GitHub Release Notes Template

GitHub Release Notes Template

GitHub Releases have their own conventions that differ slightly from a traditional CHANGELOG.md. The release notes appear on the repository's Releases page and can include Markdown formatting, @mentions, and auto-generated content.

Template Structure

# v2.1.0 "Nebula"

_Released: February 28, 2026_

## Highlights

This release adds real-time collaboration support, a new plugin
system, and significant performance improvements to the rendering
engine.

### BREAKING CHANGES

> The `config.plugins` array now uses object format instead of
> string names. See migration guide below.

## What's New

### Added
- Real-time collaboration with conflict resolution (#234)
- Plugin system with lifecycle hooks (#256)
- Dark mode support for all components (#267)

### Changed
- Rendering engine rewritten for 3x performance (#245)
- Minimum Node.js version bumped to 20 (#250)

### Fixed
- Fix memory leak in WebSocket connections (#238)
- Correct RTL text rendering in tables (#241)

## Migration Guide

For the plugin format change, update your config:

```js
// Before
plugins: ["analytics", "seo"]

// After
plugins: [
  { name: "analytics", options: {} },
  { name: "seo", options: {} }
]

Contributors

Thanks to all contributors who made this release possible!

@alice @bob @charlie @diana

Full Changelog: https://github.com/org/repo/compare/v2.0.0...v2.1.0

### GitHub-Specific Features

- **Auto-generated notes**: GitHub can auto-generate notes from merged PRs
- **@mentions**: Tag contributors directly (they get notified)
- **Compare link**: Always include a full changelog diff link
- **Assets**: Attach binary files, installers, or archives
- **Pre-release flag**: Mark alpha/beta/RC releases accordingly

### Tips

- Use H1 for the version (it becomes the release title)
- Include a "Highlights" section at the top for quick scanning
- Link to related discussions or RFCs for major features
- Add installation/upgrade commands for convenience