Add RELEASE_NOTES.adoc from 2020

[peter-lawrey]

This change formalises release documentation by introducing a dedicated RELEASE_NOTES.adoc file and removing the external release-notes badge from the README.

Why

• The README previously linked to external Chronicle-wide release notes, which:

  • are not versioned with this repository
  • don’t provide project-specific detail

• There was no authoritative, in-repo history of releases for Java-Runtime-Compiler

• Consumers need a clear, versioned view of:

  • functional vs non-functional changes
  • upgrade implications
  • compatibility and security-impacting changes

What changed

• Added RELEASE_NOTES.adoc

  • Covers all tagged releases from 2020-01-01 onwards

  • Uses annotated Git tags + commit history as source of truth

  • Distinguishes:

    • [F] Functional changes (runtime, API, behaviour, security)
    • [N] Non-functional changes (BOM, docs, build, metadata)

  • Includes:

    • upgrade highlights
    • release summaries
    • unreleased branch activity (for visibility)
    • maintainer guidance

• Updated README.adoc

  • Removed external “release notes subscription” badge
  • Added direct link to the in-repo RELEASE_NOTES.adoc

Impact

• No runtime or API changes

• Improves:

  • discoverability of release history
  • upgrade clarity for users
  • traceability (repo-local, version-controlled)

• Aligns with AIDE-style documentation principles:

  • deterministic, reviewable, and repository-contained artefacts

Notes

• External Chronicle release notes remain available, but this repo now has a self-contained, authoritative history
• Future releases should update RELEASE_NOTES.adoc alongside tagging to maintain consistency

[sonarqubecloud]

Quality Gate passed

Issues
0 New issues
0 Accepted issues

Measures
0 Security Hotspots
0.0% Coverage on New Code
0.0% Duplication on New Code

See analysis details on SonarQube Cloud