Writing Release Notes Users Actually Read

Release notes often fail because they describe work completed instead of value delivered. Users do not need a changelog of internal tasks. They need to know what changed, why it matters, and whether they need to do anything.

Lead with impact#

A good release note starts with the outcome.

Instead of:

Added support for nested docs folders.

Write:

Docs can now be grouped into nested sections, making larger documentation sites easier to scan and maintain.

The second version explains the benefit.

Group changes by reader need#

Common sections include:

• Added
• Changed
• Fixed
• Deprecated
• Migration notes

For product-facing release notes, it can be better to group by workflow instead of engineering category.

Include migration details#

If a change affects existing users, say exactly what they need to do.

Move `getting-started.mdx` to `getting-started/index.mdx` before adding child pages under the same section.

Keep a stable archive#

Release notes become part of the product memory. They help support teams, sales teams, and future engineers understand when and why behavior changed.