unversioned

Unversioned is an adjective used to describe items that do not carry an assigned version number or are not kept in a version history. It can apply to software, data sets, documents, APIs, configurations, or other artifacts that lack a formal versioning scheme or change-tracking metadata.

In software development and data management, unversioned artifacts are not associated with a released version. This can hinder traceability, reproducibility, and compatibility, since it is harder to determine when changes were made or which state is in use. Unversioned components may be distributed or deployed without a stable tag, increasing the risk of drift between environments.

In the context of version control systems, the term can be used informally to describe files that are not tracked by the repository. Such files exist outside the version history until they are added or ignored, and they do not benefit from revision records, diffs, or commit messages that document changes.

Implications and best practices include applying consistent versioning to software and data, using semantic versioning where appropriate, tagging releases, and maintaining changelogs. When reproducibility or long-term maintenance is important, avoiding unversioned artifacts and ensuring proper metadata helps align with reliability and traceability goals. In some fast-moving or experimental contexts, unversioned items may be acceptable temporarily, but documentation and clear policies are essential.

See also: version control, semantic versioning, release management, change management.