Version numbers

[someone]

For those of us who are not programmers it would be nice if someone explained the meaning of terms such as dev and the point numbering system of versions. Perhaps in a sticky?

Are all versions here stable or are some beta (dev?) versions?

Why are some market and others not.

Etc. Thanks.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Development builds have -dev at the end.

Other than that, they're so called "semantic" versions -- think of those numbers as library sections, or how legal codes are indexed.

For a really small change (e.g. bug fix), I increment the last number. For larger changes, second from last, etc.

[someone]

Thank you. And are dev versions sort of beta?

[Kostya Vasilyev]

"-dev" builds are those that have new stuff, as part of my process to go from actual development to releasing on Google Play:

- add new stuff
- post here with a new "base" version number and a "-dev" suffix
...
- post to Google Play, available only via Google+ "beta" group
...
- start posting to Google Play for "everyone", but starting at 5% or 10% of devices (randomly picked by Google)
...
- increase the percentage, fix stuff, increase, fix, until reaching 100%

And then back to first step.

Now this section here also has "stable" builds, those without the "-dev" suffix. Those are versions that are based on a version that previously reached 100% for everyone in Play, and then has bug fixes on top of that, no new stuff or major changes.

[someone]

Perfect. Thank you.