Better info about plugin updates // plugin changelog

Feature requests
1

Use case or problem

To check and update plugins, we need to enter settings => Community Plugins and select “Check for update.”

Then when there are new versions, we see a message - essential information that X plugins have an update.

It’s not helpful info because I would like to know which plugin has changed and what has changed.

Current workaround (optional)

Go through the list of plugins and check one by one each plugin.

Proposed solution

Show all updated plugins in one place - direct above a “Check for update” button. It would be effortless to see what was updated.

4 Likes
2

there is a plugin for this. Plugin changelog.

1 Like
3

It doesn’t work like this.
Do you suggest I should talk with the authors of this plugin to implement it?

4

well it doesn’t work exactly like that but you can check for updates and then see the changelog of plugins marked for update.

5

I just subscribe to the plugins in [github/notifications | settings] and receive updates via email this way.

PS
To be able to read them in my rss feed reader(e.g. Inoreader) I forward them from gmail via https://kill-the-newsletter.com/

OR … subscribe directly to github rss feeds …
How to Watch Repositories on Github via a NewsFeed
RSS feeds for your Github releases, tags and activity

So far I’ve found the email notifications to be more customize-able than the rss feeds.

6

Use case or problem

When viewing your currently-installed plugins, if you want to try to view changelogs for any that have available updates, you need to individually click on each plugin, load the details, then click the changelog/latest release link in there.

Then, to check the changelog of the next plugin with updates, you need to go back to the full plugins list, and scroll down to whatever the next plugin was (since going back to the full list resets your scroll position). It’s a pain.

Proposed solutions

I see a few potential solutions (though salves may be more appropriate for some):

  1. If a plugin in the list has an available update (ie. if you would render an Update button), append the changelog link after the description, so it’s more easily accessible. (Or something similar in effect, like a button or clickable icon.) The ideal.

  2. Offer a filter option in the “installed community plugins” screen to show only those with updates. Would be a nice QoL addition, making it easier to see what can be updated (which can be annoying with lots of plugins installed).

  3. When clicking a plugin on the “installed community plugins” screen to open the plugin details, remember and restore the scroll position for when the plugin details screen is then closed.

Options 1 and 2 would complement each other nicely.

6 Likes
7

Remembering and restoring the scroll position when navigating through settings would be great. Not for just this use-case, but generally.

8

Even better, show changelogs when or before updating and why not adding a checked box for installation

9

It’s becoming more challenging to keep track of all plugin updates. I propose that Obsidian reads a CHANGELOG file or release notes in each plugin repo that can be included in the settings UI similar to VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Perhaps this could also be used for a global plugin updates feed that is broadcasted in Discord or Discourse.

38 Likes
10

This would be great. I am constantly chasing after “what’s new” info.

11

Definitely Need this.

12

Is there any simple method of viewing what has changed in a plugin’s update? The Obsidian UI will show, for example, “Found 9 plugins to update”, and I can scroll through the list in the UI, click on the plugin, then click on the Repository link to dig through any release notes, etc. Is that the recommended method, or am I missing something?

1 Like
13

Try this plugin. It is for viewing plugins changelogs.

14

Looks good – I’ll check it out. Thank you.

15

Hi, I just wanted to add this information as well. In github, where most of the community plugins appear to be coming from, it’s relatively easy to view code changes as well. The URL format is like this:

https://github.com/<user>/<repo>/compare/<tag1>...<tag2>

… then click on the “Files changed” tab

So for example, imagine you have the Database Folder community plugin installed at version (tagged) 2.8.1 and you can upgrade to version (tagged) 2.8.4. Then you can go to this URL and then “Files changed” tab to see the exact changes in the code that you will be installing:

16

These days, this is the plugin to use: GitHub - swar8080/obsidian-plugin-update-tracker: Know when installed obsidian plugins have updates and evaluate the risk of upgrading
You can see changes and pick out which plugins you want to update.

1 Like