Merge pull request #701 from MetOffice/690_changelog_process_update

Suggest descriptive PR titles instead of changelog entry

.github/pull_request_template.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Aim to have all relevant checks ticked off before merging. See the [developer's
 - [ ] Documentation has been updated to reflect change.
 - [ ] New code has tests, and affected old tests have been updated.
 - [ ] All tests and CI checks pass.
-- [ ] Added an entry to the top of `docs/source/changelog.rst`
+- [ ] Ensured the pull request title is descriptive.
 - [ ] Conda lock files have been updated if dependencies have changed.
 - [ ] Attributed any Generative AI, such as GitHub Copilot, used in this PR.
 - [ ] Marked the PR as ready to review.

docs/source/changelog.rst

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ Unreleased
 
 * `@dasha-shchep`_ Fixes METPLUS metadata issue in :pr:`692`
 
-.. Add your changes here, highlighting any user facing changes. E.g:
+.. Add changes here, probably taken from GitHub release notes.
+.. Highlight any user facing changes. E.g:
 .. "* `@gh-user`_ did foo to bar in :pr:`9999`. This enables baz."
 
 * `@Sylviabohnenstengel`_ documentation: add info on quick pytesting in :pr: `696`

docs/source/contributing/index.rst

@@ -47,18 +47,14 @@ you need to add the file again with git add and rerun the commit.
 .. image:: failing_pr_check.png
     :alt: Pull request checks, with a couple failing. The details link is highlighted.
 
-Added an entry to the top of ``docs/source/changelog.rst``
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-For any non-trivial change an entry in the :doc:`/changelog` should be created.
-Put a line describing your change in the Unreleased section at the top of the
-file. Take inspiration from the other entries, and link to your PR using the
-``:pr:`123``` directive. If this is your first time contributing also link your
-GitHub username to your profile by adding the following line in that section:
+Ensured the pull request title is descriptive
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-.. code-block:: rst
+The PR title is used for the release notes. Therefore it should be
+sufficiently descriptive, and in particular should highlight any breaking
+changes.
 
-    .. _@username: https://github.com/username
+The PR title can be edited by clicking the "Edit" button to its right.
 
 Conda lock files have been updated if dependencies changed
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

docs/source/contributing/releases.rst

@@ -86,6 +86,15 @@ On this page you will need to add several things.
 Once that is all written you simply need to press "Publish release". A release
 will be automatically made, and the package will be pushed to PyPI and beyond.
 
+After the release has been made you will want to add the release notes into a
+new section in the :doc:`/changelog`. If this is someone's first time
+contributing also link their GitHub username to their profile by adding the
+following line at the bottom of that section:
+
+.. code-block:: rst
+
+    .. _@username: https://github.com/username
+
 .. _CalVer: https://calver.org/
 .. _Releases: https://github.com/MetOffice/CSET/releases
 .. _Draft a new release: https://github.com/MetOffice/CSET/releases/new