what should I use for in-app release notes and changelogs

For in-app release notes and changelogs, the best choice depends on whether you want something simple and built-in or more flexible and product-focused.

Good options

1. A simple in-app modal/banner

Best if you just need to announce updates quickly.

• Modal: good for important releases
• Banner/toast: good for lightweight updates
• Pros: easy, cheap, immediate
• Cons: not great for history or filtering

2. A dedicated changelog page inside the app

Best if you want users to browse past updates.

• Create a screen like “What’s New” or “Release Notes”
• Group by version/date
• Include categories like:
  • New
  • Improved
  • Fixed
• Pros: persistent, organized, easy to revisit
• Cons: users may not notice it unless prompted

3. A changelog/release-notes service

Best if you want something polished without building everything yourself.

Popular tools:

• Headway
• AnnounceKit
• Changelogfy
• Revuto? (less common for this use)
• Canny Changelog if you already use Canny

These can handle:

• in-app widgets
• update announcements
• read/unread states
• targeting users by segment
• analytics on who viewed notes

4. Markdown-based changelog content from your backend/CMS

Best if your team wants full control.

• Store release notes in:
  • a DB table
  • CMS
  • markdown files in your repo
• Render in-app from API
• Pros: flexible, versioned, easy to automate
• Cons: you build the UI/logic

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My recommendation

If you’re asking “what should I use” in general:

• For an MVP: build a simple in-app changelog page + small notification banner
• For a production SaaS app: use a changelog service like AnnounceKit or Headway
• If you want total control: store release notes in Markdown in your repo or backend CMS

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Best practice structure for release notes

Keep each entry short and scannable:

Version 2.4.1

• Added export to CSV
• Improved dashboard loading speed
• Fixed login issue on Safari

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If you want the simplest answer

Use:

• a “What’s New” screen
• plus a small banner or badge
• backed by Markdown or a CMS

If you tell me your stack (React Native, iOS, Android, web, Flutter, etc.), I can recommend the best specific tool/library.