In software development and versioning, a 0.y.z version (major version zero) signifies that the software is in its initial development phase. It is generally used to indicate that the product is not yet considered stable and is not ready for formal production use. Key Aspects of “Version 0” (Semantic Versioning):
Initial Development: Major version zero (0.y.z) is used for the early stages of development.
Instability: Anything may change at any time, and the public API should not be considered stable.
Versioning Convention: According to Semantic Versioning 2.0.0, the development phase often starts with 0.1.0 and increments the minor version for subsequent releases.
“0.0.0” Usage: While some developers may start with 0.0.0, the convention typically begins with 0.1.0 to denote the first tangible release of the development phase.
Purpose: It allows developers to make rapid changes without having to increase the major version number every time a breaking change occurs.
Why Use Version 0?Using a 0.y.z version tells users or stakeholders that they should expect bugs, frequent updates, and potential changes to functionality. It acts as a warning that the software is in alpha or early beta.
If you can tell me what type of project you are starting (e.g., a web app, a library, a game), I can help you decide what the best first version number would be.
What is the proper first version? 0.1.0 or 0.0.1 or anything else?