If you’ve ever launched or managed a product, then you know how important it is to keep your audience informed of all the updates you bring to it. But what is the best way to showcase them? The answer is creating a changelog.
I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to keep our users informed and engaged with our product’s evolution. Creating a changelog was a strategic move to ensure transparency and build trust with our audience. By documenting every update, from minor bug fixes to major new features, we provide a clear and accessible record that helps users understand the ongoing improvements and their benefits.
This way, we enhance user experience and strengthen our relationship with our customers by showing our commitment to continuous improvement and open communication.
In this article, we will go over the difference between changelogs and release notes, as well as how we created the changelog at Textmagic and some examples to follow from other tech companies. Let’s begin.
What is a changelog?
A changelog is a record of all notable changes made to a product. It usually includes details about new or deprecated features, improvements, bug fixes, and other relevant modifications.
The main purpose of a changelog is to help users, developers, and stakeholders understand what has been updated between different releases. A typical changelog entry contains:
- A detailed list of changes
- The release date of the version
- The version number of the release
There are several benefits to maintaining a changelog:
Changelog vs release notes
Understanding the key distinctions between changelogs and release notes is essential when you want to provide users with concise and transparent updates. The two differ in terms of purpose and audience.
On one hand, changelogs serve as a comprehensive historical record, documenting and grouping every update in various relevant categories, such as:
- Fixed
- Added
- Change
- Security
- Removed
- Deprecated
On the other hand, release notes focus on the highlights of a specific release, emphasizing the most important changes and new features. They are more curated and less detailed than changelogs in order to reach a broader general audience, which includes non-technical users.
Image source: slack.com
Conversely, changelogs provide in-depth technical details that are useful for developers who need to understand the specifics of each change, as well as power users who have a deeper understanding of the product. However, these two types of changelogs have a few differences between them dictated by their specific audience:
Creating a changelog at Textmagic
The idea to create the Textmagic changelog was born when we identified a need among our customers to stay updated on improvements, bug fixes, and other relevant changes. That was when we realized just how important transparency was to our audience.
The changelog development process began with design. We created several options and chose the most user-friendly one, then integrated it into a dedicated section on our website for easy access. In this case, it was very clear to us that the changelog should be in the Help Center—the section that helps users learn about our product.
During the implementation, we faced challenges such as ensuring consistency in our entries and balancing technical details with user-friendly language. We overcame these by establishing clear guidelines and involving both technical and non-technical team members in the process.
According to Anna Stanulevich, Product Manager at Textmagic:
“The project’s growth was the main driving force behind the creation of the Textmagic changelog. We are constantly improving and adding new features to the core product, so we decided that this was the best way to keep our current and future users informed about the latest updates. My favorite part of creating changelog updates is creating the images. I like to collect interface pieces into one whole picture that reflects the update: some parts need to be highlighted, others hidden so as not to attract attention. It’s like collecting a puzzle.”
The changelog has significantly benefited Textmagic and its users by fostering transparency and improving communication with our audience. Users can now easily track changes, understand the benefits of new features, and stay informed, which led to more engaged and satisfied customers.
Best practices for effective changelogs
Keeping a few best practices in mind can work wonders for your changelog creation process. We’ve listed some points to follow below that will help you maintain consistency and provide valuable context for every update.
- Clear and concise language: Ensure the language is straightforward and easy to understand, avoiding unnecessary complications.
- Consistent formatting and structure: Keep a uniform format and structure to help users easily navigate and comprehend the changelog.
- Regular updates and maintenance: Publish updates consistently to keep the changelog current and informative.
- Context and categories for changes: Explain why changes were made and organize them into categories like new features, bug fixes, and improvements.
- Links to relevant resources: Include links to documentation, tutorials, or other resources that will help users understand and leverage the changes.
Creating an effective changelog is thus crucial for clear communication with your users. The template below offers a simple format that you can follow to ensure all your product and project updates are well-documented, adequately categorized, and easy to understand.
[Version number] – YYYY-MM-DD
New features
- [Feature name]: Description of the new feature and its benefits.
- Example: A practical example or use case, if applicable.
Improvements
- [Improvement name]: Description of the improvement and its benefits.
- Example: A practical example or use case, if applicable.
Bug fixes
- [Bug fix name]: Description of the bug and the fix applied.
- Impact: Explanation of the impact of this fix on the users.
Deprecated
- [Deprecated feature name]: Description of the feature being deprecated.
- Timeline: When the feature will be removed.
- Alternative: Suggested alternatives or upgrades.
Removed
- [Removed feature name]: Description of the feature that has been removed.
- Reason: Explanation of why it was removed.
Security
- [Security update name]: Description of the security issue addressed.
- Impact: Explanation of the impact of this security update on the users.
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Top changelog examples from tech companies
Many leading tech companies across several industries communicate updates efficiently through their changelogs. In the sections below, we’ve listed the top 10 changelog examples and what makes them stand out.
