Release notes list what changed in a software release. A short video helps users understand one important change by showing what it does and how to use it. Use the video to support the written release notes. Keep the full version history, limitations, and documentation there.
Pick a user benefit to show in the product, then point viewers to the complete release information. explainroo is a free, open-source kit that lets a coding agent turn that material into a narrated video from your instructions.
Choose one change to show
Choose a release item that is easier to understand when viewers see it, such as a new workflow, a redesigned screen, or a feature with a clear before-and-after result. A routine bug fix with no visible user action usually needs a written note rather than a video. For a complex feature, make a short overview and link to its setup guide instead of squeezing every detail into one clip.
Write down who the video is for, the release version or date, who can access the feature, what they need before using it, and what they should do next. This keeps the video accurate when a feature is limited to certain plans, roles, or rollout groups. Research on release notes also supports tailoring information to its audience rather than repeating every technical detail in one announcement (study on audience-specific release notes).
Shape the release note into a short demonstration
Build the video around one promise: “For [audience], [feature] helps you [outcome].” For example: “Workspace administrators can schedule recurring exports instead of rebuilding the same report each week.” Use only a benefit the product actually delivers.
A practical target for a single-feature video is 45–90 seconds. Treat that as a production guideline, not a universal ideal: research on educational videos and platform benchmarks does not establish a best length for release announcements. Start with the outcome, show the shortest sequence of actions that proves it, mention any essential limitation, and finish with one next step.
Keep the relevant screen visible as you explain the action, and highlight the control or result viewers should notice. Leave unrelated details off screen. Instructional-video research supports removing distracting material and drawing attention to important information. It also supports aligning narration with the visuals (video design principles).
Make the video with explainroo
explainroo works with coding agents that can run shell commands, including Claude Code, Codex, Pi, OpenCode, and Gemini CLI. It works best with Claude Code. Give your agent this prompt, replacing the bracketed topic with the release change:
Make me a short explainer video about [your release change]. Use explainroo for it: clone the explainroo repository, read its AGENTS.md and follow the steps.The agent sets up explainroo, creates the video, checks it, and provides an MP4 file. It writes the narration in script.md and puts the JavaScript instructions for drawing each scene in scenes.js. You can ask the agent to revise either file if the script misses an important limit or the visuals do not clearly demonstrate the feature.
explainroo uses the open Kokoro voice model for English narration. Whisper, a speech-recognition model, tracks when each word is spoken so scene changes match the narration. Chrome draws the scenes, which can include charts, code, or your own screenshots. The kit also creates background music and sound effects, then combines the video with FFmpeg.
Before publishing, review the script for factual accuracy and inspect the scene stills, contact sheet, layout check, and speech check that explainroo provides. Those checks help identify text that overlaps or gets cut off, as well as words the voice mispronounces. A human reviewer still needs to confirm that the product screens and release claims are correct.
explainroo offers wide, tall, portrait, and square formats. Tall, portrait, and square videos include word-by-word captions. Narration is English only. Optional AI illustrations cost money per image; other video costs are zero, though the coding agent is a separate service with its own pricing. explainroo makes narrated explainers and product demos, but it does not edit existing camera footage or create talking avatars or live-action AI footage.
Review accessibility and link the full release
Make sure the narration mentions important details viewers would otherwise see only on screen, such as a setting, warning, or result. Provide accurate captions for prerecorded speech; WCAG 2.2 includes caption requirements for most prerecorded synchronized media. Keep captions clear of buttons and other important interface elements.
Publish the video alongside the versioned release note and link to full documentation. A release record gives readers the durable details they may need to search, cite, or revisit later (GitLab’s release documentation). Use a call to action that matches the feature’s availability, such as “Try the new report” or “Read the setup guide.”
