What does the validator check?

That the file follows the Keep a Changelog convention: a title, one "## [version] - date" heading per release, dates written as YYYY-MM-DD and real, releases newest first, no version twice, no empty releases, changes grouped under Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed or Security, and link references for versions written as links.

What is the difference between an error, a warning and a note?

An error is something the convention requires and a parser will trip on, such as a release with no date. A warning is a departure that still reads, such as a change type the convention does not name. A note is advice the convention gives that a file may reasonably ignore, such as using semantic versions.

Is my changelog stored?

No. It is read, checked and discarded within the request. Nothing is saved, logged or cached, and no account is needed.

Does my CHANGELOG.md have to follow Keep a Changelog?

No. It is a convention, not a standard, and plenty of good changelogs depart from it. It is worth following because tools can read it: release automation, and importers like the one in Relnotely, which turns each release heading into a dated entry.

CHANGELOG.md Validator

Paste a CHANGELOG.md and see where it departs from the Keep a Changelog convention, with the line each problem is on.

Questions

What does the validator check?: That the file follows the Keep a Changelog convention: a title, one "## [version] - date" heading per release, dates written as YYYY-MM-DD and real, releases newest first, no version twice, no empty releases, changes grouped under Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed or Security, and link references for versions written as links.
What is the difference between an error, a warning and a note?: An error is something the convention requires and a parser will trip on, such as a release with no date. A warning is a departure that still reads, such as a change type the convention does not name. A note is advice the convention gives that a file may reasonably ignore, such as using semantic versions.
Is my changelog stored?: No. It is read, checked and discarded within the request. Nothing is saved, logged or cached, and no account is needed.
Does my CHANGELOG.md have to follow Keep a Changelog?: No. It is a convention, not a standard, and plenty of good changelogs depart from it. It is worth following because tools can read it: release automation, and importers like the one in Relnotely, which turns each release heading into a dated entry.

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