What GitHub Releases is changing
GitHub Releases, which has been a core part of the platform since 2013, is getting a public beta refresh. Maintainers have consistently told GitHub that release notes are the most time-consuming part of the release process, and the company is responding with two headline changes: auto-generated release notes and a redesigned Releases UI.
Automatically generated release notes
The new auto-generation feature, available today in public beta on all repositories on GitHub.com, scans the pull requests included in a release and builds a summary from them. The generated notes also recognize first-time contributors to the project.
For teams automating releases with GitHub Actions, an API is available to integrate Automated Release Notes directly into existing workflows.
Documentation for getting started with the feature is published in the GitHub Docs guide Automatically generated release notes.
Refresh of the Releases interface
The Releases UI has also been updated to surface more detail about what each release contains, with a focus on visibility for contributors. The interface now prominently displays profile pictures of contributors. Users on GitHub.com can react to releases with emoji, and a sponsor button is available for projects users want to support.
The new UI is optional for now. To activate it, repository owners need to enable it through the Feature Preview settings.
Incremental improvements leading up to the beta
Several smaller Releases changes shipping over the past months laid the groundwork for this beta:
- Updated tag selector for GitHub Releases
- The GitHub Releases Markdown Editor now has an editor toolbar
- React to any GitHub release to show your support!
- Releases support comments and reactions with Discussion linking
- Tags no longer show in the Release list view
- Videos in releases are now playable
Feedback on the beta can be shared in the GitHub Feedback discussions.
