Versioning Conventions

Version tagging is based on a major.minor.patch numbering scheme.

• The major number is incremented after extensive rewrites or substantial overhauls that may significantly affect workflow integration or user experience. Major updates undergo extensive testing, but subsequent patch updates may still be needed.

• The minor number is incremented whenever modifications to the source code are significant enough to require updates to parameter files or other input files.

• The patch number is used to denote bug fixes or other minor revisions. Updates to parameter files or other input files are not required.

In the past, tagged releases have been fairly infrequent because the associated testing is very time consuming. Now that a buildbot system and testing framework are being put in place, the frequency of such releases is expected to increase.