Release Notes vs Changelog
Understand the difference between a project changelog and version release notes.
The Changelog
A changelog is typically a single file (CHANGELOG.md) at the root of a repository. It serves as a historical, chronological ledger of every change made across every version of the software.
Release Notes
Release notes are individual documents or pages published for a specific version release (e.g., a GitHub Release page or a blog post). They are often curated, highlighting key features and providing migration instructions for users.
Audience
Changelogs are often highly technical and generated directly from commit messages for developers. Release notes are often edited for humans, stakeholders, and end-users to explain the value of the update.