diff --git a/doc/make.py b/doc/make.py
index d90cd2428360d..a81ba7afd9f81 100755
--- a/doc/make.py
+++ b/doc/make.py
@@ -41,12 +41,14 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         num_jobs=0,
         include_api=True,
+        whatsnew=False,
         single_doc=None,
         verbosity=0,
         warnings_are_errors=False,
     ):
         self.num_jobs = num_jobs
         self.include_api = include_api
+        self.whatsnew = whatsnew
         self.verbosity = verbosity
         self.warnings_are_errors = warnings_are_errors
 
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ def __init__(
             os.environ["SPHINX_PATTERN"] = single_doc
         elif not include_api:
             os.environ["SPHINX_PATTERN"] = "-api"
+        elif whatsnew:
+            os.environ["SPHINX_PATTERN"] = "whatsnew"
 
         self.single_doc_html = None
         if single_doc and single_doc.endswith(".rst"):
@@ -235,6 +239,9 @@ def html(self):
                 self._open_browser(self.single_doc_html)
             else:
                 self._add_redirects()
+                if self.whatsnew:
+                    self._open_browser(os.path.join("whatsnew", "index.html"))
+
         return ret_code
 
     def latex(self, force=False):
@@ -302,6 +309,12 @@ def main():
     argparser.add_argument(
         "--no-api", default=False, help="omit api and autosummary", action="store_true"
     )
+    argparser.add_argument(
+        "--whatsnew",
+        default=False,
+        help="only build whatsnew (and api for links)",
+        action="store_true",
+    )
     argparser.add_argument(
         "--single",
         metavar="FILENAME",
@@ -353,6 +366,7 @@ def main():
     builder = DocBuilder(
         args.num_jobs,
         not args.no_api,
+        args.whatsnew,
         args.single,
         args.verbosity,
         args.warnings_are_errors,
diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index 7f7ddd8209272..7cd9743e463d0 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@
 # (e.g. '10min.rst' or 'pandas.DataFrame.head')
 source_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 pattern = os.environ.get("SPHINX_PATTERN")
-single_doc = pattern is not None and pattern != "-api"
-include_api = pattern != "-api"
+single_doc = pattern is not None and pattern not in ("-api", "whatsnew")
+include_api = pattern is None or pattern == "whatsnew"
 if pattern:
     for dirname, dirs, fnames in os.walk(source_path):
         reldir = os.path.relpath(dirname, source_path)
@@ -104,7 +104,13 @@
                     continue
                 elif pattern == "-api" and reldir.startswith("reference"):
                     exclude_patterns.append(fname)
-                elif pattern != "-api" and fname != pattern:
+                elif (
+                    pattern == "whatsnew"
+                    and not reldir.startswith("reference")
+                    and reldir != "whatsnew"
+                ):
+                    exclude_patterns.append(fname)
+                elif single_doc and fname != pattern:
                     exclude_patterns.append(fname)
 
 with open(os.path.join(source_path, "index.rst.template")) as f:
diff --git a/doc/source/development/contributing.rst b/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
index bf1d7d5fce32a..f3630a44d29cd 100644
--- a/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
+++ b/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
@@ -604,6 +604,10 @@ reducing the turn-around time for checking your changes.
     python make.py clean
     python make.py --single pandas.DataFrame.join
 
+    # compile whatsnew and API section (to resolve links in the whatsnew)
+    python make.py clean
+    python make.py --whatsnew
+
 For comparison, a full documentation build may take 15 minutes, but a single
 section may take 15 seconds. Subsequent builds, which only process portions
 you have changed, will be faster.