1. GitHub Release Notes Template
Uses GitHub-flavoured Markdown. Paste into the Release body when creating a new tag.
GitHub Release — Keep a Changelog format
## [VERSION] — YYYY-MM-DD
### ⚡ Breaking Changes
- [Describe breaking change and migration path]
### Added
- [New feature — describe the user benefit]
- [New feature — describe the user benefit]
### Fixed
- [Bug fix — be specific about what was broken and for whom]
- [Bug fix — be specific about what was broken and for whom]
### Changed
- [What changed and why]
### Performance
- [Improvement — include a number if possible, e.g. "40% faster"]
### Security
- [Security fix — describe without giving exploit details]
**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/compare/vPREVIOUS...vVERSION
2. App Store Release Notes Template (iOS/macOS)
Plain text, under 4,000 characters. No Markdown — it renders as symbols in the App Store.
Apple App Store — What's New
What's New in Version [VERSION]
[Lead with the single most important new feature or change — 1-2 sentences in plain language.]
[Second feature or significant fix — 1-2 sentences. Focus on user benefit, not technical detail.]
[If there are bug fixes, group them here: "We also fixed [specific issue] and [specific issue]."]
[Optional: thank users or invite feedback. "Thanks for the feedback — keep it coming."]
[If there's a breaking change or action required: "Note: [what users need to do]. See [link] for details."]
3. Google Play Release Notes Template
500 characters maximum. One paragraph, most important change first.
Google Play — What's New (500 char limit)
[Primary new feature in one sentence.] [Second feature or fix.] [Optional: bug fixes grouped.] Update for the best experience.
4. Slack Release Announcement Template
Concise, scannable, emoji-forward. Works in #engineering, #product, or #announcements channels.
Slack — release announcement
🚀 *[Product Name] v[VERSION] just shipped*
What's new:
• ✨ [Feature 1 — one line]
• ✨ [Feature 2 — one line]
• 🐛 Fixed: [specific bug — one line]
• ⚡ [Performance improvement + number]
⚠️ *Breaking change:* [what changed and what teams need to do]
Full release notes: [link]
5. Email Newsletter Release Notes Template
Email — release announcement
Subject: We just shipped [Feature Name] — here's what's new in v[VERSION]
Hi [First Name],
[One-sentence summary of the biggest change and why it matters to the reader.]
**[Feature headline]**
[2-3 sentences describing the feature and the user benefit. Include a screenshot or GIF if possible.]
**Also in this release:**
- [Fix or smaller feature — one line]
- [Fix or smaller feature — one line]
- [Fix or smaller feature — one line]
[CTA button: "See what's new" → link to release notes or changelog]
[Optional: "Have feedback? Reply to this email."]
6. Jira / Linear Release Notes Template
Jira / Linear — release summary
Release: [VERSION] — [DATE]
Squad: [Team name]
Deploy: [Environment] — [Deployment time]
New features:
- [JIRA-123] [Feature description] — Owner: @name
- [JIRA-456] [Feature description] — Owner: @name
Bug fixes:
- [JIRA-789] [Bug fix] — Reported by: [customer/team]
Breaking changes:
- [JIRA-000] [Change] — Action required: [what teams need to do]
Rollback plan: [link or description]
Monitoring dashboard: [link]
7. LinkedIn Post Template
LinkedIn — product update post
We just shipped [feature/version] at [Company]. Here's what changed:
[2-3 sentences describing the most impactful feature and why you built it. Be human — explain the problem it solves.]
What's new in v[VERSION]:
→ [Feature 1]
→ [Feature 2]
→ [Fix or improvement]
[Optional: a stat or user quote that validates the need for this feature.]
Try it at [URL] — free to [start/use/try].
#buildinpublic #saas #[relevanttag]
8. Twitter / X Thread Template
Twitter/X — release thread (tweet 1 of N)
Tweet 1 (hook):
We just shipped [feature] in [Product] v[VERSION]. Here's what changed 🧵
Tweet 2 (biggest feature):
✨ [Feature name]: [One sentence description. What can users do now that they couldn't before?]
[Optional: image or GIF]
Tweet 3 (fix or second feature):
🐛 Fixed: [specific issue]. If you were affected by [problem], this one's for you.
Tweet 4 (CTA):
Everything above is completely free at [URL]. No [account/card/install] needed.
RT if this is useful 🙏
9. Keep a Changelog (CHANGELOG.md) Template
CHANGELOG.md — full file template
# Changelog
All notable changes to [Project Name] are documented in this file.
The format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
Versioning follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
## [Unreleased]
### Added
- [In-progress feature]
## [VERSION] — YYYY-MM-DD
### Added
### Changed
### Deprecated
### Removed
### Fixed
### Security
10. Notion / Internal Wiki Template
Notion — release page
🚀 Release: v[VERSION]
📅 Date: [DATE]
👤 Author: [NAME]
🔗 GitHub Release: [LINK]
## Summary
[1-2 sentence overview of what this release includes and why it matters]
## What's New
[Feature 1] — [description]
[Feature 2] — [description]
## Bug Fixes
[Fix 1] — [description + who reported it]
## Breaking Changes & Migration
[If applicable: what changed, who is affected, migration steps]
## Metrics to Watch
- [Metric name]: [current baseline]
- [Metric name]: [current baseline]
Skip the copy-paste: Instead of filling these templates manually, paste your git commits into ChangelogAI and generate the right template for any platform automatically — in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these templates for free?
Yes — all templates on this page are free to copy and use. No attribution required. If you want AI to fill them from your actual commits, try ChangelogAI free at the link above.
Which release note format should I use for GitHub?
Use the GitHub Release Notes format — GitHub-flavoured Markdown with ## section headers. It renders cleanly in the Releases tab and supports inline code, links, and task lists.
How do I write release notes for the App Store?
Plain text only — no Markdown. Apple's character limit is 4,000 characters. Lead with the most important feature, write in second person, and group bug fixes at the end. See our full App Store guide: /app-store-release-notes-generator/
What's the difference between a CHANGELOG.md and release notes?
CHANGELOG.md is the persistent historical record in your repository. Release notes are the communication you publish with each release. See our full explanation: /changelog-vs-release-notes/
Do I need to write release notes for every release?
Yes — for every user-facing release. Even patch releases should explain what was fixed. A user experiencing the bug you fixed deserves to know it's resolved.
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