feat: Add upstream release notes links to chart releases : #1594 #1771

itsvshreyas · 2025-07-24T17:47:14Z

Summary

This PR addresses issue #1594 by automatically adding links to relevant upstream OpenTelemetry project release notes when chart versions are bumped. This enhancement eliminates the need for users to manually search for upstream release notes when planning upgrades.

Changes Made

Modified .github/workflows/release.yaml: Added automated step to enhance release notes with upstream project links
Added .github/scripts/generate-release-notes.sh: New script that generates enhanced release notes with appropriate upstream links based on chart type
Added .github/cr.yaml: Configuration file for chart-releaser with enhanced settings

How it Works

Automatic Detection: The workflow detects newly created releases within 5 minutes of creation
Enhanced Notes Generation: A custom script generates enhanced release notes with upstream links
Automatic Updates: The workflow updates release notes using GitHub CLI

Chart Support

The enhancement intelligently handles different chart types:

opentelemetry-collector: Links to Collector + Collector Contrib releases
opentelemetry-operator: Links to Operator releases
opentelemetry-demo: Links to Demo releases
opentelemetry-target-allocator: Links to Operator releases (TA is part of Operator)
Other charts: Generic upstream message

Example Enhancement

For an opentelemetry-collector v0.127.1 release with app version 0.128.0, users will now see:

## Upstream Release Notes

For detailed information about the changes in this release, please refer to the upstream OpenTelemetry project release notes:

- [OpenTelemetry Collector v0.128.0](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/releases/tag/v0.128.0)
- [OpenTelemetry Collector Contrib v0.128.0](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/releases/tag/v0.128.0)

.github/workflows/release.yaml

CHANGES_SUMMARY.md

CONTRIBUTION_README.md

ENHANCED_RELEASE_NOTES.md

itsvshreyas · 2025-07-25T07:10:46Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , Thanks for all the feedback!

I've addressed all the comments locally:

Reverted action versions back to digest values (lines 20, 30, 43)
Moved bash code to separate script file (line 50+)
Removed unnecessary documentation files (CHANGES_SUMMARY.md, ENHANCED_RELEASE_NOTES.md, CONTRIBUTION_README.md)

All changes are ready in my local repository and I'll be pushing them very soon. The PR will be much cleaner and focused only on the functional changes needed for the enhancement.

itsvshreyas · 2025-07-26T00:17:56Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , Could you please check now? I have synced all my changes.

TylerHelmuth · 2025-07-28T23:04:31Z

@itsvshreyas can you test this implementation in a fork so we can see the release action run? You may need to update some CI to be based on your fork instead of the open-telemetry org.

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-14T13:50:09Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , These new changes are for my testing. I will be forking that and will share the release notes getting updated in a while. Once tested will remove test-release.yaml file. Thanks!

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-14T15:06:13Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , I bumped the version and release notes got created via Actions in my personal forked repo.

https://github.com/itsvshreyas/open-telemetry-opentelemetry-helm-charts/releases/tag/opentelemetry-collector-0.130.3

Actions - https://github.com/itsvshreyas/open-telemetry-opentelemetry-helm-charts/actions/runs/16968897961/job/48100400808

Is this fine?

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-19T14:08:41Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , Could you please let me know the links shared above are fine? If yes, then I will prune those additional changes which were made for testing purpose and then this should be good for final review.

TylerHelmuth · 2025-08-20T13:27:21Z

@itsvshreyas thanks for testing, those release notes look good. You can remove the testing changes.

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-20T15:04:36Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , Removed the test file. This should be good for your review now. Thanks!

TylerHelmuth · 2025-08-21T13:10:42Z

.github/workflows/release.yaml

+          chmod +x .github/scripts/generate-release-notes.sh
+          chmod +x .github/scripts/enhance-release-notes.sh


I see 2 scripts but only 1 being invoked

enhance-release-notes.sh calls generate-release-notes.sh at line number 15 of enhance-release-notes.sh. So both scripts are required. I will remove these two lines as they already have chmod +x permissions.

@TylerHelmuth , Removed chmod +x. That is in place now.

TylerHelmuth · 2025-08-21T13:57:16Z

.github/workflows/release.yaml

          CR_TOKEN: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
-          CR_GENERATE_RELEASE_NOTES: true
+
+      - name: Enhance release notes with upstream links


In our repo every commit to main results in a chart release. Most of these commits are not appVersion bumps to match the upstream release artifacts. For releases that are not related to an upstream release, what will this change do?

Current Behavior for Non-Upstream Releases:

For commits that don't involve appVersion bumps (e.g., documentation updates, chart configuration changes, dependency updates), our enhancement script will:

Still run and detect the new chart release

Generate release notes that reference the current (unchanged) appVersion

Add upstream links pointing to the existing upstream version

Example Scenario:

# Chart changes from: Chart.yaml: version: 0.47.1 → 0.47.2 (documentation fix) Chart.yaml: appVersion: "0.119.0" (unchanged)

IDK if always linking to the upstream changelogs is useful. @open-telemetry/helm-approvers what do you think?

