new_contents: #!/usr/bin/env python
  
  import re
  import os
  from distutils.version import StrictVersion
  import uuid
  
  os.system("git checkout master")
  os.system("git pull")
  
  # get the initial version number
  node_file = open(os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/../package.json', "r")
  package_json_contents = node_file.readlines()
  node_file.close()
  
  for index, line in enumerate(package_json_contents):
      version_match = re.search('"version": "([0-9\.]*)"', line)
      if (version_match != None):
          version_line = index
          current_version = version_match.group(1)
          break
  
  # get the new version number
  new_version = raw_input("The current version is " + current_version + ". What should the new version number be? ")
  
  if (StrictVersion(current_version) >= StrictVersion(new_version)):
      print "Cannot release with same or lower version number than the current one! Terminating."
      exit()
  
  # get the changelog
  print "Please enter a numbered list of changes below. Enter a blank line when finished."
  change_lines = []
  while True:
      line = raw_input()
      if line:
          change_lines.append(line)
      else:
          break
  
  if (len(change_lines) < 1):
      print "A list of changes is required! Terminating."
      exit()
  
  # warn user if list of changes will be edited
  if '"' in ''.join(change_lines):
      should_continue = raw_input("Double-quotes will be removed from the change list commit. Continue? [Y/n] ")
      if (should_continue and should_continue[0].lower() == 'n'):
          exit()
  
  # create a new branch
  branch_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4().get_hex().upper()[0:4])
  release_branch_name = "release_branch_" + new_version.replace('.', '_') + '_' + branch_uuid
  os.system("git checkout -b " + release_branch_name)
  
  # update package.json with the new version number
  package_json_contents[version_line] = package_json_contents[version_line].replace(current_version, new_version)
  node_file = open(os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/../package.json', "w")
  package_json_contents = "".join(package_json_contents)
  node_file.write(package_json_contents)
  node_file.close()
  
  # update CHANGELOG.md with the changelog
  changelog = open(os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/../CHANGELOG.md', "r")
  changelog_contents = changelog.readlines()
  changelog.close()
  new_changelog_contents = ['### Version ' + new_version + '\n'] + ['\n'.join(change_lines), '\n\n'] + changelog_contents
  changelog = open(os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/../CHANGELOG.md', "w")
  new_changelog_contents = "".join(new_changelog_contents)
  changelog.write(new_changelog_contents)
  changelog.close()
  
  # commit the branch and push it
  formatted_change_list = '\n'.join(change_lines).replace('"','')
  
  os.system('git commit -am "chore(release): v ' + new_version + '\n' + formatted_change_list + '"')
  os.system('git push origin ' + release_branch_name)
  
subject: add a script to automatically generate release branches