1. GitHub
Image source: github.blog
One successful changelog example is GitHub, known for its detailed and informative entries. Each change is meticulously documented, often including links to further resources. This approach ensures that developers have a clear understanding of every update and its implications.
2. Intercom
Image source: developers.intercom.com
Intercom balances technical detail with general readability, making their changelogs accessible to both technical and non-technical users. Each update is clearly explained, often with examples and visual aids to enhance understanding.
3. HubSpot
Image source: developers.hubspot.com
HubSpot features a unique navigation box that segregates updates into Announced and Upcoming, allowing users to access specific updates easily. This structure helps users quickly find the most relevant changes.
4. Gorgias
Image source: developers.gorgias.com
Gorgias provides a well-structured changelog that clearly categorizes updates into improvements, removed features, and so on. Each entry includes concise descriptions that focus on the practical impact of changes, helping users quickly understand the benefits.
5. Chargify
Image source: developers.maxio.com
Chargify categorizes information systematically and includes an in-app release announcement system for brief updates. This ensures users are always aware of the latest changes without needing to leave the interface.
6. Nextcloud
Image source: nextcloud.com
Nextcloud’s changelog is well-organized, providing a clear structure that categorizes versions and allows for quick navigation to every release. This makes it easy for users to find relevant information quickly.
7. Shopify
Image source: changelog.shopify.com
Shopify’s changelog features a visually appealing design with filters that allow users to sort updates by category. This user-friendly approach ensures that everyone accessing it can quickly find the updates most relevant to them.
8. Jenkins
Image source: jenkins.io
Jenkins provides an elementary but effective changelog that is primarily aimed at developers. The entries are straightforward and focus on technical details that developers need to understand the changes and their impact.
9. Facebook Meta for Developers
Image source: developers.facebook.com
Facebook Meta for Developers offers a detailed changelog that caters to developers, thoroughly explaining new features, improvements, and fixes. Each entry is designed to help dev teams integrate changes smoothly.
10. Notion
Image source: developers.notion.com
Notion is a well-organized and user-friendly changelog example. It highlights new features, improvements, and bug fixes, often including visual aids and practical examples to help users understand how updates enhance their experience.
Tooling for creating changelogs
Creating and managing changelogs can be done using specialized tools or in-house methods, each with its own benefits and challenges. Here’s an overview of both approaches.
Specialized tools
Specialized tools are often easier to use and have features that are specifically designed for changelog management. They can save time and reduce errors by providing templates and automation.
However, these tools may also involve additional costs, require integration with your existing systems, and have a steep learning curve for new users. Here are the most popular options on the market:
- ReleaseNotes.io: Simplifies the process of creating and managing changelogs, offering an intuitive interface and easy integration with various platforms. It’s ideal for teams looking to streamline their changelog process.
- Keep a Changelog: Provides a standardized format for changelogs, promoting consistency and readability. It helps ensure that all necessary information is included in a clear and structured manner.
- ChangeLog.md: A Markdown-based tool tailored for developers. It allows for easy creation and formatting of changelogs, integrating seamlessly with version control systems and developer workflows.
In-house methods
Deploying your changelog in-house gives you complete control over its design and functionality. If you use pre-existing tools, this comes at no additional cost. There are two ways to approach it.
The first one entails using your website builder to create a dedicated changelog section on your website. This method allows for complete customization and integration with your existing site design and user experience.
The second involves integrating updates directly into your content management system (CMS). This can simplify the process of maintaining your changelog as part of your regular content management workflow.
Still, you should bear in mind that these in-house methods will require more initial setup, which can be very time-consuming in the beginning. What is more, you will not benefit from the advanced automation features that specialized tools offer either.
Conclusion
Creating and maintaining a changelog is the most efficient way to enhance transparency, foster communication, and build trust among your users. By keeping to a few best practices and following top changelog examples in your industry, you can ensure that your audience is informed about important updates, improvements, and bug fixes.
Through changelogs, companies can demonstrate that they’re committed not only to putting out great products but also to transparency and customer satisfaction. This is why we encourage everyone to create one—it’s the key to a more successful and efficient operation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Start by listing updates in reverse chronological order. Group changes under clear headings like “Added,” “Fixed,” or “Improved,” and keep descriptions brief, clear, and user-focused.
A typical changelog is a dated list of product updates organized by version or release. It includes short, categorized entries to help users quickly understand what’s new or changed.
A changelog should include the release date, version number, and a summary of updates such as new features, bug fixes, improvements, or deprecated items, written in plain language.
A release note is a short announcement of a specific update that’s often used in marketing or customer emails. A changelog is a complete record of all product changes intended for ongoing user reference.
A changelog keeps users informed about what’s changed in your product. It builds transparency, reduces support questions, and helps customers take full advantage of new features or fixes.
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