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# Versioning
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## Since 2.23.0
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SDL follows an "odd/even" versioning policy, similar to GLib, GTK, Flatpak
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and older versions of the Linux kernel:
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* The major version (first part) increases when backwards compatibility
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is broken, which will happen infrequently.
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* If the minor version (second part) is divisible by 2
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(for example 2.24.x, 2.26.x), this indicates a version of SDL that
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is believed to be stable and suitable for production use.
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* In stable releases, the patchlevel or micro version (third part)
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indicates bugfix releases. Bugfix releases should not add or
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remove ABI, so the ".0" release (for example 2.24.0) should be
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forwards-compatible with all the bugfix releases from the
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same cycle (for example 2.24.1).
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* The minor version increases when new API or ABI is added, or when
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other significant changes are made. Newer minor versions are
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backwards-compatible, but not fully forwards-compatible.
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For example, programs built against SDL 2.24.x should work fine
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with SDL 2.26.x, but programs built against SDL 2.26.x will not
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necessarily work with 2.24.x.
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* If the minor version (second part) is not divisible by 2
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(for example 2.23.x, 2.25.x), this indicates a development prerelease
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of SDL that is not suitable for stable software distributions.
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Use with caution.
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* The patchlevel or micro version (third part) increases with
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each prerelease.
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* Each prerelease might add new API and/or ABI.
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* Prereleases are backwards-compatible with older stable branches.
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For example, 2.25.x will be backwards-compatible with 2.24.x.
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* Prereleases are not guaranteed to be backwards-compatible with
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each other. For example, new API or ABI added in 2.25.1
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might be removed or changed in 2.25.2.
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If this would be a problem for you, please do not use prereleases.
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* Only upgrade to a prerelease if you can guarantee that you will
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promptly upgrade to the stable release that follows it.
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For example, do not upgrade to 2.23.x unless you will be able to
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upgrade to 2.24.0 when it becomes available.
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* Software distributions that have a freeze policy (in particular Linux
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distributions with a release cycle, such as Debian and Fedora)
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should usually only package stable releases, and not prereleases.
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## Before 2.23.0
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Older versions of SDL followed a similar policy, but instead of the
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odd/even rule applying to the minor version, it applied to the patchlevel
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(micro version, third part). For example, 2.0.22 was a stable release
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and 2.0.21 was a prerelease.
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