Changelog vs. Release Notes vs. What's New Page — What's the Difference?

Changelog, release notes, what's new page — aren't these all the same thing? Not quite. While they overlap, each serves a slightly different purpose and audience.

Changelog

A changelog is a chronological record of all notable changes to a product. It's typically comprehensive and ongoing.

Best for: Developers, power users, and anyone who wants a complete history of changes.

Format: Reverse-chronological list, often categorized (Added, Changed, Fixed, Removed).

Example: GitHub repository changelogs, CHANGELOG.md files.

Release Notes

Release notes accompany a specific version release. They're more curated and user-friendly than a changelog.

Best for: General users who want to know what changed in this particular update.

Format: Grouped by theme or feature area, often with screenshots and context.

Example: Apple's iOS update notes, Notion's release announcements.

What's New Page

A what's new page is a marketing-friendly, always-visible page that highlights recent improvements.

Best for: Prospects evaluating your product, casual users who check in periodically.

Format: Polished, often with visuals, focused on the most impactful changes.

Example: In-app "What's new" modals, product update pages.

Which Should You Use?

Most SaaS products benefit from combining elements of all three:

1. A public changelog page that serves as the source of truth (this is what VersionTap provides)
2. Release note formatting for major updates that deserve extra context
3. A "What's new" widget in your app for passive discovery

The key insight: these aren't mutually exclusive. A single well-crafted entry on your changelog can serve as your release note AND appear in your what's new widget.

Start with a changelog. It's the foundation everything else builds on.