Table of Contents

Links

The file debian/changelog file documents in a short form all changes made to the package. This is not only useful for other developers, but also for normal users.

Format

A normal changelog entry looks like:

super-package (0.13.0-0ubuntu5) eoan; urgency=medium

  [ Minnie Mouse ]
  * Add feature foo
  * Refactor of lib bar:
    - Use strategy pattern
      + Added simple strategy
      + Added normal strategy
      + Added heavy strategy
    - Better naming
  [ Mickey Mouse ]
  * Added unit tests

 -- tricky-mickey <mickey@mouse.org>  Sun, 01 Apr 2019 11:17:17 +0200

Every line of the changelog entry should have a bullet point in front and in the order of *, -, +. If you need more levels, restart with the * bullet point.
Use two spaces to indent.
No trailing whitespaces.

debchange

To edit the changelog, you can use the tool debchange from the package devscripts.

Command	Explanation
`dch -a`	Append a new bullet point to the newest changelog entry
`dch -i`	Increment the version number: e.g `0.13.0-0ubuntu5 => 0.13.0-0ubuntu6`
`dch --distribution=eoan`	Replace `UNRELEASED` with the specified distribution
`dch -r ""`	Update the changelog timestamp

Format

debchange

Links