Enforcing Semantic Versioning In Build System

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Enforcing Semantic Versioning in Build System: A Comprehensive Guide

Hey guys! Let's dive into something super important for keeping our projects organized and professional: semantic versioning! This is all about how we number our software releases, making it easier for everyone to understand what's changed and when. This article will discuss about the importance of CAPA-059 and how to enforce semantic versioning in our build system. Think of it as a roadmap to ensure our version numbers are always accurate and reflect the changes we've made, improving version control, CI/CD, and overall project reliability.

The Problem: Versioning Rules Without Enforcement

Alright, so imagine we have these awesome rules for versioning, all laid out in the DOCUMENT_CONTROL_USER_GUIDE.adoc (Part VII). It's like having a recipe for a perfect cake, but the oven's not working! Here's the deal:

  • CAPA Closure: When we close a Corrective Action/Preventive Action (CAPA), we're supposed to bump up the PATCH version (e.g., from 1.2.3 to 1.2.4). This is automatic.
  • ECO Approval: When we get an Engineering Change Order (ECO) approved, we boost the MINOR version (e.g., from 1.2.3 to 1.3.0). Again, automatic.
  • Major Version: Changes to the MAJOR version (e.g., from 1.0.0 to 2.0.0) are only at the discretion of the project manager, a manual decision.

But here’s the kicker: currently, these rules aren't being enforced by our build system. That's like the recipe, but nobody is checking the steps. This means:

  • Version numbers can be incorrect, leading to confusion.
  • There's no link between closing a CAPA/ECO and the version change.
  • The rules are guidelines, not actual policy.
  • We might end up with duplicate or out-of-sequence releases.
  • External auditors will notice the lack of enforcement.
  • We can't be sure we're following semantic versioning requirements.

Impact: Why This Matters

So, what's the big deal? Why should we care about enforcing these versioning rules? Well, guys, the impact of not enforcing semantic versioning is significant: it undermines the integrity of our software releases, making it harder to track changes, manage dependencies, and ensure compliance. Let's break it down:

  1. Confusion and Misunderstandings: Without proper versioning, it becomes difficult to understand what changes each release includes. This leads to confusion among developers, users, and stakeholders. Imagine trying to debug a problem in a release, but you're not sure which version you're actually running. That's a nightmare.
  2. Increased Risk of Errors: Incorrect version numbers can lead to integrating incompatible versions. This can cause unexpected behavior and potential failures in production. This is really bad.
  3. Audit Failures: External auditors will notice and flag the lack of enforcement. This can lead to compliance issues and potential penalties. We want to avoid that at all costs.
  4. Impaired Traceability: Without automated linking of CAPA/ECO closures to version increments, it's difficult to trace the evolution of our code. This affects our capability to understand the causes of problems and how they were resolved.
  5. Difficulty Managing Dependencies: Semantic versioning allows us to clearly communicate the type of changes included in each release, making it easier to manage dependencies. Without this, it’s a mess.

The Current State: Where We Stand

Right now, things are a bit of a mixed bag. We've got the versioning procedures documented in Part VII of the User Guide. We're also working on CAPA-054, which will create a version.h file with version constants. But there's a big gap: we don’t have automatic version incrementation based on CAPA/ECO closure, and there's no enforcement in our CI/CD pipelines.

Specifically:

  • Documentation: We have the version numbering procedures documented.
  • CAPA-054: Will create version.h file with version constants.
  • No Automation: There are no Makefile rules to auto-increment versions based on CAPA/ECO closure.
  • No Enforcement: We lack CI/CD enforcement of versioning rules.
  • No Validation: There's no validation to ensure versions match the documented procedures.

Root Cause: Implementation Delay

So, what went wrong? The root cause is simple: the version control procedures were documented as a governance policy, but the implementation was deferred and never completed. It's easy to write a set of rules, but it’s much harder to write code that ensures these rules are followed every time. That’s what we're here to fix.

Acceptance Criteria: What Needs to Be Done

To fix this, we need to implement several key changes. This is our checklist to ensure things are done correctly:

  1. CAPA-054 Completion: First things first, we must complete CAPA-054 (the version.h creation).
  2. Script Creation: We need a script to detect CAPA/ECO closure and determine the version increment needed. This script will be the brains of our new system.
  3. GitHub Issue Parsing: The script must parse GitHub issues to identify closed CAPAs and ECOs.
  4. Versioning Logic: Implement the logic: CAPA closed → increment PATCH, ECO closed → increment MINOR.
  5. Makefile Integration: Add Makefile rules to auto-increment the version on build.
  6. Validation Implementation: Add validation to reject builds with incorrect version numbering.
  7. Documentation Update: Document the version enforcement rules in the GOVERNANCE_REFERENCE_MANUAL.adoc.
  8. Git Tag Enforcement: Implement git tag enforcement (format: v{MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}).
  9. PROD Pipeline Validation: Add version validation to our production pipeline.
  10. Audit Trail: Create a version audit trail showing CAPA/ECO closure → version increment.
  11. Conflict Detection: Implement version conflict detection (prevent duplicate versions).

Severity: A High Priority

Given the potential for confusion, errors, and audit failures, the severity of this issue is considered HIGH. We need to ensure that our version control procedures are correctly followed to maintain the integrity of our releases.

Category: System Focus

This issue falls squarely within the category of Build System / Version Control / CI/CD. It directly impacts our ability to build, release, and manage our software effectively.

Related Issues: Links to Other Projects

To ensure we cover everything, this is related to some other projects, that are:

  • CAPA-054: Implement version.h and Version Embedding in Binary (prerequisite).
  • CAPA-053: Version Control & Traceability for Final Deliverables.
  • DOCUMENT_CONTROL_USER_GUIDE.adoc Part VII (Version Numbering).

Audit Reference: Where to Find More Information

You can find more details in our audit report: COMPREHENSIVE_AUDIT_REPORT_CORRECTED_2025-10-31.md, specifically in Part 4, Section