args.repo_path, args.changelog_path, args.branch_name)