whats-new
Generates a "What's New" / changelog screen shown after app updates with version tracking, feature highlights, and one-time display per version. Use when user wants release notes UI, update notifications, or feature announcements.
Best use case
whats-new is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Generates a "What's New" / changelog screen shown after app updates with version tracking, feature highlights, and one-time display per version. Use when user wants release notes UI, update notifications, or feature announcements.
Teams using whats-new should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/whats-new/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How whats-new Compares
| Feature / Agent | whats-new | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Generates a "What's New" / changelog screen shown after app updates with version tracking, feature highlights, and one-time display per version. Use when user wants release notes UI, update notifications, or feature announcements.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# What's New Generator
Generate a complete "What's New" screen that displays after app updates — highlights new features, changes, and improvements with version tracking to ensure it only shows once per update.
## When This Skill Activates
Use this skill when the user:
- Asks to "add a what's new screen" or "show what's new"
- Mentions "changelog" or "changelog UI"
- Wants an "app update screen" or "update notification"
- Asks about "new features screen" or "feature announcements"
- Mentions "release notes UI" or "release notes screen"
- Wants a "version update notification" or "post-update screen"
## Pre-Generation Checks
### 1. Project Context Detection
- [ ] Check deployment target (iOS 16+ / macOS 13+ minimum; iOS 17+ / macOS 14+ for @Observable)
- [ ] Check Swift version (requires Swift 5.9+)
- [ ] Identify source file locations and project structure
- [ ] Determine how app version is accessed (`Bundle.main.infoDictionary`, custom build config, etc.)
### 2. Conflict Detection
Search for existing what's new or changelog implementations:
```
Glob: **/*WhatsNew*.swift, **/*Changelog*.swift, **/*ReleaseNotes*.swift, **/*VersionTracker*.swift
Grep: "WhatsNew" or "whatsNew" or "lastShownVersion" or "changelog"
```
If found, ask user:
- Replace existing implementation?
- Keep existing, integrate alongside?
### 3. Version Access Pattern
Detect how the app reads its version:
```
Grep: "CFBundleShortVersionString" or "Bundle.main.infoDictionary" or "appVersion"
```
Use whichever pattern the project already employs. If none found, default to `Bundle.main.infoDictionary?["CFBundleShortVersionString"]`.
## Configuration Questions
Ask user via AskUserQuestion:
1. **Presentation style?**
- Sheet (recommended — `.sheet(item:)` auto-dismiss)
- Full-screen cover (`.fullScreenCover`)
- Inline (embedded in a view hierarchy)
2. **Content source?**
- Hardcoded in Swift (simplest, no network needed)
- Local JSON file bundled in app
- Remote JSON endpoint (fetched on launch)
3. **Dismiss behavior?**
- "Continue" button (explicit acknowledgment)
- Swipe to dismiss (sheet default)
- Both (button + swipe)
4. **Page indicators?**
- Dot indicators (TabView page style)
- Page count label ("1 of 3")
- None (single scrollable view)
## Generation Process
### Step 1: Read Templates
Read `templates.md` for production Swift code.
### Step 2: Create Core Files
Generate these files:
1. `WhatsNewFeature.swift` — Model for a single feature (title, description, SF Symbol, tint color)
2. `WhatsNewRelease.swift` — Groups features by version string with date
3. `VersionTracker.swift` — Tracks last-shown version in UserDefaults, compares against current bundle version
4. `WhatsNewProvider.swift` — Protocol + local implementation (optional remote)
### Step 3: Create UI Files
5. `WhatsNewView.swift` — Paged view with TabView(.page) showing features
6. `WhatsNewSheet.swift` — Wrapper that auto-presents via `.sheet(item:)` when new version detected
### Step 4: Create Optional Files
Based on configuration:
- `RemoteWhatsNewProvider.swift` — If remote content source selected
- `WhatsNewJSON.swift` — If local JSON source selected
### Step 5: Determine File Location
Check project structure:
- If `Sources/` exists -> `Sources/WhatsNew/`
- If `App/` exists -> `App/WhatsNew/`
- Otherwise -> `WhatsNew/`
## Output Format
After generation, provide:
### Files Created
```
WhatsNew/
├── WhatsNewFeature.swift # Single feature model
├── WhatsNewRelease.swift # Version-grouped features
├── VersionTracker.swift # Version persistence & comparison
├── WhatsNewProvider.swift # Content provider protocol + local impl
├── WhatsNewView.swift # Paged feature display
├── WhatsNewSheet.swift # Auto-presenting sheet wrapper
└── RemoteWhatsNewProvider.swift # Remote content (optional)
```
### Integration Steps
**Option 1: View Modifier Style (Recommended)**
```swift
@main
struct MyApp: App {
var body: some Scene {
WindowGroup {
ContentView()
.whatsNewSheet() // Automatically shows after updates
}
}
}
```
**Option 2: Manual Control in Root View**
```swift
@main
struct MyApp: App {
@State private var whatsNewRelease: WhatsNewRelease?
var body: some Scene {
WindowGroup {
ContentView()
.sheet(item: $whatsNewRelease) { release in
WhatsNewView(release: release)
}
.task {
let tracker = VersionTracker()
if tracker.shouldShowWhatsNew() {
whatsNewRelease = WhatsNewProvider.local.latestRelease()
}
}
}
}
}
```
**Option 3: Inline Embedding**
```swift
struct HomeView: View {
@State private var tracker = VersionTracker()
var body: some View {
VStack {
if tracker.shouldShowWhatsNew(),
let release = WhatsNewProvider.local.latestRelease() {
WhatsNewView(release: release) {
tracker.markVersionAsShown()
}
}
// Rest of home content...
