VersionStatus

VersionStatus is a metadata concept used in software engineering to describe the current maturity, lifecycle stage, or release state of a particular version or artifact. It helps teams communicate readiness, compatibility, and policy for distribution, support, and integration.

Common states and their meanings:

- Draft: the version is under internal development and not yet ready for external use.

- InReview: changes are being evaluated for quality, security, and compliance.

- Approved: the version has passed review and is permitted for release.

- Beta or ReleaseCandidate: pre-release stages intended for testing by a broader audience.

- Released: the version is publicly available and can be deployed or consumed.

- Deprecated: the version remains supported for a limited time but is discouraged for new deployments.

- Superseded: a newer version has replaced it and it may be phased out.

- Archived: the version is no longer active and kept only for historical reference.

Usage and implications:

VersionStatus is used in release planning, API compatibility guidance, build pipelines, and documentation to set expectations about stability and support. It may be stored as metadata in manifests, configuration files, or version control tags, and can control what users or integrations are permitted to access or deploy. Consistency in status naming and policy helps reduce confusion across teams and external consumers.

Limitations:

Not all systems require formal statuses, and inconsistent definitions can lead to miscommunication. Organizations should align VersionStatus with their lifecycle policies and ensure that transitions between states follow documented criteria.

Examples:

In a manifest, a version might be marked as VersionStatus: "Released" to indicate public availability, while a future version is VersionStatus: "Beta" for testing.