Semantic Versioning vs Unstructured Versioning

Developers should use Semantic Versioning when publishing libraries, APIs, or any software with dependencies to ensure clear communication about changes and compatibility meets developers might use unstructured versioning in small-scale, personal, or experimental projects where simplicity and flexibility outweigh the need for standardized communication about changes. Here's our take.

Semantic Versioning

Nice Pick

Developers should use Semantic Versioning when publishing libraries, APIs, or any software with dependencies to ensure clear communication about changes and compatibility

Pros

• It is essential in ecosystems like npm, PyPI, or Maven, where automated tools rely on version numbers to manage updates and resolve dependencies safely
• Related to: version-control, dependency-management

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Unstructured Versioning

Developers might use unstructured versioning in small-scale, personal, or experimental projects where simplicity and flexibility outweigh the need for standardized communication about changes

Pros

• It can be suitable for internal tools with limited external users, or during rapid prototyping phases where frequent, minor updates occur without breaking changes
• Related to: semantic-versioning, release-management

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Semantic Versioning is a concept while Unstructured Versioning is a methodology. We picked Semantic Versioning based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Semantic Versioning wins

Based on overall popularity. Semantic Versioning is more widely used, but Unstructured Versioning excels in its own space.