docs/releases.mdx
MindsDB releases new features, functionalitites, and fixes on regular cadence. This document outlines the release process, versioning, and naming conventions.
MindsDB uses semantic versioning to name all releases. This format is applied consistently across our GitHub tags, Python packages, and Docker images.
Each release name follows the structure:
v<MAJOR>.<MINOR>.<PATCH>(<TYPE><NUMBER>)
Where:
MAJOR indicates the major version, which introduces significant changes or backward-incompatible updates.MINOR indicates the minor version, which introduces new features that remain backward-compatible.PATCH indicates the patch version, which introduces small fixes or improvements.TYPE is an optional component, which informs about the nature of the (pre-)release.NUMBER is an optional component used when TYPE is provided that indicates the pre-release version.The following are the release types and their naming conventions.
| Release Type | Sample Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GA (General Availability) | v25.9.3 | The stable public release. 25 is the major version, 9 is the minor version, and 3 is the patch number. |
| Pre-GA (Release Candidate) | v25.9.3rc1 | A release candidate that is nearly ready for GA. rc stands for release candidate, and 1 indicates the version number of the pre-release. |
| Alpha | v25.9.3alpha1 | An early testing version with limited features or stability. alpha denotes an initial stage for internal or early feedback. |
| Beta | v25.9.3beta1 | A version close to final release. beta indicates a feature-complete build shared for broader testing and feedback. |
The main branch of the MindsDB repository contains the latest stable version of MindsDB and represents the GA (General Availability) release.
MindsDB adheres to the release process as follows.
<Steps> <Step title="Release Preparation"> A short-lived `release/x.x.x` branch is created for each release where all code changes for that release are pushed. </Step> <Step title="Development Phase"> Developers create feature PRs that target the `release/x.x.x` branch. This branch is used for testing and validation of the release. </Step> <Step title="Pre-GA Release"> Pre-GA artifacts are built, including both the Python package and the Docker image, and shared for broader testing and feedback. </Step> <Step title="GA Release"> After successful testing and validation, the `release/x.x.x` branch is merged into the `main` branch, making it an official GA release. The final GA versions of the Python package and Docker image are released. </Step> </Steps> <Tip> If you are interested in contributing to MindsDB, follow [this link](/contribute/contribute). </Tip>