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VERSIONING.md

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TestCentric Runner Versioning

TestCentric packages use a version numbering system in the form of MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. We change the:

  • MAJOR version when making incompatible API changes.
  • MINOR version when adding functionality in a backwards-compatible manner.
  • PATCH version when making backwards-compatible bug fixes.

What remains is to define the API or APIs we are protecting from incompatible changes and the degree of change that is needed before something is considered a breaking change.

TestCentric APIs

First, let's note that the TestCentric GUI is not designed to be used as a library, so there is no ABI or library-like API to worry about. So what other APIs do we need to support?

There seem to be two of them at this point:

  1. The GUI interface itself, as presented to the user.
  2. The command-line interface to the GUI.

User Interface

The GUI presents the user with information in a graphical format and allows the user to specify actions like running tests by interacting with it. In general, we are more concerned about preserving the capabilities of the GUI than we are about the specific appearance of the GUI elements. However, those elements may also be important in certain cases.

Examples of MAJOR UI Changes

  • Removal of a capability. For example, if we were to remove the ability to automatically reload tests before running.
  • Changing an existing UI element so it does something completely different.

Examples of MINOR UI Changes

  • Provision of a new capability. For example, adding the ability to save test results in multiple formats.
  • Changes to how a capability is accessed. For example, replacing a simple menu item with a dialog.
  • Addition of a new UI element.

Examples of PATCH UI Changes

  • Fixing a bug in how a command functions.
  • Fixing alignment, font, appearance, etc. of elements in the UI.
  • Restoring behavior of some capability to that originally designed.
  • Changing the wording of a message.

Command-Line

The command-line API is defined by the documentation for the GUI, which includes the help message the GUI itself displays and the command-line section of the published documentation on the TestCentric wiki.

Examples of MAJOR Command-Line Changes

  • Complete removal of an option.
  • Changing the behavior of an option so that it no longer does what it was defined to do.

Examples of MINOR Command-Line Changes

  • Addition of a new option.
  • Modifying the behavior of an option so it does the same thing better or more effectively or has added suboptions.

Examples of PATCH Command-Line changes

  • Fixing a bug in the behavior of an option.
  • Restoring an option to its original defined behavior.
  • Correcting spelling errors.

Additional Considerations

Even in the case of non-breaking changes, as defined above, every effort will be made to avoid negative impact on users.