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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/development/changelog.md')
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diff --git a/doc/development/changelog.md b/doc/development/changelog.md index c71858c6a24..ce39a379a0e 100644 --- a/doc/development/changelog.md +++ b/doc/development/changelog.md @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ -# Generate a changelog entry +# Changelog entries -This guide contains instructions for generating a changelog entry data file, as -well as information and history about our changelog process. +This guide contains instructions for when and how to generate a changelog entry +file, as well as information and history about our changelog process. ## Overview @@ -19,19 +19,71 @@ author: Ozzy Osbourne The `merge_request` value is a reference to a merge request that adds this entry, and the `author` key is used to give attribution to community -contributors. Both are optional. +contributors. **Both are optional**. Community contributors and core team members are encouraged to add their name to -the `author` field. GitLab team members should not. - -If you're working on the GitLab EE repository, the entry will be added to -`changelogs/unreleased-ee/` instead. +the `author` field. GitLab team members **should not**. [changelog.md]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md [unreleased]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/tree/master/changelogs/ [YAML]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAML -## Instructions +## What warrants a changelog entry? + +- Any user-facing change **should** have a changelog entry. Example: "GitLab now + uses system fonts for all text." +- A fix for a regression introduced and then fixed in the same release (i.e., + fixing a bug introduced during a monthly release candidate) **should not** + have a changelog entry. +- Any developer-facing change (e.g., refactoring, technical debt remediation, + test suite changes) **should not** have a changelog entry. Example: "Reduce + database records created during Cycle Analytics model spec." +- _Any_ contribution from a community member, no matter how small, **may** have + a changelog entry regardless of these guidelines if the contributor wants one. + Example: "Fixed a typo on the search results page. (Jane Smith)" + +## Writing good changelog entries + +A good changelog entry should be descriptive and concise. It should explain the +change to a reader who has _zero context_ about the change. If you have trouble +making it both concise and descriptive, err on the side of descriptive. + +- **Bad:** Go to a project order. +- **Good:** Show a user's starred projects at the top of the "Go to project" + dropdown. + +The first example provides no context of where the change was made, or why, or +how it benefits the user. + +- **Bad:** Copy [some text] to clipboard. +- **Good:** Update the "Copy to clipboard" tooltip to indicate what's being + copied. + +Again, the first example is too vague and provides no context. + +- **Bad:** Fixes and Improves CSS and HTML problems in mini pipeline graph and + builds dropdown. +- **Good:** Fix tooltips and hover states in mini pipeline graph and builds + dropdown. + +The first example is too focused on implementation details. The user doesn't +care that we changed CSS and HTML, they care about the _end result_ of those +changes. + +- **Bad:** Strip out `nil`s in the Array of Commit objects returned from + `find_commits_by_message_with_elastic` +- **Good:** Fix 500 errors caused by elasticsearch results referencing + garbage-collected commits + +The first example focuses on _how_ we fixed something, not on _what_ it fixes. +The rewritten version clearly describes the _end benefit_ to the user (fewer 500 +errors), and _when_ (searching commits with ElasticSearch). + +Use your best judgement and try to put yourself in the mindset of someone +reading the compiled changelog. Does this entry add value? Does it offer context +about _where_ and _why_ the change was made? + +## How to generate a changelog entry A `bin/changelog` script is available to generate the changelog entry file automatically. @@ -55,19 +107,28 @@ title: Hey DZ, I added a feature to GitLab! merge_request: author: ``` +If you're working on the GitLab EE repository, the entry will be added to +`changelogs/unreleased-ee/` instead. + +#### Arguments -### Arguments +| Argument | Shorthand | Purpose | +| ----------------- | --------- | --------------------------------------------- | +| [`--amend`] | | Amend the previous commit | +| [`--force`] | `-f` | Overwrite an existing entry | +| [`--merge-request`] | `-m` | Set merge request ID | +| [`--dry-run`] | `-n` | Don't actually write anything, just print | +| [`--git-username`] | `-u` | Use Git user.name configuration as the author | +| [`--help`] | `-h` | Print help message | -| Argument | Shorthand | Purpose | -| ----------------- | --------- | --------------------------------------------- | -| `--amend` | | Amend the previous commit | -| `--force` | `-f` | Overwrite an existing entry | -| `--merge-request` | `-m` | Merge Request ID | -| `--dry-run` | `-n` | Don't actually write anything, just print | -| `--git-username` | `-u` | Use Git user.name configuration as the author | -| `--help` | `-h` | Print help message | +[`--amend`]: #-amend +[`--force`]: #-force-or-f +[`--merge-request`]: #-merge-request-or-m +[`--dry-run`]: #-dry-run-or-n +[`--git-username`]: #-git-username-or-u +[`--help`]: #-help -#### `--amend` +##### `--amend` You can pass the **`--amend`** argument to automatically stage the generated file and amend it to the previous commit. @@ -88,7 +149,7 @@ merge_request: author: ``` -#### `--force` or `-f` +##### `--force` or `-f` Use **`--force`** or **`-f`** to overwrite an existing changelog entry if it already exists. @@ -105,7 +166,7 @@ merge_request: 1983 author: ``` -#### `--merge-request` or `-m` +##### `--merge-request` or `-m` Use the **`--merge-request`** or **`-m`** argument to provide the `merge_request` value: @@ -119,7 +180,7 @@ merge_request: 1983 author: ``` -#### `--dry-run` or `-n` +##### `--dry-run` or `-n` Use the **`--dry-run`** or **`-n`** argument to prevent actually writing or committing anything: @@ -135,7 +196,7 @@ author: $ ls changelogs/unreleased/ ``` -#### `--git-username` or `-u` +##### `--git-username` or `-u` Use the **`--git-username`** or **`-u`** argument to automatically fill in the `author` value with your configured Git `user.name` value: @@ -152,7 +213,7 @@ merge_request: author: Jane Doe ``` -## History and Reasoning +### History and Reasoning Our `CHANGELOG` file was previously updated manually by each contributor that felt their change warranted an entry. When two merge requests added their own |