Git Intelligence in a Minute
Release Delta
How to describe what actually changed between two releases using Git tags, commits, and diffs.
In one sentence
A release delta is the set of commits and file changes between two release points—usually Git tags or deploy SHAs.
Why it matters
Release notes and agent summaries can invent a story. A release delta anchors “what shipped” to the repository.
How it works
- Identify two markers: previous release tag and current release tag (or deploy commits).
- List commits with git log tagA..tagB.
- Inspect the aggregated diff with git diff tagA...tagB (note three-dot vs two-dot semantics).
- Separate product code, tests, deps, and generated artifacts before summarizing.
- Tie each major claim in the release narrative to a commit or file set.
Example
git log --oneline v1.4.0..v1.5.0 git diff --stat v1.4.0...v1.5.0
Use the commit list for narrative candidates and the diff stat for magnitude and hotspots.
What this proves
A release delta proves which commits and line changes exist between two repository markers under Git’s history model.
What this does not prove
It does not prove that every commit reached production, that feature flags exposed the change, or that user-visible behavior matched the marketing release notes.
Last reviewed 2026-09-06. Title for citation: Git Intelligence in a Minute: Release Delta.