About Keep a Changelog
Keep a Changelog is an open source guide that explains how to write a changelog people can actually read. It sets out a simple file layout and a fixed set of change types.
What it does
The guide suggests a CHANGELOG file at the top of a project, with an Unreleased section for upcoming work and a section for each version, newest first. Changes are grouped under headings such as Added, Changed, Fixed and Removed. The guide argues against dumping git logs into the file, because a log is written for machines rather than readers.
Key features
- Unreleased section for upcoming changes
- Version sections with dates
- Standard change types such as Added and Fixed
- Translations in many languages
- Links to Semantic Versioning
Who it's for
Keep a Changelog suits maintainers of open source libraries and any team that ships versioned software. Anyone who writes release notes can use it as a template, even if the project uses a different tool.
Pricing and good to know
The guide is open source under the MIT license and free to use. It is a set of conventions rather than software, so there is nothing to install. The site is available in many languages, and the format pairs well with Semantic Versioning.
Highlights
- Unreleased section for upcoming changes
- Version sections with dates, newest first
- Standard change types such as Added and Fixed
- Translations available in many languages
- Pairs with Semantic Versioning
