HTML Release Notes Markup: Improvements, Fixes, and Known Issues

Release notes tell people what is new and what still needs attention. Separate improvements from known issues so users can make informed choices.

What You Need to Know

State limitations plainly instead of burying them in technical language. Each release should identify its version and important changes.

The goal is not to collect as many tags as possible. Pick the element that best describes what the content really is.

Example: See It in Action

Here is a simple example to experiment with. Type it, save the file, and check what the browser displays.

This is a short HTML fragment. To try it as a webpage, put it inside the body element of a complete HTML document.

<article>
    <h1>Release Notes — 2.0</h1>
    <h2>What's new?</h2>
    <ul>
        <li>Faster search</li>
    </ul>
    <h2>Known issues</h2>
    <p>Some older files load slowly.</p>
</article>

Let’s Understand the Example

• Article marks a piece that could make sense on its own, such as a news post or recipe.
• An h1 introduces the main subject of the page. Use the heading level for structure rather than font size.
• An h2 starts a major section beneath the page topic.

You should see distinct list items. Ask whether their order carries meaning: if the order matters, use an ordered list; otherwise use an unordered list.

What Should You See?

The page should display “Release Notes — 2.0” as a heading, followed by its related content. Change the heading text and refresh the browser to see the result.

Read only the headings, from top to bottom. Do they tell a sensible story? If not, move sections or choose levels that match the content.

Try It Yourself

1. Add a short upgrade note for visitors using the previous version.
2. Save your changes, open or refresh the page, and compare the result with the original example.
3. Tell a friend what your change did. If you are not sure, undo it, refresh the page, and compare.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Promising that every issue is solved while the known-issues list says otherwise.
• Avoid picking tags just for their default bold, italic or spaced appearance. Use CSS for presentation.

Key Takeaways

• Release notes tell people what is new and what still needs attention.
• Article marks a piece that could make sense on its own, such as a news post or recipe.
• State limitations plainly instead of burying them in technical language. Each release should identify its version and important changes.