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MainVersionCode, often written as mainversionCode or Main Version Code, is a software release attribute used to uniquely identify the primary release iteration of a product within a packaging or deployment system. It is typically a monotonically increasing value that is not intended for display to end users, but rather to assist update mechanisms, dependency resolution, and build reproducibility.

The concept is not universally standardized; many ecosystems use a similar construct under different names. For example, Android uses a versionCode, which serves as a monotonic integer that must increase with every publication to the Play Store. Other systems may rely on build numbers or integers embedded in release metadata. In all cases, the main version code complements the user-facing version string by providing a stable numeric ordering that tools can rely on for upgrades and compatibility checks.

Structure and rules commonly favor a simple integer, though some environments encode more information within the value (such as major/minor or build metadata). The essential requirement is monotonic growth: once assigned to a release, the code should not be reused for subsequent releases to avoid upgrade conflicts.

Usage and workflow typically involve incrementing the main version code with each new build. In automated pipelines, the code may be derived from a counter, date-based scheme, or a combination, and is stored in release metadata or build configuration. Packaging systems and continuous delivery processes compare the code to determine if an update is applicable or newer than the installed version.

Best practices include maintaining a single source of truth for the code, aligning it with system constraints, documenting how it maps to user-visible version strings, avoiding gaps, and validating upgrades through testing. See also versioning, semantic versioning, and build numbers.