[PR #588] Clarify minor and patch versions #5078

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GiteaMirror · 2026-06-13T13:26:40-05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-06-13 13:26:40 -05:00

📋 Pull Request Information

Original PR: https://github.com/semver/semver/pull/588
Author: @magjac
Created: 7/4/2020
Status: 🔄 Open

Base: master ← Head: clarify-minor-and-patch-versions

📝 Commits (2)

2afc6cc Clarify that changes refers to the API in MINOR versions
bc17890 Clarify that PATCH versions are not limited to bug fixes

📊 Changes

1 file changed (+9 additions, -8 deletions)

View changed files

📝 semver.md (+9 -8)

📄 Description

This is not a "substantial" change to the specification, hence not an RFC. It just clarifies aspects of the MINOR and PATCH versions that could easily be misunderstood when reading a few of the sections in isolation, but becomes clear when reading the whole document and the intention is understood.

In short, these changes make clear that changes that are neither changes to the API nor bug fixes MAY be released as a PATCH version. It is only backwards compatible changes that MUST be released as a MINOR version (at least) (although this exact sentence is not part of the changes). Such a change could be e.g. a performance improvement in the private code. Without the changes in this PR it's easy to think that only bug fixes MAY be released as PATCH versions (again; if you read the sections in isolation).

This change is an attempt to minimize the changes needed to add these clarifications while still keeping the text as short and concise as possible. With a larger change, it would be possible to make the text even shorter by removing the references to bug fixes. Let me know if you prefer this and I will change this PR accordingly.

Here are some references to issues opened in the past because of the currently somewhat ambiguous formulation:

_{🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.}

## 📋 Pull Request Information **Original PR:** https://github.com/semver/semver/pull/588 **Author:** [@magjac](https://github.com/magjac) **Created:** 7/4/2020 **Status:** 🔄 Open **Base:** `master` ← **Head:** `clarify-minor-and-patch-versions` --- ### 📝 Commits (2) - [`2afc6cc`](https://github.com/semver/semver/commit/2afc6cc300a2954d42ca6b3280ce354d424dba7d) Clarify that changes refers to the API in MINOR versions - [`bc17890`](https://github.com/semver/semver/commit/bc1789091e755b3f5bc58a4db8c090bfe01577d8) Clarify that PATCH versions are not limited to bug fixes ### 📊 Changes **1 file changed** (+9 additions, -8 deletions) <details> <summary>View changed files</summary> 📝 `semver.md` (+9 -8) </details> ### 📄 Description This is not a "substantial" change to the specification, hence not an RFC. It just clarifies aspects of the MINOR and PATCH versions that could easily be misunderstood when reading a few of the sections in isolation, but becomes clear when reading the whole document and the intention is understood. In short, these changes make clear that **changes that are neither changes to the API nor bug fixes MAY be released as a PATCH version. It is only backwards compatible changes that MUST be released as a MINOR version (at least)** (although this exact sentence is not part of the changes). Such a change could be e.g. a performance improvement in the private code. Without the changes in this PR it's easy to think that only bug fixes MAY be released as PATCH versions (again; if you read the sections in isolation). This change is an attempt to minimize the changes needed to add these clarifications while still keeping the text as short and concise as possible. With a larger change, it would be possible to make the text even shorter by removing the references to *bug fixes*. Let me know if you prefer this and I will change this PR accordingly. Here are some references to issues opened in the past because of the currently somewhat ambiguous formulation: * https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/560 * https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/313 * https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/339 * https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/148 * https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/146 --- <sub>🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.</sub>

GiteaMirror added the pull-request label 2026-06-13 13:26:40 -05:00

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Reference: github-starred/semver#5078