Refresh v13 release-note appendix evidence

Context

The v13 release-note artifact already has the appendix generator path from predecessor #12699, but the evidence snapshot in resources/content/release-notes/v13.0.0.md is now stale. The current file still says the 2026-06-07 live counts were 1,228 merged PRs and 1,629 closed issues, while a live GitHub GraphQL count on 2026-06-08T02:46Z reports 1,237 merged PRs and 1,639 closed issues since the v12.1.0 boundary.

This is a follow-up, not a duplicate of #12699: #12699 created the appendix mechanism and documented the command; this ticket refreshes the release-note evidence that consumes that mechanism.

Pre-creation evidence on 2026-06-08T02:48:11Z:

• Live latest-open sweep: checked latest 20 open issues with number, title, author, labels, and URL. Found #12696 plus active KB/MX/grid/backlog items, but no open v13 appendix refresh or stale-count leaf.
• Targeted live sweeps: open v13 release appendix returned no issues; closed v13 release appendix returned #12699 and #12698; open Full Changelog Strategy returned no issues.
• Exact local sweep for v13.*appendix, appendix.*v13, release.*appendix, Full Changelog Strategy, release counts, and analyzeClosedSinceRelease found the current v13 release-note placeholder plus historical analyzer references, but no open follow-up.
• Semantic KB ticket sweep for v13 release appendix refresh counts full changelog release notes generated appendix ticket found no v13 duplicate and surfaced only older release-note precedents.
• Project pre-flight: attach to Project 12, the v13 release board.

The Problem

The v13 release is moving faster than the release-note evidence. That is expected during the final push, but the current artifact mixes three states:

1. A strong curated narrative body.
2. A reproducible appendix generator from #12699.
3. Stale count evidence and a Full Changelog Strategy placeholder that still reads like future work.

If this is left until the release cut, the final PR risks either stale public numbers or a late, hard-to-review changelog churn block.

The Architectural Reality

The release-note source is resources/content/release-notes/v13.0.0.md. The appendix generator is buildScripts/release/analyzeClosedSinceRelease.mjs, which scans recursive local mirrors under resources/content/issues/**/*.md and resources/content/pulls/**/*.md.

Current falsifying checks:

• node buildScripts/release/analyzeClosedSinceRelease.mjs 2026-03-27 --format markdown --include-items --output /private/tmp/v13-release-appendix.md generated a 2,933-line local appendix snapshot.
• The generated local snapshot reports 1,228 merged PRs and 1,587 closed issues from the local mirror.
• Live GitHub GraphQL reports 1,237 merged PRs with query repo:neomjs/neo is:pr is:merged merged:>=2026-03-27.
• Live GitHub GraphQL reports 1,639 closed issues with query repo:neomjs/neo is:issue is:closed closed:>=2026-03-27.

The live/local split is real and should be stated directly; sync_all may be stale or intentionally avoided while the workflow sync performance fixes settle.

The Fix

Update resources/content/release-notes/v13.0.0.md so the appendix section becomes a release-ready evidence snapshot rather than a future strategy placeholder:

• Rename or reshape Full Changelog Strategy into a current appendix/evidence section.
• Refresh live counts to the current GitHub GraphQL evidence.
• Preserve the local appendix count separately and explain the live/local freshness boundary.
• Keep exhaustive 2,933-line output out of the narrative body; include the rerunnable command and the summary tables/rollups that make the scale navigable.
• Leave final publishedAt, isDraft, and the very last release-cut count refresh to the release cut checklist.

Contract Ledger Matrix

Decision Record impact

Aligned with ADR 0004. This work consumes the recursive resources/content/ mirror and must not reintroduce flat-path assumptions.

Acceptance Criteria

• AC1: resources/content/release-notes/v13.0.0.md no longer presents the appendix path only as a future strategy; it contains a current appendix/evidence snapshot section.
• AC2: Live merged-PR and closed-issue counts are refreshed from GitHub GraphQL and state the v12.1.0 cutoff boundary.
• AC3: Local appendix counts remain separate from live counts, with a clear freshness caveat.
• AC4: The rerunnable appendix command remains present and does not require shell redirection.
• AC5: The exhaustive 2,933-line appendix output is not inlined into the curated narrative body.
• AC6: Release-cut-only work remains explicit: publishedAt, isDraft, and final count refresh are not prematurely finalized.
• AC7: Public-surface hygiene check confirms no private/client material and no unverified count claims.

Out of Scope

• Changing the appendix generator itself; that was #12699.
• Rewriting the v13 narrative arc or hero war stories.
• Finalizing Body/Grid release wording after the grid lanes converge.
• Publishing the release or running buildScripts/release/publish.mjs.
• Authoring the future release-notes skill; #10321 remains post-artifact.

Avoided Traps

• Rejected: creating a duplicate appendix-generation ticket after finding closed #12699.
• Rejected: inlining the full generated appendix into the narrative body. The generated snapshot is 2,933 lines and would drown the story.
• Rejected: pretending local mirror counts are live counts. The difference is currently material.
• Rejected: flipping final release metadata before the actual release cut.

Related

• Parent epic: #12696
• Predecessor appendix mechanism: #12699
• Release-note spine: #12695
• War-story feed: #12698
• Future release-notes skill: #10321

Origin Session ID: e8f07ef9-ef7e-4815-8ff4-7abe13720621

Retrieval Hint: v13 release note appendix evidence refresh stale counts GraphQL issueCount local appendix snapshot analyzeClosedSinceRelease