Versioned

Versioned refers to objects that exist in multiple documented versions. In computing, versioned artifacts are stored with a history of changes to enable review, rollback, or reproducibility. Versioning can be implemented by dedicated version control systems, or by built-in history features in databases, document management systems, or APIs.

Versions are typically identified by a version identifier, a timestamp, or a combination. Some schemes use semantic versioning (major.minor.patch) to communicate compatibility and the degree of change, while others rely on sequential numbers or date-based labels. Changes may include metadata such as author, date, and a brief description.

Common contexts include software development, where versioned releases help manage compatibility and dependencies; APIs, where versioned endpoints or contracts prevent breaking changes; and data management, where datasets are versioned to preserve lineage and enable reproducibility. Content management systems may implement revision histories that make earlier document states accessible.

Benefits of versioning include traceability of changes, the ability to revert to a prior state, auditability, and support for concurrent collaboration with conflict resolution. Challenges can involve storage overhead, merge conflicts in distributed systems, and the need to manage deprecation and compatibility across versions.

The term versioned thus denotes objects that are not static but have an intentional, recorded progression of states as part of their lifecycle. See also version control, semantic versioning, revision history, and data versioning.