release-notes-generator

name

release-notes-generator

description

Generates polished, user-facing release notes for product launches, version bumps, and feature announcements. Use this skill whenever a user says "write release notes", "draft an announcement for this release", "generate patch notes", "what should I tell users about this update?", or "write a product update email". Also activate when a user wants release copy for app store listings, blog posts, or in-app banners. This skill focuses on clear, benefit-oriented language for end users — not developer changelogs. Do NOT use for raw CHANGELOG.md entries (use changelog-writer) or internal dev docs.

Release Notes Generator

Create compelling, benefit-oriented release notes that tell users what changed and why it matters to them — not just what the engineering team did.

When to Use

• Shipping a new version and need app store or in-app release notes
• Writing a "what's new" section for a product update email or blog post
• Announcing a feature publicly after it was shipped
• Creating a release summary for customer-facing docs

When NOT to Use

• Internal changelogs for developers (use changelog-writer)
• API reference documentation
• Marketing copy for brand-new product launches (not version updates)

---

Workflow

Step 1 — Understand the Release

Collect:

1. What changed: Features added, bugs fixed, performance improvements, removed items
2. Version / release name (e.g., "v3.0", "Spring 2025 Update", "Hotfix 1.2.1")
3. Audience: Consumer app users, B2B customers, developers using your API?
4. Tone: Formal / friendly / playful / neutral
5. Channel: In-app dialog, email, app store listing, blog, social post

Step 2 — Translate to User Benefits

For each change, ask: "What does this mean for the user?"

Technical change	User benefit framing
Reduced dashboard load from 8s to 1.2s	Pages load up to 6× faster
Added TOTP 2FA	Keep your account safe with two-factor authentication
Deprecated mobile API v1	Improved reliability for the mobile app
Fixed null pointer in profile	Profile page no longer crashes when bio is empty

Drop or minimize chores and internal refactors unless they have visible impact.

Step 3 — Structure the Notes

Use a clear, scannable structure:

## What's New in [Version / Release Name]

### ✨ New Features
- **[Feature name]:** Short benefit description (1–2 sentences)

### 🐛 Bug Fixes
- Fixed [issue description] so that [user benefit]

### ⚡ Performance
- [Metric improvement] — e.g., "Reports export 3× faster"

### 🔒 Security
- [Plain-language security improvement]

### 📣 Coming Up
- [Optional teaser for next release]

Adapt headings and emoji to the brand tone. Remove empty sections.

Step 4 — Tailor to Channel

Channel	Adjustments
App store listing	≤500 chars, scannable bullets, no markdown
In-app dialog	≤200 words, conversational, highlight top 2–3 changes
Email	Subject line + intro sentence + bulleted list
Blog	Longer narrative with screenshots mentioned, SEO title
Social post	1–3 sentences, emoji OK, include version number

Step 5 — Present and Refine

Show the draft and ask:

• "Does the tone match your brand?"
• "Are there features or fixes I should highlight more?"
• "Do you need a shorter version for the app store?"

---

Output Format

Default: Markdown suitable for a "What's New" page or email body.

App Store Template (≤500 chars)

v[VERSION] — [Month Year]
• [Benefit 1]
• [Benefit 2]
• [Benefit 3]
Bug fixes and performance improvements.

In-App Dialog Template

## What's New 🎉
**[Top feature]** — [One sentence benefit].
Plus: [Feature 2], [Fix 1], and [X] more improvements.
[See full notes →]

---

Safety & Confirmation

• Never reveal security vulnerability details in release notes. Use: "Security improvements to protect your account."
• If a feature is still rolling out (e.g., A/B test), note: "rolling out to all users over the next [N] days."
• Confirm before finalizing any public-facing copy.