Source control: what version numbering should be used for branches?

Question

If a branch is created in source control, what version number should be used if there is a release of the branched code?

eg. If the last version number was v1.2.8 and a branch is created, what should the next version numbers of the branch and the main trunk be?

Answer 1

It depends what the branch is for (what development effort it isolate, as described in "When should you branch")

For instance, for a fix which doesn't add any new feature, it could be v1.2.9.
But actually the version number policies are :

• very diverse (see this list for instance)
• can be a bit crazy at time
• not to be mixed with internal technical revision number
• can be doubled by a commercial naming strategy

The important thing to remember is that a label like vx.y.z can be generated on any branch. It simply marks a stable point in the development life-cycle.