FOSSBilling/.github/release-notes-guidelines.md

FOSSBilling Release Notes Guidelines

Release notes should help administrators, developers, theme authors, and module maintainers decide how quickly to update and what to check after updating.

Structure

• Start with ## VERSION (YYYY-MM-DD) for published releases when the date is known. Draft notes may use ## VERSION.
• Add a short italic introduction when the release has security fixes, breaking changes, or a broad theme worth calling out.
• Use these sections when they apply, in this order:
  • ### ⚠️ Potentially Breaking Changes
  • ### 🔐 Security
  • ### 📈 Enhancements
  • ### ➕ New Features
  • ### 🐛 Bug Fixes
  • ### 📝 Changes
  • ### 📦 Dependencies
• Omit empty sections.
• Keep each bullet focused on user impact. Combine related pull requests into one bullet when that makes the notes easier to read.
• Include PR or issue references in parentheses where they help trace the change, for example (#1234).

Tone and Content

• Write in clear, direct language for FOSSBilling users, not as a raw commit log.
• Prefer outcome-focused wording: say what changed and why it matters.
• Call out upgrade risks for custom modules, themes, API integrations, payment flows, cron, installation, and security settings.
• Treat security wording carefully. Do not publish exploit details unless the security advisory is already public.
• Avoid duplicate bullets across sections. If a change fits multiple sections, place it where users are most likely to look.
• Exclude purely internal test, lint, spelling, and CI noise unless it affects release artifacts or user-visible behavior.
• Do not invent changes or overstate impact. When the available context is ambiguous, keep the wording conservative.

Workflow Configuration

The copilot release-note mode uses Copilot CLI with a bring-your-own-key model provider. Configure these repository or organization variables:

• COPILOT_PROVIDER_BASE_URL: the provider endpoint, for example an OpenAI-compatible base URL.
• COPILOT_PROVIDER_TYPE: optional provider type, usually openai, azure, or anthropic.
• COPILOT_MODEL: the model identifier or deployment name.

Configure this repository or organization secret when the provider requires authentication:

• COPILOT_PROVIDER_API_KEY: the provider API key.

The selected model must support streaming and tool calling.