How to version a package containing multiple applications

Question

I want to create an MSI installer containing three apps. I will be releasing frequent updates to each app as I work through the list of feature requests and do bug fixes. The three apps are currently at versions 1.6.3, 1.6.12 and 1.8.1 respectively.

I was wondering what you guys can recommend for the version of the package. Should I:

1. Make the package version independent of the versions of the individual apps ?
2. Change the apps so they always have the same version as each other ?
3. Some other suggestion ?

Answer 1

Modify the package version each time the version of one of the apps changes. Then, you can look at the package version and know exactly which version of each app was being used.

Example: Main version 1.4.1 has (1.6.3, 1.6.12, 1.8.1)

Main version 1.4.2 has (1.6.3, 1.6.13, 1.8.1)

Main version 1.5.0 has (1.7.0, 1.6.13, 1.8.2)

Main version 2.0.0 has (1.7.0, 1.6.14, 2.0.0)

So, if you're doing a minor version upgrade to one of your apps, the main application also goes up by a minor version number. Major changes to a sub-app result in the main app also getting a major version number change.