Ultimate Guide to Changelog: Why You Need It and How to Create One
In the fast-paced world of software development and product management, communication is key. One of the most powerful tools for keeping your users, team, and stakeholders informed is a changelog. Yet, many companies underestimate its importance or fail to maintain one consistently. This guide will walk you through why changelogs are essential, the problems you face without them, and how to create one effectively.
Why Operating Without a Changelog is Risky
Imagine launching a new product update. Your team knows about it, but your users are left in the dark. Support tickets flood in, users are confused about new features, and trust begins to erode. Operating without a changelog leads to several problems:
User Frustration: Users don’t know what changed, so they might struggle with new features or misunderstand bug fixes.
Inefficient Support: Your support team spends time answering questions that could have been solved with a clear update log.
Internal Confusion: Developers and product managers lose track of what has been deployed, creating chaos in planning and accountability.
Missed Opportunities for Engagement: Updates are chances to re-engage users and show product growth. Without a changelog, that opportunity is lost.
In short, a missing or poorly maintained changelog reduces transparency, diminishes trust, and hinders product adoption.
Why You Need a Changelog
A changelog is more than just a list of updates; it’s a bridge between your product and its users. Here’s why it matters:
Transparency: Users see exactly what has changed and why, fostering trust.
Efficiency: Your support and sales teams can reference changes quickly.
Product History: A well-maintained changelog acts as a historical record for your team.
Marketing Tool: Highlighting improvements can increase engagement and show the value of updates.
Simply put, a changelog keeps everyone on the same page and turns updates into opportunities rather than confusion.
Our users' cases with Changelog:
Set up a public roadmap, add a changelog to our web app, start collecting customer feedback to prioritize new features.
Improved the communication between doctors, point of sales and clients.
Enable visualization of response progress from GitHub issues and provide it to users.
and etc.
Create Branded Changelog
Make your Changelog instantly recognizable by customizing it to match your brand. Add your logo, favicon, name, theme, languages and even use a custom domain to deliver a seamless, professional experience for your customers.
Manage Changelog privacy
Keep your Changelog secure and transparent, with total control over who sees them.
Set the Access Level: Grant access to everyone, specific groups, or even users from designated email domains—it's your call.
Use Ducalis AI to write Changelog items
Say goodbye to manual changelog writing! Ducalis writes & publishes Changelog announcements from your backlog tasks descriptions in one click.
Use Labels
Use labels in a Changelog to categorize and filter entries, allowing users to easily find specific types of updates like "bug fixes," "new features," or "security updates".
Embed Widgets: Share Changelog In-App Feedback Seamlessly
Changelog widgets are in-app elements embedded directly into your user interface, allowing users to learn about newly released features.
Placed in easily accessible locations like the resource center, they let users discover updates when it’s most relevant—without leaving your product or website.
Try Ducalis.io widget and embed boards
Close the Feedback Loop Automatically
When it comes to feature requests and customer feedback, it’s essential to show users that you’re truly listening. With Ducalis.io, you can automatically notify every requester when a feature is shipped.
This simple yet powerful gesture closes the feedback loop, reinforces trust, and shows your customers that your company values their input and takes action based on it.
Get reactions and comments on Changelog
Allow your users to react to your product updates and leave comments—they help you understand whether your updates meet expectations and how you can improve them.
Our recommendation on Changelog writing
Experiment to find your way and voice that works for your audience and product. For inspiration, you can check out our changelog at https://feedback.ducalis.io/ducalis-roadmap/changelog.
Categorize Changes
Make updates easy to read by grouping them:
Added: New features or functionality.
Changed: Updates to existing features.
Fixed: Bug fixes.
Removed: Deprecated features.
Ducalis offers labels to filter and group changelog items.
Write Clear, Concise Descriptions
Avoid technical jargon unless your audience is technical. Each entry should explain what changed and why it matters.
Ducalis helps with this by allowing you to create your own template and use an AI assistant to write announcements based on it.
Include Dates
Every entry should include the release date. This helps users track changes chronologically and adds credibility.
Ducalis also lets you adjust this date if you need to set it earlier.
Keep It Consistent
Update your changelog with every release. Consistency is key to building trust and maintaining clarity.
Ducalis helps with this by automating the changelog using release webhooks and auto status update rules.
Make It Accessible
Your changelog should be easy to find—link it in your product, website, or app. Visibility ensures users benefit from it.
Ducalis allows you to embed the changelog into your product, giving users constant access to it.
Encourage Feedback
Invite users to comment or provide feedback on updates. This can give valuable insights for future releases.
Ducalis offers commenting and reaction options on new releases.
Add Visuals
Include screenshots or videos of new features to make updates more engaging and easier to understand. Add a screenshot to your post and share extra videos on social media for more reach.
Ducalis allows you to add images, gifs, videos etc.
Share Updates via Release Notes
Let users subscribe to product updates during onboarding. Reuse your changelog content in Ducalis Release Notes tool.
Ducalis automates release notes, letting you forget about writing them manually and ensuring you never forget to send them.
You can check more examples here → 20 Tips for Changelogs that Users Love to Read + Examples.
Subscribe to Ducalis updates on https://feedback.ducalis.io/ducalis-roadmap/changelog.
