NAME

       doc_VERSION_md - Version The version of elektra is handeled with the kdb.h macros KDB_VERSION which is a
       string and KDB_VERSION_MAJOR, KDB_VERSION_MINOR and KDB_VERSION_MICRO which are numbers. They represent
       the public announced version information.

       The same information can be retrieved at runtime using system/elektra/version/constants/KDB_VERSION
       system/elektra/version/constants/KDB_VERSION_MAJOR system/elektra/version/constants/KDB_VERSION_MICRO
       system/elektra/version/constants/KDB_VERSION_MINOR

       KDB_VERSION

       This is the API to programs using elektra. Its interface is defined in src/include/kdb.h. Both
       applications and plugins use this API.

       Additionally there is also a very small API to plugins. It consists of only 5 functions and is described
       in src/plugins/doc/doc.c.

   Compatibility
       This document describes under which circumstances API and ABI incompatiblities may occur. As developer
       from elektra your mission is to avoid that. The tool icheck against the interfaces mentioned above may
       help you too.

       In 0.8.* the API and ABI must be always forward-compatible, but not backwards-compatible. That means that
       a program written and compiled against 0.8.0 compiles and links against 0.8.1. But because it is not
       necessarily backendwards-compatible a program written for 0.8.1 may not link or compile against elektra
       0.8.0 (but it may do when you use the compatible subset, maybe with #ifdefs).

       Following points are allowed: When you add a new function you break ABI and API backward- compatibilty,
       but not forward, so you are allowed to do so.

       In the signature you are only allowed to add const to any parameter. You are not allowed to use subtypes
       to the objects, in C means you are not allowed to call any functions of an object which appear new. C
       does not typecheck that, its your responsibility.

       What C also does not check are the pre and postconditions. That means you are not allowed to demand more
       client code (e.g. first accept a NULL pointer and in the next version you crash on it) and you are not
       allowed to return values that the previous version did not return. It is a complex topic, so better don't
       underestimate it, but generally said the methods should behave on the same data the same way.

       References: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Program-Library-HOWTO/shared-libraries.html
       http://packages.debian.org/de/sid/icheck

   Increment
       This document describes how to increment the KDB_VERSION. KDB_VERSION consists of a triplet integer
       current:revision:age.

       Revision is something which will always incremented when there is a new bugfix release.

       current and age will be incremented by one when you release a compatible but changed API. Revision is set
       back to zero then.

       Note: All 3 Versioning infos are handled separately!

       http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/manual/libtool.html#Versioning

       TODO write about SO_VERSION

Version 0.8.14                                   Tue Dec 15 2015                        doc_VERSION_md(3elektra)