Glossary · Automation software engineering and architecture
Minor version
Also known as: Minor release number
German: Nebenversion
In software versioning, the minor version is the second number of a version identifier such as 3.1.4; under semantic versioning it is incremented when functionality is added in a backward-compatible way.
- Software engineering
In one sentence
The minor version is the second number of a version identifier; semantic versioning raises it for new backward-compatible functionality.
Example
Firmware 4.2.0 adds a new diagnostic parameter to the drive while all existing parameters keep their meaning, so it is released as a minor version after 4.1.3.
How it applies
- Engineering: A minor version promises that existing users can update without changing their code or configuration. New functions are opt-in; deprecations can be announced but not yet enforced.
- Commissioning: Integrators still test minor updates on the target machine, because backward compatibility is a promise about interfaces, not a guarantee that timing or behavior is identical.
- Documentation: New features in a minor version need new or updated manual sections and a Release note entry. Mark in the documentation from which version a function is available.
Minor version vs. patch version
A minor version adds functionality; a Patch version only fixes defects without adding features. Both must stay backward-compatible under Semantic versioning.