diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc26a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+Release Notes
+=============
+
+## Version 0.5.0
+
+- **Breaking change** Use bzip2 compression of sync Data payload (Issue #4140)
+
+- Disallow Interest loopback on sync prefix (Issue #3979)
+
+- Avoid ABI differences between debug/optimized modes (Issue #4496)
+
+- Extend Socket and Logic API:
+
+   - Allow customization of sync interest lifetime (Issue #4490)
+
+   - Limit the size of created sync Data and enable ability to
+     customize the maximum packet size through environment variable
+     (Issue #4140)
+
+   - Allow override of the session number
+
+- Disable use of Exclude filter (preparation for Exclude deprecation
+  in NDN and implementation was only partially correct)