I've been wondering why we don't commonly use a version number format like yy.mm.dd.HH.mm.ss for software updates. It seems straightforward and could eliminate the confusion about which version is currently in use. I think we could simplify it too, like if there were two updates in one month, just using yy.mm.dd would suffice. Why don't developers adopt this kind of system?
1 Answer
One key reason is that date formats don't allow for distinguishing major updates, especially breaking changes. A version number that reflects a date could lead to confusion about whether the update is significant or just a small fix. It's important to mark those major changes clearly.
What if we used an adjective-animal naming scheme instead? The adjective could signal minor changes, while changing the animal could indicate a major change, keeping things fun and informative.