Versionointisääntöjen

Versionointisääntöjen, often translated as versioning rules or versioning policies, refers to a set of guidelines and procedures established to manage the creation, modification, and release of different versions of a product, software, document, or any other asset. These rules are crucial for maintaining order, clarity, and traceability throughout a project's lifecycle.

The primary purpose of versioning rules is to prevent chaos and ensure that teams and stakeholders can easily identify, access, and understand specific states of an asset. This includes defining naming conventions for versions, establishing criteria for incrementing version numbers (e.g., major, minor, patch releases), and outlining the process for reviewing and approving changes before a new version is released.

Common elements within versioning rules include the use of semantic versioning (SemVer), which employs a three-part number like MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH to communicate the nature of changes. MAJOR version increments indicate incompatible API changes, MINOR increments signify backward-compatible additions, and PATCH increments denote backward-compatible bug fixes. Other rules might dictate the use of tags for specific releases, the maintenance of release notes detailing changes in each version, and the storage and retrieval mechanisms for older versions.

Implementing clear versioning rules facilitates collaboration, reduces the risk of introducing errors, and simplifies rollback procedures if a new version proves problematic. It provides a structured approach to managing evolution and ensures that the history of an asset is well-documented and accessible.