Business & Operations

Free Changelog Feed Widget

Show product updates grouped by release date with colored type badges.

A clean changelog feed that displays your product updates grouped by release date, with each entry tagged New, Improved, or Fixed via a colored badge. It is ideal for SaaS products, apps, and agencies that want a public "what's new" section on their site. Install it with a single script tag and pass your releases as JSON — no dependencies, no accounts.

Live demo

Embed this widget

Paste either snippet into your page — a Custom HTML block on WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace works too. Both snippets update live as you customize, so what you copy is exactly what you configured.

Hosted (recommended)html
<script src="https://hayneslab.dev/widgets/changelog-feed.js" data-hl-config='[{"date":"July 28, 2026","items":[{"type":"new","text":"Dark mode for the customer dashboard"},{"type":"improved","text":"CSV exports are now 3x faster"}]},{"date":"July 14, 2026","items":[{"type":"new","text":"Slack notifications for new orders"},{"type":"fixed","text":"Fixed timezone display on invoices"}]},{"date":"June 30, 2026","items":[{"type":"improved","text":"Redesigned mobile checkout flow"},{"type":"fixed","text":"Resolved duplicate confirmation emails"}]}]' data-hl-title="What’s new" async></script>
<!-- Free Changelog Feed widget by haynes lab — https://hayneslab.dev/tools/widgets/changelog-feed -->
Inline (self-contained)html
<!-- Free Changelog Feed widget by haynes lab — https://hayneslab.dev/tools/widgets/changelog-feed -->
<script data-hl-config='[{"date":"July 28, 2026","items":[{"type":"new","text":"Dark mode for the customer dashboard"},{"type":"improved","text":"CSV exports are now 3x faster"}]},{"date":"July 14, 2026","items":[{"type":"new","text":"Slack notifications for new orders"},{"type":"fixed","text":"Fixed timezone display on invoices"}]},{"date":"June 30, 2026","items":[{"type":"improved","text":"Redesigned mobile checkout flow"},{"type":"fixed","text":"Resolved duplicate confirmation emails"}]}]' data-hl-title="What’s new">
/*!
 * haynes lab — Changelog Feed widget (free)
 * Docs & embed code: https://hayneslab.dev/tools/widgets/changelog-feed
 */
(function () {
  'use strict';

  var PREFIX = 'hlw-changelog-feed';
  var STYLE_ID = 'hlw-changelog-feed-styles';

  var TYPE_LABELS = { new: 'New', improved: 'Improved', fixed: 'Fixed' };

  function findScript() {
    return document.currentScript ||
      document.querySelector('script[src*="widgets/changelog-feed.js"]');
  }

  function injectStyles() {
    if (document.getElementById(STYLE_ID)) return;
    var css =
      '.' + PREFIX + ', .' + PREFIX + ' * { box-sizing: border-box; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + ' { position: relative; max-width: 640px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 24px 24px 30px;' +
      ' font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;' +
      ' font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5; color: #1f2937; background: #ffffff;' +
      ' border: 1px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 12px; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__title { margin: 0 0 16px; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; color: #111827;' +
      ' padding-bottom: 12px; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--hlw-accent); }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__group + .' + PREFIX + '__group { margin-top: 20px; padding-top: 20px;' +
      ' border-top: 1px solid #f3f4f6; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__date { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;' +
      ' font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: #374151; letter-spacing: 0.02em; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__dot { width: 9px; height: 9px; border-radius: 50%; background: var(--hlw-accent);' +
      ' flex: 0 0 auto; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__items { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__item { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; gap: 10px; padding: 6px 0; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__badge { flex: 0 0 auto; min-width: 68px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 8px;' +
      ' border-radius: 999px; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 600; text-transform: uppercase;' +
      ' letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.6; margin-top: 1px; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__badge--new { background: #ecfdf5; color: #047857; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__badge--improved { background: #eff6ff; color: #1d4ed8; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__badge--fixed { background: #fffbeb; color: #b45309; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__text { color: #374151; min-width: 0; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__credit { position: absolute; right: 10px; bottom: 6px; font-size: 11px;' +
      ' display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px; color: #9ca3af; text-decoration: none; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__credit svg { display: block; }' +
      '.' + PREFIX + '__credit:hover { color: #6b7280; text-decoration: underline; }' +
      '@media (max-width: 480px) { .' + PREFIX + ' { padding: 20px 16px 30px; } }';
    var style = document.createElement('style');
    style.id = STYLE_ID;
    style.textContent = css;
    document.head.appendChild(style);
  }

