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Every Magento version release include a change in the codebase. The scope of the change determines whether the MAJOR, MINOR, or PATCH number increases in the version.

Public vs private code changes

A Magento module’s codebase consists of public and private code. Public code includes Public API(indicated by the @api docblock tag) and Public Customization Points. Private code is not accessible via the API: classes and constants marked as private.

Changes in public code always trigger MINOR or MAJOR version increases.

In most cases, modifications to private code will trigger PATCH version increases. On rare occasions, if the Magento development team made significant modifications to private code, they will increase the MINOR or MAJOR version.

Third-party modules should not use or change private code. If this is unavoidable, you must depend on the patch version of the core modules used.

API and customization points

Modules call APIs to create new application scenarios. Modifications that break the API will trigger an increase in a module’s MAJOR version.

Modules customize or replace Customization Points to customize existing application scenarios. Modifications that break Customization Points will trigger an increase in a module’s MINOR version.

An interface or a virtual type represent either an API or Customization Point.

This policy allows third-party module developers to declare more granular dependencies depending on their module’s interaction with Magento modules.

Deprecation

Marking public code with @deprecated on a MINOR release indicates that Magento plans to remove that code in a future MINOR release.

When Magento deprecates the API or customization point in favor of a new implementation, the @see annotation points to the new implementation.

Deprecated Code Example

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/**
 * @deprecated since 2.1.0
 * @see \Magento\Framework\Model\ResourceModel\Db\AbstractDb::save()
 */
public function save()
{
    // ...
}

Version increase scenarios

This table lists code change scenarios and which version number it affects. Use this table to understand what changes Magento can make and which version number gets increased for that change.

API/Customization Point Code Change Version Change
PHP Interface (marked with @api) New interface MINOR
  New method added MINOR
  Interface removed MAJOR
  Method removed MAJOR
  New required method argument MAJOR
  New optional method argument MAJOR
  Removed the last argument for a method MINOR
  Changed a method signature (excluding last argument removal) MAJOR
  New method exception (excluding subtypes of existing exceptions) MAJOR
  New method exception (subtypes of an existing one) PATCH
PHP Class (marked with @api) New Class MINOR
  New method added MINOR
  Class removed MAJOR
  Method removed MAJOR
  New required method argument MAJOR
  New optional method argument MINOR
  Removed a non-last argument MAJOR
  New required constructor object argument MINOR
  New optional constructor argument MINOR
  New required constructor scalar argument (without pre-configured value) MAJOR
  Removed a non-last constructor argument MAJOR
  Removed a last constructor argument PATCH
  Changed format of the returned method result MAJOR
  New method exception (excluding subtypes of existing exceptions) MAJOR
  New method exception (subtypes of an existing one) PATCH
JavaScript Interface (marked with @api) New interface MINOR
  New method added MINOR
  Interface removed MAJOR
  Method removed MAJOR
  New required method argument MAJOR
  Changed method signature MAJOR
  Last argument added MINOR
JavaScript class (marked with @api New class MINOR
  New method added MINOR
  Class removed MAJOR
  Method removed MAJOR
  New required method argument MAJOR
  New last method argument MINOR
  New event MINOR
  Renamed event MAJOR
  Removed event MAJOR
  New event property MINOR
  Changed event property MAJOR
  Removed event property MAJOR
  Changed event ordering MAJOR
Virtual Type Virtual type removed MAJOR
  Virtual type added MINOR
URL Paths Path removed MAJOR
  Removed/renamed a request parameter MAJOR
  New required request parameter MAJOR
  New optional request parameter MINOR
Console commands and their arguments Command removed MAJOR
  New required argument MAJOR
  Removed/renamed argument MAJOR
  New command exit code MINOR
  New command MINOR
Less variables and mixins Removed variable MAJOR
  Removed mixin MAJOR
  New required mixin argument MAJOR
Message queue topics and data types Topic removed MAJOR
  Topic arguments modified MAJOR
  Consumer removed MINOR
  New topic published MINOR
Layout handles declared by modules New layout page handle MINOR
  New container/block added to handle MINOR
  Removed/renamed container/block MAJOR
  Removed layout handle MAJOR
Static and dynamic events triggered by a component Event argument removed MAJOR
  Event removed MAJOR
Schema of configuration types introduced by module Schema file or configuration type renamed/removed MAJOR
  Obligatory node/attribute added MAJOR
  Node/attribute removed MAJOR
  New optional node/attribute added MINOR
Structure of System Configuration fields used by module Config path removed/renamed MAJOR
Database structure Table removed MAJOR
  Table added MINOR
  Column removed MAJOR
  Column added MINOR
  Compatible changes in column configuration (soften column constraints: increase size, make optional) PATCH
  Incompatible changes in column configuration MAJOR
  Primary key column added/removed MAJOR
  Added column to unique key MAJOR
  Removed column from unique key MAJOR
  Unique key added/removed MAJOR
  Index added/changed PATCH
  Foreign key added MAJOR
  Temporary tables added/removed/changed PATCH
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