Published versions never change
This page is for reporters and creators who write about Exponential releases, fixes and reliability. One rule shapes how the project publishes: a version that has been released is never altered afterwards. Knowing the rule helps you describe fixes correctly and explains why a story about a version stays accurate.
Contents
- The rule in the project's words
- Why it is so
- What happens when a release has a mistake
- What it means for your coverage
- Phrases to use and avoid
The rule in the project's words
| Statement | Source |
|---|---|
"A published tag is never changed: a fix for a problem in v6.0.14 or an earlier tag reaches you as the next release, not as a corrected copy of the old one." | SECURITY.md |
| "A release tag never changes. Once published, a tag and the package version Packagist built from it are permanent; a fix always arrives as the next version." | Getting the code |
| "If a published version is wrong, do not move or delete its tag. Publish the next version with the fix and say in its notes what was wrong with the previous one." | Extensions guide, Release it |
| "A tag is permanent: a bad release is corrected by the next one, never re-cut." | Velocity release notes |
The Foundation's page lists the rule among the project's commitments under Releases and version numbers.
Why it is so
Every Exponential package is published through Packagist, the Composer package directory. The extensions guide explains the technical reason: "Packagist caches what it read, so a moved tag produces two different packages under one version number" (Extensions guide). Two different sets of files under one number would make it impossible to know what a site runs. Keeping tags fixed means "You can pin a tag and rely on getting the same files every time, which is what makes a pinned version the right choice for production" (Getting the code).
What happens when a release has a mistake
The documented answer is always the next version. A real example: the Velocity release notes say three tags have no
release page, v0.0.4.21, v0.0.4.22 and v0.0.4.26, because "their builds did not produce a usable artifact;
they are still installable versions on Packagist, so move to the next version above them"
(Velocity release notes). The tags were left in place and the
fix came as later versions.
What it means for your coverage
| Situation | How to report it |
|---|---|
| A bug is found in 6.0.14 | "The fix will be in a later version"; never "6.0.14 was updated" |
| A security fix is published | "Fixed in version X; earlier versions are fixed by upgrading" (SECURITY.md) |
| A version had a packaging problem | Say which version, and which later version replaced it, with the release notes as source |
| You wrote about a version's contents | Your description stays valid; the files behind that number will not change |
Two consequences for accuracy:
- A version number is a precise reference. "Exponential 6.0.14" names exactly one set of files, so always print the full number (How version numbers work).
- Work after a tag belongs to the next version, never retroactively to the old one. Changes made after 7 June 2026 are part of the 6.0.15 line, not of 6.0.14 (6.0.15 changelog).
Phrases to use and avoid
| Avoid | Use |
|---|---|
| "a patched 6.0.14" | "the next version after 6.0.14" |
| "the release was pulled" | Only if a source says so; the documented practice is to leave tags in place |
| "6.0.14 was re-released" | Not how the project works; check the tag list (Verifying a release yourself) |
| "silently fixed" | "fixed in version X, as its changelog lists" |
Related pages
- How version numbers work
- Covering security fixes
- Corrections and updates (the same principle for your own stories)
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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