Difference between revisions of "Version Number"

Revision as of 19:53, 13 January 2012

This article should help to find a correct version number for a software product. A custom track is a software product and should follow the rules, so that all people know what the author mean. The goal is to avoid the RC mixture used by the ct authors.

If an end user gets for example a release candidate (RC), he thing he gets a nearly 100% working track and he doesn't expect a buggy alpha with known freezes.

Basic Versioning

If software (and also tracks) is developed it goes to several stages and many builds (compiled/generated versions). Sometimes the author want to publish some of these builds and to find a good version naming.

The stages are not clearly defined and the following is only a suggestion. A preview is e very early stage of the software and not usable. An alpha version is principal complete with known major bugs. A beta version is nearly ready with known minor bugs. A release candidate has no known bugs and is published for final tests. A release is bug free — or should be bug free.

Preview

A preview (pre release) is a very early and incomplete copy of the software. It should give some impressions.

Examples for naming

pre-3
preview4
v3.pre5

Alpha

An alpha version has (nearly) all thinks implemented, but is known to have major bugs and much closer to a product than a preview.

Examples for naming

alpha
a4
v3.alpha-5

Beta

A beta version is nearly ready, has some known minor bugs and works generally as expected. The author(s) give it away for tests to find more bugs.

Examples for naming

beta
b4
v3.beta-5

Release Candidate

A release candidate (RC) is a candidate for the release. The author means, it is ready and bug free (if not, he must declare the known bugs) and give it away for final tests.

RC1 means first release candidate and RC2 second release candidate. Numbers like RC0.9 and RC1.4 are nonsense.

Examples for naming

RC1
rc-2
v3.rc2

Release

If the release candidate is stable and well tested, you rename it to "v*". "*" may be nearly anything.

Examples for naming

v1
v1.2
v1a
v1.12b
v00001.02.0003

You can also combine version numbers with preview, alpha, beta or release candidate. You need the if you plan e.g. e beta for version 2. Separate the suffix from the main version number by a dot.

Examples for naming

v3.pre-1
v12.alpha
v2.b3 (b for beta)
v5.RC3

Alternative Versioning

Proof Of Concept

A Proof Of Concept (short POC) is a software version to test a concept of anything, like the »Train for Kalimari POC«. The goal of a POC track is not to have a running track, but to find out, if a technical detail will work.

Examples for naming

POC-1
poc2

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 The stages are not clearly defined and the following is only a suggestion.
-A '''preview''' is e very early stage of the software and not usable.<br>
+A '''preview''' is e very early stage of the software and not usable.
-An '''alpha''' version is principal complete with known major bugs.<br>
+An '''alpha''' version is principal complete with known major bugs.
-A '''beta''' version is nearly ready with known minor bugs.<br>
+A '''beta''' version is nearly ready with known minor bugs.
-A '''release candidate''' has no known bugs and is published for final tests.<br>
+A '''release candidate''' has no known bugs and is published for final tests.
-A '''release''' is bug free &mdash; or should be bug free.<br>
+A '''release''' is bug free &mdash; or should be bug free.
 === Preview ===