For instance, I retired the ChangeLog in the TXR project in 2015; commit messages continue to be in the ChangeLog format. A ChangeLog file could easily be produced from the commit messages.
Replicating that information in a file that is checked into git is silly; you're just begging for merge conflicts. Any time anyone sends you a patch, if it is not rebased to your current HEAD, you have a guaranteed conflict in the ChangeLog file.
Why do that to yourself.
> The changelog targets your users. It must answer questions like:
> "What cool new feature is in this version?"
> "Is this annoying bug fixed?"
> "Is it safe to upgrade, or do I need to adjust my code/workflow to this new version?"
Oh, I see what this person's problem is. He's referring to some lower case "changelog" that everyone calls "release notes".
I agree; the git log is not your release notes.
Please don't call "release notes" "changelog" in 2022.
Release notes aren't a change log because, doh, they don't (exactly) log the changes.