🚀 Release 8.2.0

[chrisjsewell]

Prepares the 8.2.0 release.

Version bumps

• sphinx_needs/__init__.py → 8.2.0
• .github/workflows/docker.yaml (NEEDS_VERSION) → 8.2.0
• docs/_static/tutorial_needs.json regenerated with the new version

Changelog

Rewrote the Unreleased section into a user-friendly 8.2.0 entry. Reviewing every PR since v8.1.1 surfaced several that were missing from the draft (notably the full variant-data feature set), so those are now included and categorised.

The entry leads with the two headline features:

• Variant data — a dedicated narrative section tying together the new variant-data tooling (✨ Add needs_variant_data — rich structured variant data (deprecates needs_filter_data) #1715, ✨ Add if directive for variant-conditional content #1716, ✨ Add <{...}> variant data syntax for field values #1721, ✨ Add variant role for inline variant data references #1737): needs_variant_data / needs_variant_data_file, the inline <{ ... }> field syntax, the variant role, and the if directive — with runnable examples showing the shared var namespace across filters, fields, prose, and whole blocks.
• network_back schema validation (✨ Add network_back schema key to validate incoming links #1731) — incoming-link validation, letting coverage rules ("every requirement must be covered by a test") be expressed once on the target.

Remaining changes are grouped into Improvements (#1632, #1717, #1736, #1730, context7), Deprecations (needs_filter_data), Breaking changes (Open-Needs removal, #1732), and Bug fixes (#1727, #1371, #1564). Internal/test-only PRs were intentionally omitted.

Docs build cleanly — all cross-references in the new section resolve without warnings.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

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Generated by Claude Code

[codecov]

Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ Project coverage is 89.41%. Comparing base (4e10030) to head (c3e88ab).
⚠️ Report is 304 commits behind head on master.

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master    #1739      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   86.87%   89.41%   +2.53%     
==========================================
  Files          56       73      +17     
  Lines        6532    10584    +4052     
==========================================
+ Hits         5675     9464    +3789     
- Misses        857     1120     +263     

Flag	Coverage Δ
pytests	89.41% <100.00%> (+2.53%)	⬆️

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[ubmarco]

Awesome new features, thanks for the detailed changelog write-up