  function parseConfig(script) {
    var raw = script.getAttribute('data-hl-config');
    if (!raw) {
      console.warn('[haynes lab changelog-feed] Missing required data-hl-config attribute (JSON array of {date, items: [{type, text}]}). Nothing rendered.');
      return null;
    }
    var groups;
    try {
      groups = JSON.parse(raw);
    } catch (e) {
      console.warn('[haynes lab changelog-feed] data-hl-config is not valid JSON. Nothing rendered.', e);
      return null;
    }
    if (!Array.isArray(groups)) {
      console.warn('[haynes lab changelog-feed] data-hl-config must be a JSON array. Nothing rendered.');
      return null;
    }
    var valid = [];
    groups.forEach(function (g) {
      if (!g || typeof g.date !== 'string' || !g.date || !Array.isArray(g.items)) return;
      var items = g.items.filter(function (it) {
        return it && typeof it.text === 'string' && it.text &&
          Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(TYPE_LABELS, it.type);
      });
      if (items.length) valid.push({ date: g.date, items: items });
    });
    if (!valid.length) {
      console.warn('[haynes lab changelog-feed] data-hl-config has no valid releases (each needs a "date" and items with type new|improved|fixed and text). Nothing rendered.');
      return null;
    }
    return valid;
  }

  function el(tag, className, text) {
    var node = document.createElement(tag);
    if (className) node.className = className;
    if (text != null) node.textContent = text;
    return node;
  }

  function logoSvg() {
    var svgNS = 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg';
    var svg = document.createElementNS(svgNS, 'svg');
    svg.setAttribute('viewBox', '0 0 32 32');
    svg.setAttribute('width', '13');
    svg.setAttribute('height', '13');
    svg.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
    svg.setAttribute('focusable', 'false');
    function circle(cx, cy, r, attrs) {
      var c = document.createElementNS(svgNS, 'circle');
      c.setAttribute('cx', cx);
      c.setAttribute('cy', cy);
      c.setAttribute('r', r);
      for (var key in attrs) c.setAttribute(key, attrs[key]);
      svg.appendChild(c);
    }
    circle(16, 16, 16, { fill: '#0f0a0a' });
    circle(16, 16, 12, { fill: 'none', stroke: '#fff5f5', 'stroke-width': 1, opacity: 0.3 });
    circle(16, 16, 9, { fill: 'none', stroke: '#fff5f5', 'stroke-width': 1, opacity: 0.5 });
    circle(16, 16, 6, { fill: 'none', stroke: '#fff5f5', 'stroke-width': 1.2, opacity: 0.9 });
    circle(16, 16, 3, { fill: '#06b6d4' });
    circle(24.5, 7.5, 2, { fill: '#f97316' });
    circle(7, 16, 1.8, { fill: '#f97316' });
    circle(20, 20, 1.5, { fill: '#f97316' });
    return svg;
  }

  function build(script) {
    var groups = parseConfig(script);
    if (!groups) return;

    var title = script.getAttribute('data-hl-title') || 'Changelog';
    var accent = script.getAttribute('data-hl-accent') || '#f97316';

    injectStyles();

    var root = el('div', PREFIX);
    root.setAttribute('role', 'region');
    root.setAttribute('aria-label', title);
    root.style.setProperty('--hlw-accent', accent);

    root.appendChild(el('h3', PREFIX + '__title', title));

    groups.forEach(function (g) {
      var group = el('section', PREFIX + '__group');
      var date = el('div', PREFIX + '__date');
      date.appendChild(el('span', PREFIX + '__dot'));
      date.appendChild(el('span', null, g.date));
      group.appendChild(date);

      var list = el('ul', PREFIX + '__items');
      g.items.forEach(function (it) {
        var row = el('li', PREFIX + '__item');
        row.appendChild(el('span', PREFIX + '__badge ' + PREFIX + '__badge--' + it.type, TYPE_LABELS[it.type]));
        row.appendChild(el('span', PREFIX + '__text', it.text));
        list.appendChild(row);
      });
      group.appendChild(list);
      root.appendChild(group);
    });

    var credit = el('a', PREFIX + '__credit');
    credit.appendChild(logoSvg());
    credit.appendChild(document.createTextNode('Powered by haynes lab'));
    credit.href = 'https://hayneslab.dev/tools/widgets/changelog-feed';
    credit.target = '_blank';
    credit.rel = 'noopener';
    root.appendChild(credit);

    if (script.parentNode && script.parentNode.nodeName !== 'HEAD') {
      script.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', root);
    } else {
      document.body.appendChild(root);
    }
  }

  function init() {
    var script = findScript();
    if (!script) {
      console.warn('[haynes lab changelog-feed] Could not locate its own script tag. Nothing rendered.');
      return;
    }
    build(script);
  }

  if (document.body) {
    init();
  } else {
    document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', init);
  }
})();

</script>

Configuration

Every option is an attribute on the script tag — the same attributes the customizer above exposes. All attributes are optional unless marked required — defaults apply when omitted.

AttributeDefaultDescription
data-hl-config(required)JSON array of releases: [{"date":"June 12, 2026","items":[{"type":"new|improved|fixed","text":"..."}]}].
data-hl-title"Changelog"Title shown at the top of the feed.
data-hl-accent"#f97316"Highlight color for the title underline and date markers.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the Changelog Feed?

Paste the script snippet where you want the feed to appear — it renders inline right after the tag with your releases grouped by date.

How do I add or edit releases and change the styling?

Edit the JSON in data-hl-config (each release has a date and items with type new, improved, or fixed), set data-hl-title for the heading, and data-hl-accent for the highlight color.

Does it work on WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace?

Yes — it is a single vanilla JS file with no dependencies, so it works on WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, or any site that can embed a script tag.

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