Release story templates
This page is for reporters, editors and creators who want a quick, correct structure for release coverage. Each template has slots in angle brackets. Fill every slot from a source; if you cannot fill one, delete the sentence rather than guess. The templates contain no quotes, on purpose: quotes come only from published sources or from 7x or the Foundation in writing (Quotes policy).
Contents
- Where the slots come from
- News brief, about 150 words
- Technical article outline
- Development-line preview
- Extension or Velocity note
- Social post
- Video or podcast segment
Where the slots come from
| Slot | Source |
|---|---|
<version>, <date>, <tag> | The changelog header ("Released ... Tag ...") and the release overview |
<headline change> | The changelog's "In short" (Reading a changelog) |
<upgrade note> | The changelog's "Upgrading" |
<feature page> | The links in the changelog |
<release count> | git tag -l 'v6.0.*' or Who is 7x?, The 6.0.x releases |
<who stands behind it> | Who is the Exponential Foundation?, The Foundation and 7x |
News brief, about 150 words
Exponential <version> released
<Date> - Exponential <version>, a new release of the free and open source PHP content management
system, was published on <date> (tag v<version>). <Headline change, in the words of "In short".>
<Second change, one sentence.> <Upgrade note: what site owners must do, or "the changelog lists no
required action for ...".>
Exponential is developed under the GNU GPL, version 2 or later. The company 7x leads its development;
the Exponential Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2026, operates and funds the project. The release is
the <ordinal> of the 6.0 line, which began with 6.0.0 on 1 January 2024.
Changelog: <link> Repository: https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponentialTechnical article outline
1. What is new in Exponential <version> (tag v<version>, <date>) - changelog header
2. The headline change and how it works - changelog + feature page
3. Two or three further changes for developers and administrators - Added / Updated sections
4. Upgrading: what to run, what to check - "Upgrading" + upgrade chapter
5. Requirements: PHP versions, databases - Getting the code, section 3.1
6. Where to get it: Composer package, Git tag - Getting the code
7. Context: the 6.0 line so far - Who is 7x?, The 6.0.x releases
8. Comment from 7x or the Foundation (only if given in writing) - Quotes policyDevelopment-line preview
In development: <topic> in the next Exponential version
The development line of Exponential, <version>, includes <feature>, according to the project's
changelog for the line (<link>). As of <date checked>, <version> had not been released; the newest
release is <newest version> of <tag date>, and the project has not announced a release date.
<What the feature does, from its feature page.> <Whether it is active by default, if the source says.>Use this template only while no tag exists for the version; check with git tag -l 'v6.0.*' --sort=version:refname.
Rules for this template: Covering 6.0.15, before and after its tag.
Extension or Velocity note
<Package> <version> for Exponential
<Package>, <what it is in one phrase>, has a new release, <version>, dated <date> (<link to its
release notes>). <One or two changes, in the words of the release notes.> It is a separate package
with its own version numbers; sites update it on its own.For Velocity figures, add their conditions or leave them out (Covering Velocity releases).
Social post
Exponential <version> is out (tag v<version>, <date>): <headline change in under 15 words>.
Changelog: <link>Not released yet, but in Exponential's <version> development line: <feature>. Details: <link>Keep the version and status in the post itself; a thread's first post is often shared alone.
Video or podcast segment
INTRO "Exponential <version> was released on <date>." (show the tag or the changelog header)
WHAT Headline change - show it on your own fresh installation
WHO "The company 7x leads development; the Exponential Foundation, a nonprofit, operates the project."
UPGRADE "If you run a site, read the upgrade notes first" (link in the description)
CLOSE Links: changelog, repository, the feature page; disclosure if sponsoredShow notes must carry the same links; say "in development" out loud for anything unreleased.
Related pages
- Covering a release
- Release coverage checklist
- Social post templates
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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