Hauptreleases

Hauptreleases is a term used in software development to designate the main or major releases of a product. These releases typically introduce new features, significant architectural changes, performance improvements, or broad changes in behavior. They are distinguished from minor updates, patches, and hotfixes.

The term is common in German-speaking teams and documentation and is often used alongside terms for smaller releases. In English-language contexts, the equivalent concept is major releases or major versions.

Versioning and planning for Hauptreleases typically involves an increment to the major version number (for example from 2.x to 3.0) and may be accompanied by migration guides, updated documentation, and deprecation notices. Release notes document new features, breaking changes, and known issues to help users plan upgrades.

The release process for a Hauptreleases usually includes planning, feature locking, internal testing, beta programs, and public release. Compatibility assessments identify changes that may break integrations, and migration strategies provide steps for users to transition to the new version without disruption where possible.

Impact and governance considerations include effects on ecosystem compatibility, third-party extensions, and automation tooling. Organizations may publish long-term support timelines and clarify support for existing deployments. The concept of Hauptreleases supports predictable upgrade planning, but it also requires clear communication about breaking changes, deprecations, and the scope of the update.