Re: [RFC] Introduce semantic versioning 2.0.0 to FreeBSD releases

On Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:26:29 +0100
vermaden <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I would prefer staying with what we have ... for consistency.
> 
> All the tools/scripts/everything have already been 'taught' to interpret 14.3-RELEASE-p7 format.
> 
> Switching *now* after more then 30 years of FreeBSD releases would only cause this: https://xkcd.com/927/
> 
> No one wants that confusion.

+1.


>  ... but I have better idea.
> 
> We already have these:
> 
>     % sysctl kern | grep -e kern.osrelease -e kern.version    
>     kern.osrelease: 14.3-RELEASE-p7
>     kern.version: FreeBSD 14.3-RELEASE-p7 GENERIC
> 
> Adding additional 'kern.dotrelease' which would be in 0.0.0 format will not hurt anyone - yet you will have your version.
> 
>     % sysctl kern | grep -e kern.osrelease -e kern.version    
>     kern.osrelease: 14.3-RELEASE-p7
>     kern.version: FreeBSD 14.3-RELEASE-p7 GENERIC
>     kern.dotrelease: 14.3.7

Historically, there were 1.1.5.1, 2.1.6.1 and 2.1.7.1.

  https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/blob/main/share/misc/bsd-family-tree

Not sure about 1.1.5.1 (as at the moment I didn't know the exixtence
of FreeBSD yet), but IIRC, 2.1.6.1 and 2.1.7.1 were something
like current -p* point releases.

So, if introducing 2 or more dot format as kern.dotrelease
sysctl, what I recommend here would be "kern.dotrelease: 14.3.0.7"
corresponding to "kern.osrelease: 14.3-RELEASE-p7".

And if there happenes to require any security update breaking
backward compatibilities next to 14.3-RELEASE-p7, use
irregular 14.3.1-RELEASE with __FreeBSD_version bump.

The next patch release for 14.3.1-RELEASE should be
14.3.1-RELEASE-p1.

I think this doesn't hurt current semantics of release tags
and would be safe for 4 2-dots release.
(I imagine __FreeBSD_version 1403100 for 14.3.1-RELEASE
and following point releases. Stable restarts from 1403500
after 14.3-RELEASE, so using 1403100, 1403200, 1403300 and 1403400
would be safe.)

Regards.


> ... and I would also add '-d' flag for freebsd-version(*) to print FreeBSD version in '0.0.0' format.
> 
> Regards,
> vermaden
> 
> 
> 
> Temat: Re: [RFC] Introduce semantic versioning 2.0.0 to FreeBSD releases
> Data: 2026-02-25 17:42
> Nadawca: "Tomek CEDRO" &lt;[email protected]>
> Adresat: "Minsoo Choo" &lt;[email protected]>; 
> DW: "freebsd-hackers" &lt;[email protected]>; 
> 
> >> On Wed, Feb 25, 2026 at 7:17 AM Minsoo Choo wrote:
> >> Currently FreeBSD uses a variant of semantic versioning for releases
> (e.g. 15.0-RELEASE-p1) where backward compatibility can be broken (e.g.
> deprecation of a utility) in a new major version, new features are added in
> minor versions, and security fixes are introduced in a new patch version.
> >> (..)
> > 
> > +1 for simpler numbering like standard major.minor.patch:
> > 16.0-RELEASE -> 16.0.0.
> > 16.0-RELEASE-p1 -> 16.0.1.
> > 16.1-RELEASE -> 16.1.0.
> > 16.1-RELEASE-p1 -> 16.1.1.
> > 
> > X.Y.Z numbering would imply release, maybe 16.0.0-RELEASE for clarity.
> > 
> > 15-STABLE and 17-CURRENT could be left untouched or something like
> > 17.0.20260225-CURRENT to mark snapshot?
> > 
> > :-)
> > 
> > --
> > CeDeROM, SQ7MHZ, http://www.tomek.cedro.info


-- 
Tomoaki AOKI    <[email protected]>