Add New Release

Summary: Changeloger’s “Add New Release” guides you through documenting updates for your products, using the Release Builder for structured version management. Add releases, change items, and track status, ensuring users stay updated and your changelog is organized and clear.

Adding a new release in Changeloger enables you to efficiently document the latest updates for your products, ensuring users are always informed of new features, bug fixes, and other changes. The “Add New Release” workflow leverages the Release Builder interface, giving you a structured and visual way to manage product versions and their changelogs. This section guides you through each step required to successfully add and organize new releases for one or more products.

Accessing the Release Builder

To add a new release, begin by accessing the Release Builder, which acts as the central hub for all your product version management tasks.

• In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Changeloger ’ Releases.
• If you have multiple products, select the relevant product from the product sidebar.
• If you have not created any products yet, use the Add Product option to define the product first before releasing versions for it.

Initiating a New Release

Once inside the Release Builder with your product selected, you can begin adding a new release that will contain all of the update notes for a particular version.

• Click the Add New button visible in the release manager toolbar.
• This action opens a new release entry form, guiding you to enter the necessary version information and changelog entries.

Release Details: Required Fields

For effective tracking and clarity, fill out the following core fields when adding a new release:

• Version: Specify the version number, such as 1.0.0 or 2.3.4. The system accepts standard semantic versioning formats.
• Release Date: Assign the exact release date to document when this version became available to users. Use the date picker or manually enter the date in the required format (e.g., 2024-07-01).
• Status: Choose between Published (visible to users) and Draft (hidden while you work). Draft releases allow you to prepare changelogs in advance.

Adding Change Items to a Release

Each release is built from individual change items that detail enhancements, bug fixes, and other modifications. Change items are structured for accurate categorization and improved readability by your users.

• Click Add Item to create a new changelog entry within the release.
• For each change item, select a Type and input a Description:

• Feature: Additions of new functionalities.
• Fix: Resolutions for bugs and errors.
• Improvement: Enhancements and optimizations to features or interfaces.
• Tweaked: Smaller modifications or slight behavioral adjustments.
• Deprecated: Features scheduled for removal in future updates.
• Security: Security-related patches and improvements.
• Removed: Functionality or features permanently eliminated in this release.

Repeat this process to add all relevant change items for the current release. These items will be grouped and displayed according to their type in the public changelog.

Saving and Publishing Your Release

After thoroughly filling out your release form and entering all change items, it is crucial to save your work:

• Click Save to preserve your data. Saving as a draft allows for future edits before making the release live.
• When ready to publish, ensure the Status is set to Published and click Save again to confirm. The release will now appear on your changelog page, provided the corresponding product is displayed using the Release Hub block or the Changeloger block.

Editing or Managing Past Releases

Changeloger allows you to revisit and update any of your releases:

• Select the product in the sidebar to view all associated releases.
• Hover over the version you wish to edit, then click the edit icon to update its details, change items, or status.
• You can also delete a release if it is no longer relevant. Exercise caution, as deletion is permanent.

Best Practices for Adding Releases

• Use consistent version numbering to maintain clarity and traceability.
• Always categorize your change items for better user navigation and filtering.
• Utilize Draft mode for prepping major releases before public availability.
• Review change descriptions for accuracy and completeness before publishing.
• Leverage the Import Changelog function when migrating existing changelogs—this can automatically parse and populate multiple releases at once, saving time.

Summary

The “Add New Release” functionality in Changeloger streamlines changelog management for WordPress product developers and site owners. Using the Release Builder, you can document product updates, organize change items by type, and manage the public visibility of software changes across multiple versions. Following the above steps ensures your users stay informed and your release process remains organized, scalable, and consistent.