}
}
}
```
### Adding New Releases
```swift
// In LocalWhatsNewProvider.swift — add a new entry per release
static let releases: [WhatsNewRelease] = [
WhatsNewRelease(
version: "2.1.0",
date: Date(timeIntervalSince1970: 1_700_000_000),
features: [
WhatsNewFeature(
title: "Dark Mode Support",
description: "Full dark mode across all screens.",
systemImage: "moon.fill",
tintColor: .indigo
),
WhatsNewFeature(
title: "Faster Search",
description: "Search results now appear instantly.",
systemImage: "magnifyingglass",
tintColor: .orange
),
]
),
// Previous releases...
]
```
### Testing
```swift
@Test
func showsWhatsNewForNewVersion() {
let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: "TestWhatsNew")!
defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: "TestWhatsNew")
let tracker = VersionTracker(
defaults: defaults,
currentVersion: "2.0.0"
)
// First launch — no previous version stored
#expect(tracker.shouldShowWhatsNew() == true)
tracker.markVersionAsShown()
#expect(tracker.shouldShowWhatsNew() == false)
}
@Test
func skipsWhatsNewWhenVersionUnchanged() {
let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: "TestWhatsNew2")!
defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: "TestWhatsNew2")
let tracker = VersionTracker(
defaults: defaults,
currentVersion: "1.5.0"
)
tracker.markVersionAsShown()
// Same version — should not show
let tracker2 = VersionTracker(
defaults: defaults,
currentVersion: "1.5.0"
)
#expect(tracker2.shouldShowWhatsNew() == false)
}
@Test
func showsWhatsNewAfterUpdate() {
let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: "TestWhatsNew3")!
defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: "TestWhatsNew3")
let tracker = VersionTracker(
defaults: defaults,
currentVersion: "1.0.0"
)
tracker.markVersionAsShown()
// Simulate update
let trackerAfterUpdate = VersionTracker(
defaults: defaults,
currentVersion: "2.0.0"
)
#expect(trackerAfterUpdate.shouldShowWhatsNew() == true)
}
```
## Common Patterns
### Define Features Per Version
Group features by release version so older users who skipped updates still see relevant changes:
```swift
// Show features for all versions newer than lastShownVersion
func featuresSinceLastShown() -> [WhatsNewFeature] {
let lastShown = tracker.lastShownVersion ?? "0.0.0"
return releases
.filter { $0.version.compare(lastShown, options: .numeric) == .orderedDescending }
.flatMap(\.features)
}
```
### Conditional Display
Only show if there are actually features to display for the current version:
```swift
if let release = provider.release(for: currentVersion),
tracker.shouldShowWhatsNew() {
// Present What's New
}
```
### Remote Content Loading
Fetch features from a server to update without app releases:
```swift
let provider = RemoteWhatsNewProvider(
endpoint: URL(string: "https://api.example.com/whats-new")!,
fallback: LocalWhatsNewProvider() // Offline fallback
)
let release = try await provider.latestRelease()
```
## Gotchas
### CFBundleShortVersionString vs CFBundleVersion
- `CFBundleShortVersionString` = marketing version (e.g., "2.1.0") — use this for What's New
- `CFBundleVersion` = build number (e.g., "47") — changes every build, NOT suitable for What's New tracking
- Always compare the marketing version, never the build number
### First Install vs Update Detection
- On first install, `lastShownVersion` is `nil`
- Decide whether first-time users should see What's New (usually NO — show onboarding instead)
- If `lastShownVersion` is `nil`, either skip What's New or set the current version without showing:
```swift
func shouldShowWhatsNew() -> Bool {
guard let lastShown = lastShownVersion else {
// First install — mark current version, don't show
markVersionAsShown()
return false
}
return currentVersion.compare(lastShown, options: .numeric) == .orderedDescending
}
```
### TestFlight vs App Store Versions
- TestFlight builds may have the same marketing version but different build numbers
- If using TestFlight for beta testing, consider including build number in tracking key for testers
- For production, always track by marketing version only
### Version String Comparison
- Use `.numeric` option in `String.compare(_:options:)` so "2.0.0" > "1.10.0" (not lexicographic)
- Never compare version strings with `<` or `>` operators directly — "9.0" would sort after "10.0" lexicographically
### Accessibility
- Ensure all feature images have accessibility labels
- Support Dynamic Type in feature descriptions
- VoiceOver should read features sequentially — use `.accessibilityElement(children: .combine)` on feature cards
## References
- **templates.md** — All production Swift templates
- Related: `generators/onboarding-generator` — First-launch onboarding (complementary — onboarding for first install, What's New for updates)Related Skills
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