Version numbers based on release dates, not semantic meaning.

What is DateVer?

DateVer is a versioning specification that uses calendar dates instead of semantic versioning. Instead of 1.2.3 or 2.0.0, versions are 20251115, 202511, or 2025.

Quick Examples

2025          # Released sometime in 2025
202511        # Released in November 2025
20251115      # Released on November 15, 2025
20251115.2    # Second release on November 15, 2025
20251115-beta # Beta release for November 15, 2025

Why DateVer?

• Automatic: Version is the release date. No decisions needed.
• Meaningful: Users know immediately how fresh the release is.
• Flexible: Choose yearly, monthly, or daily granularity.
• Simple: No breaking change semantics to track.

When to Use DateVer

Good fit:

• Applications with regular release schedules
• Operating systems and distributions (Ubuntu 24.04)
• Tools where freshness matters more than compatibility
• Internal tools and utilities

Not a good fit:

• Libraries with semver expectations
• APIs where compatibility signals matter
• Projects following strict semver contracts

Read the Spec

See DATE-VER.md for the complete specification.

Projects Using DateVer

• yaml-janitor - YAML formatter (YYYYMMDD)
• Ubuntu - Linux distribution (YY.MM with dots)
• Your project here!

Contributing

Found an issue with the spec? Have suggestions? Open an issue or PR.

License

Creative Commons - CC BY 4.0