Custom Product Release Notes Plugin
Independent structured content management
Challenge
The company needed a way to publish structured, dated release notes for their products — what changed, and when — in a format existing plugins and generic field builders weren't designed for.
Solution
Built a standalone plugin with a custom admin interface for managing release notes: entries can be pulled in via API or added manually, each tied to a product and a date, and published in a consistent format on the site.
How it works
Rather than repurposing Posts or a generic custom-fields plugin, release notes get their own purpose-built admin screen — a structured editor for what changed and when, scoped to a specific product. Entries can come in two ways: pulled automatically from the client's product API, or entered manually when something needs to go out that isn't in the API feed. Both paths land in the same structured format on the front end.
What I built
- ✓A custom admin screen purpose-built for authoring release notes
- ✓Dual entry paths — automatic API pull or manual entry
- ✓Each entry tied to a specific product and a release date
- ✓Consistent, structured front-end display of "what's new" per product
Results
- ✓In continuous use for every product release for over two years
- ✓Zero reported issues in that time
- ✓The editorial team publishes release notes without developer involvement
Have a similar project?
I take on a limited number of freelance engagements at a time — reach out and I'll get back to you.