Please let me know how it has to be done. I can make appropriate changes for the same. Maybe if others have any other opinion?

I think this is useful especially as it was requested by another user

I think the linking is useful once the application image is bumped. Otherwise, I'd suggest just skipping this step, if there is no image upgrade.

Also, please move this step to the end of the job so it it fails it doesn't disrupt the release

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-21T14:37:54Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , Suggested changes are in place.

itsvshreyas · 2025-08-24T18:12:39Z

Hi @open-telemetry/helm-approvers, could you please look into our conversation and let us know if we are good with this approach or do we need any alternate solution? Thanks!

github-actions · 2025-09-08T02:43:50Z

This PR was marked stale due to lack of activity. It will be closed in 14 days.

itsvshreyas · 2025-09-11T13:54:33Z

Hi @open-telemetry/helm-approvers, could you please look into our conversation and let us know if we are good with this approach or do we need any alternate solution? Thanks!

itsvshreyas · 2025-09-11T13:55:41Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , This PR has gone for stale. I don't see any reviews happening. Do you want me to go with the change? Also is it possible to remove the stale?

itsvshreyas · 2025-10-03T04:12:31Z

Hi @TylerHelmuth , This PR has gone for stale. I don't see any reviews happening. Do you want me to go with the change? Also is it possible to remove the stale?

dmitryax · 2025-10-03T04:38:57Z

.github/scripts/enhance-release-notes.sh

+---
+
+$enhanced_notes"
+    else


This should not be the case. If no existing notes found, something is wrong. Probably better to fail instead

Hi @dmitryax , Corrected this.

dmitryax · 2025-10-03T04:40:13Z

.github/scripts/generate-release-notes.sh

+        "opentelemetry-collector")
+            echo "## Upstream Release Notes"
+            echo ""
+            echo "For detailed information about the changes in this release, please refer to the upstream OpenTelemetry project release notes:"


These lines are duplicated for every option, so they can be moved out of the case statement. Also, the wording seems too verbose without providing much value

Hi @dmitryax , Corrected this.

dmitryax · 2025-10-03T04:43:11Z

.github/scripts/generate-release-notes.sh

+    # Add links to upstream release notes based on chart type
+    case "$chart_name" in
+        "opentelemetry-collector")
+            echo "## Upstream Release Notes"


Upstream sounds a bit confusing... What about?

OpenTelemetry Collector v${app_version} release notes

Hi @dmitryax , Corrected this.

dmitryax · 2025-10-03T04:44:21Z

.github/workflows/release.yaml

          CR_TOKEN: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
-          CR_GENERATE_RELEASE_NOTES: true
+
+      - name: Enhance release notes with upstream links


I think the linking is useful once the application image is bumped. Otherwise, I'd suggest just skipping this step, if there is no image upgrade.

Also, please move this step to the end of the job so it it fails it doesn't disrupt the release

… to end - Add logic to detect appVersion changes and only enhance when components are upgraded - Move enhancement step to end of workflow to prevent disrupting releases if it fails - Update section header from 'Upstream' to 'OpenTelemetry Release Notes' for clarity - Remove code duplication and verbose text in release notes generation - Add CR_GENERATE_RELEASE_NOTES environment variable back to workflow - Fix trailing whitespace issues Addresses reviewer feedback and ensures enhancement only runs when meaningful to users. Signed-off-by: Venkata Shreyas Kabekkodu <venkatashreyas.kabekkodu@fmr.com>

- Add chart-releaser configuration with automatic release notes generation - Restore missing config parameter in release workflow - Ensure chart-releaser can properly generate baseline release notes Required for the release notes enhancement feature to work correctly. Signed-off-by: Venkata Shreyas Kabekkodu <venkatashreyas.kabekkodu@fmr.com>

itsvshreyas · 2025-10-09T13:35:35Z

Hi @dmitryax , I making all those changes.

itsvshreyas · 2025-10-10T05:18:16Z

Hi @dmitryax , Could you please verify the PR now? I have made all those changes.

itsvshreyas requested a review from a team as a code owner July 24, 2025 17:47

itsvshreyas mentioned this pull request Jul 24, 2025

Release notes - include a link to the relevant project release notes #1594

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TylerHelmuth reviewed Jul 24, 2025

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itsvshreyas added 2 commits October 9, 2025 18:51

kayhern force-pushed the feature/work-on-1594 branch from 136ecf0 to a7ef418 Compare October 9, 2025 14:00

		chmod +x .github/scripts/generate-release-notes.sh
		chmod +x .github/scripts/enhance-release-notes.sh

feat: Add upstream release notes links to chart releases : #1594 #1771

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itsvshreyas commented Jul 24, 2025

Summary

Changes Made

How it Works

Chart Support

Example Enhancement

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