[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #43495: Use Semantic Versioning for releases

[WordPress Trac]

#43495: Use Semantic Versioning for releases
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 Reporter:  netweb           |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement      |      Status:  closed
 Priority:  normal           |   Milestone:
Component:  Upgrade/Install  |     Version:
 Severity:  normal           |  Resolution:  wontfix
 Keywords:                   |     Focuses:
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Changes (by pento):

 * keywords:  2nd-opinion dev-feedback =>
 * status:  new => closed
 * resolution:   => wontfix
 * milestone:  Awaiting Review =>


Comment:

 Semver certainly has it's uses, and I'm absolutely in favour of it being
 used for new development (for example, the
 [https://www.npmjs.com/org/wordpress packages we release on NPM] all use
 semver). It isn't a viable option for WordPress, however.

 WordPress is a huge code base, with 15 years of history (and the years
 before that as b2!). We do occasionally make small breaking changes, but
 we try not to. As @jdgrimes mentioned, moving to a versioning system where
 we explicitly make breaking changes would be a huge philosophical change
 to how WordPress is built.

 This is also in opposition of the ultimate goal of auto-updating all
 WordPress releases, not just the minor ones. Much like the version number
 of Chrome, or iOS, or Pokemon Go don't actually matter, neither should
 WordPress' version number matter: it mostly just needs to be an indicator
 of "this version was releases before/after that version". Trying to shoe-
 horn a versioning regime around that is an unnecessary restriction.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/43495#comment:5>
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