Versioning
Versioning means changes are identifiable, traceable, and precisely deployable – in code, infrastructure, and operations.
For developers: part of everyday work.
For teams: coordination and control.
For decision-makers: traceability, audit readiness, and planning reliability.
And for us: a foundational principle of professional software operations.
Why is versioning important?
Without versioning, you don’t know:
- What version is currently running?
- What changes are included?
- What changed since the last release?
- Which version was stable – and which one caused problems?
Versioning enables:
- Transparency – internally and externally
- Traceability – for audits and troubleshooting
- Reproducibility – for testing, comparisons, and rollbacks
- Planning – for releases, patches, and migrations
If it’s not versioned, it can’t be reliably operated.
What gets versioned?
Versioning applies to far more than just code:
- Applications – via tags, releases, changelogs
- Infrastructure – e.g., Terraform states, Helm charts, Kubernetes manifests
- Databases – via migration tools
- Configurations – in Git, as Sealed Secrets, YAML files
- APIs – v1, v2, beta, etc.
Software versioning: Semantic Versioning (SemVer)
SemVer is a widely adopted convention for software releases: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (e.g. 2.4.1)
- MAJOR – incompatible changes (e.g. breaking APIs)
- MINOR – new features, backwards-compatible
- PATCH – bug fixes, backwards-compatible
Example: From 1.4.2 to 1.4.3 means a fix. From 1.4.2 to 2.0.0 means: expect breaking changes.
SemVer isn’t mandatory – but it’s clear, reliable, and easy to communicate.
How we handle versioning at RiKuWe
Versioning is not optional – it’s standard:
- Deployments, images, and configs are versioned
- Changes are documented through Git and CI/CD
- Infrastructure and database migrations are managed through versioned artifacts
- Documentation and changelogs are part of the workflow
Every line of code, every deployment, every migration – traceable, testable, versioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does versioning mean in IT?
Versioning refers to the structured labeling of states – for software, infrastructure, or configs. It enables transparency, traceability, and reproducibility.
Why is versioning so important?
Without versioning, it’s unclear what’s running or what has changed. Versioning brings control and makes systems reliably operable.
What gets versioned at RiKuWe?
We version deployments, container images, infrastructure definitions, database migrations, and documentation – standardized and traceable.
What is Semantic Versioning (SemVer)?
SemVer is a convention for version numbers: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH – e.g., 2.4.1. MAJOR = breaking changes, MINOR = new features, PATCH = fixes.
Is versioning only relevant for large projects?
Not at all. Smaller teams especially benefit from clear versioning – for support, error tracing, or reproducible setups. Versioning creates clarity and trust.
Versioned systems with RiKuWe
Compliance-ready software operations
Structured deployments & releases
By the way: This website is versioned – and shows its current version in the footer.
Because we practice what we recommend.
