Product Versioning Best Practices
Why Versions?
Creating a new version of your product provides a structured approach to releasing, tracking, and managing updates. While the naming and dating of versions (or using versions at all) is entirely up to you, we recommend semantic versioning, which is used widely across the software industry:
When should a new version be published?
Every time a working revision to a product has been completed, a new version should be published ideally using a clearly incrementing titling convention like Semantic Versioning. It is essential when supporting customers that you know what version of a product they are using. And it is essential for customers to know which versions are available and the differences between them. Even extremely minor modifications to a product should result in new versions being published.
Should old versions be deleted?
In most cases, no. Customers paid for access to these files and should have the ability to switch between versions and download copies at will. However if a specific version is discovered to be non-functional and potentially harmful for customers to use, that version and its associated files can be deleted.
Do distinctions need to be made between major and minor versions?
Functionally, no. All versions are treated equally. However versioning conventions like Semantic Versioning will effectively communicate some measure of release significance. Also, it may be beneficial to communicate release contents in product descriptions, your changelog, etc.
Note: Support Periods Coming June 2026
This following portion of the article is written in anticipation of Support Periods, a new feature launching in June 2026. Support Periods will provide customers with a guaranteed window of creator support and access to product updates for one full year following their purchase. For creators, it establishes a clear and reasonable limit to support obligations while creating an opportunity to receive continued financial support for maintaining their products with valuable improvements. More information is being shared regularly.
How can I provide customers with expired support periods access to new releases?
If you choose to make specific versions available to past customers who no longer have active support periods, you can use the Release Date field to backdate the release. Setting that date in the past will ensure it becomes accessible to more customers. The farther in the past the date is set, the more customers will have access.