diff --git a/.github/instructions/changelog.instructions.md b/.github/instructions/changelog.instructions.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b782f7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/instructions/changelog.instructions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+applyTo: "CHANGELOG.md"
+description: "Changelog format and conventions based on Keep a Changelog"
+---
+
+# Changelog Format
+
+This project follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) and [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
+
+## Structure
+
+- New entries go under `## [Unreleased]`.
+- Released versions use `## [X.Y.Z] - YYYY-MM-DD`.
+- Group entries by type: `Added`, `Changed`, `Deprecated`, `Removed`, `Fixed`, `Security`.
+
+## Entry format
+
+- One line per PR: concise description ending with `(#PR_NUMBER)`.
+- Credit external contributors inline: `— by @username (#PR_NUMBER)`.
+- Combine related PRs into a single line when they form one logical change: `(#251, #256, #258)`.
+- Use backticks for code references: commands, file names, config keys, classes.
+
+## Rules
+
+- Every merged PR that changes code, tests, docs, or dependencies must have a changelog entry.
+- Do NOT include version-bump or release-machinery PRs (e.g., "chore: bump to vX.Y.Z").
+- When releasing, move Unreleased entries into a new versioned section — never delete them.
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e11046eb..585a0555 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,23 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Added
 
 - Diff-aware `apm install` — manifest as source of truth: removed packages, ref/version changes, and MCP config drift in `apm.yml` all self-correct on the next `apm install` without `--update` or `--force`; introduces `drift.py` with pure helper functions (#260)
+- `DiagnosticCollector` for structured install diagnostics (#267)
+- Detailed file-level logging to `apm unpack` command (#252)
+- Astro Starlight documentation site with narrative redesign (#243)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Resolve WinError 32 during sparse-checkout fallback on Windows — by @JanDeDobbeleer (#235)
+- CLI consistency: docs alignment, emoji removal, `show_default` flags (#266)
+
+### Changed
+
+- Minimum Python version bumped to 3.10; Black upgraded to 26.3.1 (#269)
+- Refactor `cli.py` and `apm_package.py` into focused modules — by @sergio-sisternes-epam (#224)
+- Revamp README as storefront for documentation site (#251, #256, #258)
+- Remove duplicated content from CLI reference page (#261)
+- Bump devalue 5.6.3 → 5.6.4 in docs (#263)
+- Primitives models coverage 78% → 100%; add discovery and parser coverage tests (#240, #254)
 
 ## [0.7.7] - 2026-03-10