1.9.x Series (Groovy)

Please see visualization 1.9.x ChangeLists, rviz 1.9.x ChangeLists, and interactive_markers 1.9.x ChangeLists.

Several major changes are in the Groovy release:

The visualization stack is now a simple meta-package, and rviz and interactive_markers are now standalone packages install-able independently, built with Catkin.
RViz's file format has changed. The old rviz saved into "*.vcg" files whose contents were stored in a sort of inconsistent version of an "ini" format. Groovy rviz saves into "*.rviz" files whose contents are in YAML format.
All major components in rviz are now plug-able, so you can write plugins for view controllers, tools, panels, and displays.
Python bindings have been added for many of the main classes, allowing scripts to open and interact with rviz windows.
Visualization, rviz, and interactive_markers source code has all moved to Github, in the ros-visualization organization.
Minor version numbers will no longer have an "odd is unstable, even is stable" scheme. Instead they will increment only on ROS releases.

1.8.x Series (Fuerte)

Please see visualization 1.8.x ChangeLists

1.7.x Series (Fuerte alpha)

The big news in 1.7 and later is that rviz has moved to Qt! Qt is easier and more powerful to develop with than wxWidgets (in my opinion), and a lot of ROS tools are moving to Qt. The new version should be easier and more intuitive to use, more customize-able, and more extensible.

Please see visualization 1.7.x ChangeLists

1.6.x Series (Electric)

Please see visualization 1.6.x ChangeLists

1.5.x Series (Electric Alpha)

Please see visualization 1.5.x ChangeLists

1.4.x Series (Diamondback)

Please see visualization 1.4.x ChangeLists

1.3.x Series (Diamondback Alpha)

Please see visualization 1.3.x ChangeLists

1.2.x Series (C Turtle)

Please see visualization 1.2.x ChangeLists

1.1.x Series (C Turtle Alpha)

Please see visualization 1.1.x ChangeLists

1.0.x Series (Box Turtle)

Please see visualization 1.0.x ChangeLists

Pre 1.0

Please see visualization Pre-1.0 ChangeLists