# API Versioning Guidelines

---
title: API Versioning Guidelines
type: guide
status: stable
created: 2024-02-06
tags:

- api
- versioning
- guidelines
- compatibility
semantic_relations:
- type: implements
    links: [[api_documentation]]
- type: relates
    links:
  - [[documentation_standards]]
  - [[package_documentation]]

---

## Overview

This guide establishes versioning standards for the Cognitive Modeling Framework's API, ensuring compatibility and clear upgrade paths. See [[api_documentation]] for general API documentation guidelines.

## Version Structure

### Semantic Versioning

```python
# @version_format
version_format = {
    "major": "Breaking changes",          # e.g., 2.0.0
    "minor": "New features",              # e.g., 1.1.0
    "patch": "Bug fixes",                 # e.g., 1.0.1
    "pre_release": "Alpha/Beta/RC",       # e.g., 1.0.0-alpha.1
    "build": "Build metadata"             # e.g., 1.0.0+build.123
}
```

### Version Rules

```python
# @version_rules
versioning_rules = {
    "major_change": {
        "triggers": [
            "Breaking API changes",
            "Incompatible behavior changes",
            "Major architectural changes"
        ],
        "requirements": [
            "Migration guide",
            "Deprecation notices",
            "Compatibility layer"
        ]
    },
    "minor_change": {
        "triggers": [
            "New features",
            "Non-breaking additions",
            "Optional capabilities"
        ],
        "requirements": [
            "Feature documentation",
            "Example updates",
            "Test coverage"
        ]
    },
    "patch_change": {
        "triggers": [
            "Bug fixes",
            "Performance improvements",
            "Documentation updates"
        ],
        "requirements": [
            "Change documentation",
            "Test cases",
            "Regression tests"
        ]
    }
}
```

## API Changes

### Breaking Changes

Changes that require a major version increment:

```python
# Before (1.0.0)
def update_beliefs(self, observation: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
    """Update agent beliefs."""
    pass

# After (2.0.0)
def update_beliefs(self, 
                  observation: np.ndarray,
                  precision: float) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, float]:
    """
    Update agent beliefs with precision.
    See [[belief_updating]] for details.
    """
    pass
```

### Non-Breaking Additions

Changes that require a minor version increment:

```python
# Original (1.0.0)
class ActiveInferenceAgent:
    def __init__(self):
        pass

# Addition (1.1.0)
class ActiveInferenceAgent:
    def __init__(self):
        pass
        
    def save_state(self) -> dict:
        """
        New method for state serialization.
        See [[state_management]] for details.
        """
        pass
```

### Patch Changes

Changes that require a patch version increment:

```python
# Bug fix (1.0.1)
def compute_free_energy(beliefs: np.ndarray) -> float:
    """
    Fixed numerical stability issue.
    See [[numerical_stability]] for details.
    """
    # Fixed implementation
    pass
```

## Deprecation Process

### Deprecation Timeline

```python
# @deprecation_timeline
deprecation_process = {
    "announcement": {
        "timing": "One major version before removal",
        "requirements": ["Documentation", "Migration guide"]
    },
    "warning_phase": {
        "duration": "One minor version cycle",
        "actions": ["Runtime warnings", "Documentation notices"]
    },
    "removal": {
        "timing": "Next major version",
        "requirements": ["Breaking change notice", "Alternative documentation"]
    }
}
```

### Deprecation Notices

```python
# Example deprecation warning
def old_method(self):
    """
    Deprecated: Will be removed in 2.0.0.
    Use new_method() instead.
    See [[migration_guide]] for details.
    """
    warnings.warn(
        "old_method is deprecated and will be removed in 2.0.0. "
        "Use new_method instead.",
        DeprecationWarning,
        stacklevel=2
    )
```

## Version Management

### Version Tracking

```python
# @version_tracking
version_info = {
    "documentation": {
        "current_version": "[[api_reference]]",
        "previous_versions": "[[api_archive]]",
        "migration_guides": "[[migration_guide]]"
    },
    "compatibility": {
        "python_versions": "[[python_compatibility]]",
        "dependencies": "[[dependency_matrix]]",
        "platforms": "[[platform_support]]"
    }
}
```

### Release Process

1. Version Bump

   ```python
   # Update version
   __version__ = "1.1.0"
   ```

2. Documentation Update
   - Update [[api_reference]]
   - Update [[changelog]]
   - Update [[migration_guide]]

3. Validation
   - Run [[validation_framework|API validation]]
   - Check [[compatibility_matrix]]
   - Verify [[documentation_completeness]]

## Compatibility

### Python Version Support

```python
# @python_support
python_versions = {
    "minimum": "3.8",
    "recommended": "3.9+",
    "tested": ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10"]
}
```

### Dependency Management

```python
# @dependency_management
dependency_rules = {
    "core": {
        "numpy": ">=1.20.0",
        "scipy": ">=1.7.0"
    },
    "optional": {
        "visualization": {
            "matplotlib": ">=3.4.0"
        },
        "optimization": {
            "torch": ">=1.9.0"
        }
    }
}
```

## Documentation Requirements

### Version Documentation

Each version requires:

- Complete [[api_reference]]
- Updated [[example_writing|examples]]
- [[changelog]] entries
- [[migration_guide]] (if needed)

### Compatibility Documentation

- [[dependency_matrix]]
- [[platform_support]]
- [[python_compatibility]]
- [[integration_guide]]

## Best Practices

### 1. Version Control

- Use semantic versioning
- Document all changes
- Maintain changelog
- Provide migration guides

### 2. Compatibility

- Check dependency impacts
- Test all supported versions
- Document requirements
- Verify integrations

### 3. Documentation

- Update all affected docs
- Provide upgrade guides
- Include examples
- Verify completeness

## Related Documentation

- [[api_documentation]]
- [[package_documentation]]
- [[documentation_standards]]
- [[validation_framework]]

## References

- [[versioning_standards]]
- [[compatibility_guide]]
- [[migration_patterns]]
- [[documentation_tools]]