Quick answer: Resolve bugs in your tracker as you fix them, then at release time draft the notes from everything resolved since the last patch. In Bugnet, the dashboard's Changelog page drafts an entry listing the bugs resolved in the last 7 to 90 days with one click (or one API call from a release script); you rewrite it for players, preview it and publish it to a hosted page at /changelog/your-project. The public changelog is on every plan.
Patch notes written from memory miss fixes, and patch notes written from commit messages read like commit messages. The bugs you closed this release are a better source: each one is a problem a player hit, already described in their words. Here is a workflow that turns them into notes players read.
Why fixed bugs make better patch notes than commits
- They describe symptoms, not code. “Inventory closes when you open the map” means something to players; “fix null ref in UIStack” does not.
- They are complete. If every fix is tied to a bug, the list of resolved bugs is the list of fixes.
- They close the loop. Players who reported a bug can see it in the notes, and the ones who left an email are told when its status changes.
The workflow
1. Resolve bugs when the fix ships to the branch
Mark each bug resolved as you merge the fix, not weeks later. The draft is built from resolution dates, so a bug resolved late lands in the wrong patch.
2. Draft from the release window
In Bugnet, open Changelog in the dashboard sidebar, enter the version, pick how far back to look (7 to 90 days) and choose Generate draft. To do the same from a release script, call the changelog API with a session token (see the API reference):
curl -X POST https://api.bugnet.io/api/projects/YOUR_SLUG/changelog/auto-generate \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SESSION_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"version": "1.4.2", "days_back": 14}'This creates an unpublished draft titled “v1.4.2 — What's New”, with a Bug Fixes section listing every bug resolved or closed in the last 14 days (7 if you leave days_back out), each with its report number and category. It opens in the editor on the Changelog page; from the API, the response gives you the entry's id.
3. Rewrite it for players
- Drop what players never saw: internal tooling, editor-only crashes, bugs introduced and fixed within the same patch.
- Rewrite titles as outcomes: “Fixed the inventory closing when you open the map.”
- Group by area (crashes, gameplay, UI, audio) and put the fixes players asked about most at the top.
- Remove anything sensitive. The draft includes every resolved bug, private ones too, so read it before publishing.
Edit the Markdown on the Changelog page and check it on the Preview tab, which renders it the way the public page will. From a script, send the edited text with PATCH /api/projects/YOUR_SLUG/changelog/ENTRY_ID and {"body": "...", "publish": true}.
4. Publish and share
Published entries appear on your hosted changelog at /changelog/your-project, newest first, styled with your brand profile. Paste the same text into your Steam event, Discord announcement or in-game news panel, or load it on your own site from the public GET /api/projects/YOUR_SLUG/changelog endpoint.
Patch note tips
- Lead with what players feel: fixed crashes and progress blockers first, balance and polish after.
- Credit reporters when a community member found a nasty one.
- Mention known issues you have not fixed yet, with a link to your public tracker.
- Keep the version number in the title so players can match notes to the build they have.
For more on writing the notes themselves, see how to write patch notes players actually read. Create a free Bugnet project to collect the bugs your next notes will be made from.
Frequently asked questions
Can patch notes be generated automatically from bug reports?
Yes. In Bugnet, the Changelog page in the dashboard (or POST /api/projects/:slug/changelog/auto-generate) drafts an entry listing every bug resolved or closed in the last N days. You edit the draft and publish it to your hosted changelog.
Should I publish auto-generated patch notes as they are?
No. Rewrite bug titles as player-facing outcomes, drop internal and editor-only fixes, and remove anything private. The draft includes every resolved bug in the window.
Where are Bugnet changelogs published?
On a hosted page at /changelog/your-project-slug, newest first, and through the public GET /api/projects/:slug/changelog endpoint so you can show them on your own site or in game.
Is the changelog a paid feature?
No. The public changelog is included on every Bugnet plan.
Why generate notes from bugs instead of commits?
Bug titles describe what players experienced, every fix tied to a bug is included, and reporters can see that their bug was fixed.
Your players already wrote half your patch notes when they reported the bugs. Use them.