Q01
Do I need GitHub, Jira, or API calls to create release notes?
No. You can write and publish a release from the dashboard with no integrations and no API calls. GitHub, GitLab, Jira, MCP, and the API are optional ways to open a draft.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Short answers on access, publishing, and what is available now versus soon. Product updates live on the Release Compass changelog; requests on the request board.
Q02
Do you need GitHub repository access?
No. There is no GitHub App and no clone. Open a draft with the public GitHub Action or POST JSON or Markdown with a project API key.
Q03
Can Jira or Linear open a draft?
Yes, if they can POST. Treat them like any other HTTP caller. We are not a Jira marketplace app.
Q04
What is MCP support?
An MCP server at https://api.release-compass.app/api/v1/mcp, authenticated with the project API key. Agents can create, edit unpublished copy, add translations, list, publish, schedule, unpublish, or delete releases, and file, vote on, or approve requests.
Q05
Do you offer agent skills?
Yes. The plugin tech-trail-io/release-compass-skills rewrites GitHub-shaped notes into customer copy and calls MCP to import, translate, and publish. Install it from Cursor Customize, or in Claude Code with /plugin marketplace add tech-trail-io/release-compass-skills. Set a project API key. Details are on the docs.
Q06
How do I import an existing changelog?
Send every historical version in one API call: POST /api/v1/releases/bulk with a project API key, or use the MCP tool create_releases. Optional publishedAt keeps original dates; omit it to publish as now. There is no dashboard importer yet. See the docs and the product Release Compass changelog.
Q07
Do you support product variants or editions (Core, Team, Enterprise)?
Not as a first-class field yet. Track and vote on that request on the Release Compass request board. Until then, use separate projects or mention the edition in the release copy.
Q08
Who can edit a release?
On the free plan the owner is admin and invited members are release managers — they can edit and publish. Custom roles (developer, viewer, extra admins) come with paid plans.
Q09
What does the free plan include?
3 seats, 100 API/MCP requests per month, 100 active email subscribers, hosted changelog, RSS, Atom, scheduled publishing, multilingual copy, and MCP.
Q10
How do languages work?
Each project has a default locale. Extra languages live as translations. Readers use ?lang=; missing copy falls back to the default.
Q11
How do I embed the changelog?
Use the open-source clients in tech-trail-io/release-compass-clients. @techtrail/release-compass-react and @techtrail/release-compass-angular render public changelogs and request boards without tokens. For private boards and voting, keep the project API key on your backend with @techtrail/release-compass-core’s server client or @techtrail/release-compass-next. Vue is marked Soon. You can also link to the hosted page or call the public JSON yourself.
Q12
How do I sign in?
Email and a password, a passkey, or GitHub, Google, or Microsoft. Apple stays marked Soon until that app is connected.
Q13
Do you offer SSO today?
Yes on the Team plan. Start a 30-day trial when you create an organization (no card). Configure OIDC or SAML for your organization, then work emails on allowed domains continue with company SSO. GitHub, Google, and Microsoft on the sign-in page stay personal social login.
Q14
How do Pro and Team work without card checkout?
Paid checkout is still Soon. Marketing prices are €6/project/month for Pro and €9 plus seat add-ons for Team. Redeem a promo code on Billing, or ask a platform admin for a complimentary grant. Pro unlocks higher limits, custom roles, on-demand API controls, and AI customer-copy drafts. Team adds SSO, Slack/Teams, and organization-owned projects.
Q15
Can AI rewrite my customer copy?
Yes on Pro or Team. On Integrations, add your own OpenAI-compatible API key, pick the languages to generate (the project default is always included), optionally enable auto-rewrite on new drafts, then review the draft before publish. You can also trigger rewrite from the release editor, REST, or MCP. See the docs AI customer copy guide.
Q16
Can changelogs group features, bug fixes, and chore?
Yes. Use Markdown headings such as Features, Bug fixes, or Chore with list items, or edit titled lists in the dashboard. Each item can have a title and optional description after an em dash.
Q17
Can I schedule a publish?
Yes. In the dashboard pick a date, time, and time zone, or call MCP schedule_release with scheduledAt and an IANA time zone. The note stays off the public changelog and is not emailed until that instant. Team members who can read unpublished releases can preview it on the hosted changelog before it goes live.
Q18
Can we collect feature or bugfix requests?
Yes. Public or private boards are both on the free plan. Optionally let readers file and upvote by email (a confirmation link plus Turnstile). A signed-in verified account uses that address with no extra confirmation, and guests can sign in with GitHub, Google, or Microsoft first. Optionally require an admin or release manager to approve new submissions before they are public. Votes also work through the API or MCP. You choose whether requester and voter names are shown. See what we are building on the Release Compass request board and changelog.
Q19
Who is the operator, and how do you handle GDPR?
Pichner Gábor EV. — TechTrail, a Hungarian self-employed business, is the controller. Privacy, terms, and imprint are in the footer. Analytics cookies load only after you accept, and advertising storage stays off. Cookie settings in the footer lets you opt out. Email subscriptions need a confirmed opt-in.
Q20
Can you post to Slack or Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Open Integrations in the project dashboard and paste a Slack or Microsoft Teams incoming webhook. Publishing posts the customer note there. Telegram is still marked Soon. Email, RSS, and Atom work today.