Changelog

This changelog records documentation and public-contract changes. It does not replace the product release log or Git history.

July 20, 2026

Unified documentation hub

• Added the public /docs hub with shared navigation, search, breadcrumbs, in-page tables of contents, lifecycle metadata, and previous/next navigation.
• Added reader, journalist, researcher, developer, and data-reuser entry paths.
• Added the core data dictionary, coverage contract, source register, API overview, citation guide, glossary, FAQ, and legal overview.

Governance

• Declared one canonical product-current-state source and a separate build/deployment-status source.
• Added documentation frontmatter, topic ownership, review dates, evidence levels, layers, and a non-destructive archive policy.
• Added a repository front door and contributor documentation-impact requirement.

Coverage and naming integrity

• Reaffirmed 1892–2024 as the complete public presidential record.
• Kept 1876–1888 explicitly partial.
• Recorded the July 20, 2026 generated static place-page count as 18,491 while requiring recalculation after future data bakes.
• Prohibited the retired public product name while preserving clearly labeled legacy infrastructure identifiers where operationally necessary.

How entries are added

Add an entry when a release changes:

• a public route or endpoint;
• a schema field's meaning, type, unit, or availability;
• a coverage span or page-count contract;
• a source or methodology;
• authentication, caching, rate, or stability behavior;
• citation, license, or attribution requirements;
• a major product workflow documented here.

Pure copy edits do not require an entry unless they correct a material factual claim.