add CHANGELOG.md

[jameslamb]

Contributes to #13

After rapidsai/docs#755, nvForest docs are now live on the docs site: https://docs.rapids.ai/api/

The RAPIDS docs site code automatically adds a link to CHANGELOG.md for each project, expected to be at the repo root. This project doesn't have one yet, so that link is broken.

This adds a minimal CHANGELOG.md file to fix that.

[coderabbitai]

📝 Walkthrough

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Chores
  • Updated CHANGELOG to document nvForest's initial public development timeline.

Walkthrough

Adds a changelog entry documenting nvForest's initial public development milestone in March 2026. This is a straightforward documentation update with minimal scope.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
Documentation Update CHANGELOG.md	Added entry marking the start of nvForest's initial public development in March 2026.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 1 (Trivial) | ⏱️ ~2 minutes

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 3

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately describes the main change: adding a CHANGELOG.md file to the repository.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description clearly explains the context and purpose of adding CHANGELOG.md to fix a broken link on the RAPIDS docs site.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

_{✏️ Tip: You can configure your own custom pre-merge checks in the settings.}

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment

---

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[coderabbitai]

🧹 Nitpick comments (1)

CHANGELOG.md (1)

1-3: Use a conventional changelog structure here.

This fixes the broken link, but the current content reads like a one-off note rather than a changelog. Renaming the top heading to # Changelog and adding this as a dated entry would make future additions much easier and better match what readers expect from a CHANGELOG.md.

♻️ Suggested structure

-# nvForest initial public development (March 2026)
-
-Public development on nvForest began in March 2026.
+# Changelog
+
+## March 2026
+
+- Public development on nvForest began.

As per coding guidelines, documentation changes should prioritize clarity and consistency.

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

In `@CHANGELOG.md` around lines 1 - 3, Replace the current top heading text "#
nvForest initial public development (March 2026)" with a conventional "#
Changelog" heading, and convert the existing sentence "Public development on
nvForest began in March 2026." into a dated entry under the changelog (e.g., "##
2026-03 - Initial public development: Public development on nvForest began in
March 2026."), so the file follows a standard changelog structure and is ready
for future entries.

🤖 Prompt for all review comments with AI agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

Nitpick comments:
In `@CHANGELOG.md`:
- Around line 1-3: Replace the current top heading text "# nvForest initial
public development (March 2026)" with a conventional "# Changelog" heading, and
convert the existing sentence "Public development on nvForest began in March
2026." into a dated entry under the changelog (e.g., "## 2026-03 - Initial
public development: Public development on nvForest began in March 2026."), so
the file follows a standard changelog structure and is ready for future entries.

---

ℹ️ Review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Path: .coderabbit.yaml

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

Run ID: 55c50583-5a3a-4be0-b56c-3a10a7af89e6

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between ea0302b and 39b1f74.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• CHANGELOG.md

[jameslamb]

I'm admin-merging this one based on @hcho3 's approval + the passing CI, don't think packaging-codeowners really needs to be involved in this one.