Changelog Management Template for PMs

A changelog is a cumulative record of all changes across every release, organized chronologically. Release notes are a standalone document for a single release, often with more narrative context and marketing polish. Use the [Release Notes Template](/templates/release-notes-template) for individual releases and this template for the system that ties them all together.

Auto-generation works for internal engineering changelogs. It does not work for customer-facing changelogs because commit messages are written for developers, not users. Use auto-generation as a starting point, then rewrite entries in user-facing language before publishing externally.

Keep the full history available but make the last 6-12 months easily browsable. Older entries can be archived into yearly summaries. Developers integrating with your [API](/templates/api-reference-template) may need to trace changes back further, so keep the full archive searchable even if it is not prominently displayed.

Use a single changelog with tags or filters for platform (web, iOS, Android, API). Readers should be able to filter to their platform. Avoid separate changelogs per platform because cross-platform features would need to be documented in multiple places.

Track changelog page views, in-app widget open rates, email digest click-through rates, and "Did this answer your question?" ratings on individual entries. Compare support ticket volume for documented changes vs. undocumented changes. The [Product Analytics Handbook](/analytics-guide) covers how to set up these feedback loops. ---