Use python-semantic-release

[MaxGhenis]

https://python-semantic-release.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html

Suggestion at the bottom of how to emulate some of the yaml-changelog functionality: https://claude.ai/share/7f7999a0-4220-489a-a414-9d7b7b0a51ab

[nikhilwoodruff]

Seems like a complex move and the yaml changelog currently works. Is there a good reason to spend time on this?

[MaxGhenis]

Converted to a discussion over whether migrating to an established approach is worthwhile.

[anth-volk]

A couple benefits I've found digging through the package:

• More established, as you've indicated
• Potentially a bit less fragile, especially in the long run?

And a couple drawbacks:

• We'd likely have to migrate to using poetry for packaging over setuptools_whatever, which probably isn't a big deal, but could require some adjustment
• python-semantic-release versions based on commit, not on PR/push, and does so by parsing each commit (described here). Thus, we'd probably have to enforce specific commit message structuring, which could add some friction to the process, even for established contributors.