What do version numbers mean?

Semantic Versioning (SemVer) is a versioning scheme for software that aims to convey meaning about the underlying changes in a release.

• SemVer uses a three-part version number: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH.
  • MAJOR version: Incremented when there are incompatible API changes.
  • MINOR version: Incremented when functionality is added in a backward-compatible manner.
  • PATCH version: Incremented when backward-compatible bug fixes are made.
• Example Workflow
  • Initial Development Phase
    • Start with version 0.1.0.
  • First Stable Release
    • Reach a stable release: 1.0.0.
  • Subsequent Changes
    • Patch Release: A bug fix is needed for 1.0.0. Update to 1.0.1.
    • Minor Release: A new, backward-compatible feature is added to 1.0.3. Update to 1.1.0.
    • Major Release: A significant change that is not backward-compatible is introduced in 1.2.2. Update to 2.0.0.
  • Special Versions and Pre-releases
    • Pre-release Versions: 1.0.0-alpha, 1.0.0-beta, 1.0.0-rc.1.
    • Build Metadata: 1.0.0+20130313144700.