Release support lifecycle

Release lifecycle and support

A comprehensive overview of software release management and support policies, covering semantic versioning, end-of-support timelines, security update procedures, and recommended user practices.

Semantic Versioning

Releases follow a semantic versioning system. Each release is identified by a version number in the format vX.Y.Z, where:

  • X (major version): Increments signify major changes or breaking changes.
  • Y (minor version): Increments signify the addition of new features in a backward-compatible manner.
  • Z (patch version): Increments signify backward-compatible bug fixes or security updates.

Examples

  • v4.0.0: Initial release of a major version.
  • v4.0.1: Bug fixes or security updates for the v4.0.0 release.
  • v4.1.0: New features added to the v4.x.x series.
  • v5.0.0: Major new features and breaking changes is APIs or models.

Support

Each version is supported until a new major or minor version is released. For example, once v4.1.0 is released, there will be no new updates (e.g., patches) to v4.0.x. Bug fixes and security fixes are guaranteed by updating to the latest release.

For all releases:

  • End of support occurs when a newer major or minor version is released.
  • After this point, no further updates (including security patches) will be provided for deprecated versions.

Security updates

  • Security updates can be provided at any release level: patch (Z increment), minor (Y increment), or major (X increment).
  • These updates address security vulnerabilities and ensure the version remains secure.
  • Major versions of internal components - such as databases, tools, and frameworks - may change with major or minor version updates to introduce new features or enhancements.

Recommendations

Users are encouraged to promptly update to the latest release to benefit from new features, security patches, and bug fixes. Security is a top priority, and all users are advised to apply updates as soon as they are available.

Review and revision

This release and support lifecycle documentation will be periodically reviewed and revised to reflect any changes in the release and support processes.