How should versioning of the plugin API work?

[mast-eu]

Personally, I like how it is done for Android apps. Google defines "API levels", which are only loosely connected to Android versions. E.g. Android 8.0 has API level 26 and Android 8.1 has API level 27.

All apps are required to specify the API level they implement and Google may raise the API level with every major, minor or even patch release of Android.
Thus, Android apps do not directly depend on an Android OS version, but rather remain runable as long as Google doesn't decide to raise the API level.

[gpongelli]

I like the API levels way.
Is there a way to check “API compatibility” from plugin ?
Or is it done into GE when loading the plugin itself?

[mast-eu]

Is there a way to check “API compatibility” from plugin ?
Or is it done into GE when loading the plugin itself?

For sure each plugin should declare which API level it implements. So GE can potentially refuse to load / notify the user / check for updates.

In addition, it can be done also the other way round, that GE has a read-only property for its API level and plugins can consume it. I'm not sure whether we will ever have plugins supporting multiple API levels, but from the GE main app point of view it doesn't cost much to expose such a property. Than it's up to the plugin authors.

[maraf]

I'm not sure whether we will ever have plugins supporting multiple API levels

Do you mean major / possibly breaking levels?

[mast-eu]

Android API Levels are just a single number. As such you cannot determine whether level n+1 contains

• only fixes (corresponding to a patch release in semantic versioning)
• backwards compatible changes or new features (corresponding to a minor release in semantic versioning)
• breaking changes (corresponding to a major release in semantic versioning)

[RussKie]

1. We have a central package GE.Extensibility that is being consumed by both GE app and all plugins. 2. GE.E defines a plugin interface, that all plugins must export (MEF) 3. Once there is a change in public API, a new version of GE.E is released and all plugins will need to update and release a new version. This is probably simpler to start with something like this.

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On Wed, Jun 5, 2019, 3:01 PM Martin Steinisch ***@***.***> wrote: Android API Levels are just a single number. As such you cannot determine whether level n+1 contains - only fixes (corresponding a *patch release* in semantic versioning) - backwards compatible changes or new features (corresponding a *minor release* in semantic versioning) - breaking changes (corresponding a *major release* in semantic versioning) — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2?email_source=notifications&email_token=ABBTEXQBFAZECQ7TF4LYUELPY5CB7A5CNFSM4HR4KVAKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGODW6TLCY#issuecomment-498939275>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABBTEXQ3FMPIFJZY2CZLFBDPY5CB7ANCNFSM4HR4KVAA> .

Once there is a change in public API, a new version of GE.E is released
and all plugins will need to update and release a new version.

Not always. Sometimes we can combine the interface whenever possible without having to change the plugin.