Versioning and Release Policy

This guide explains how Trendz Analytics versions are numbered, when upgrade scripts are required, and which Docker tags to use in different environments. It is written for platform administrators and DevOps engineers who deploy and maintain Trendz Analytics.

Trendz Analytics uses a four-part version number: 1.MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH.

• The first number is always 1 and represents the current major product line.
• MAJOR identifies the major release — it increments when significant new features or architectural changes are introduced.
• MINOR identifies the minor release — it increments for critical bug fixes or database schema changes within a given major release, without changing product features or behavior.
• PATCH is the build (hotfix) number — it increments for image-level fixes that do not require database changes.

Example:

• 1.14.0.0 — initial major release 14
• 1.14.0.3 — third hotfix for 1.14.0; no database changes
• 1.14.1.0 — first minor release within major 14; upgrade scripts required
• 1.15.0.0 — next major release; upgrade scripts required

Release type	What changes	Upgrade scripts required
Major	MAJOR number. Significant new features or architectural changes.	Yes
Minor	MINOR number. Critical bug fixes, security fixes, or database schema changes within the same major release. Does not change product features.	Yes (even if no schema changes — a stub script is always provided)
Patch	PATCH number. Hotfix builds — no database or environment changes.	No

Every major or minor release ships with a database upgrade script. If no schema changes are required, a stub script is provided to maintain a consistent upgrade path. All upgrade scripts are idempotent: they can be applied multiple times without corrupting data.

Tag format	Example	Use
1.MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH	1.15.0.5	Pinned production tag — immutable
1.MAJOR.MINOR-latest	1.15.0-latest	Tracks the latest patch within a minor release — floating
latest	latest	Tracks the latest released build — avoid in production

Recommendations:

• Production: Pin to the full immutable tag (e.g., thingsboard/trendz:1.15.0.5). Upgrade only by explicitly updating the tag and running the upgrade script for the target version.
• Auto patch updates: Use 1.MAJOR.MINOR-latest (e.g., thingsboard/trendz:1.15.0-latest) to automatically receive new patch builds within the same minor release. No upgrade scripts or downtime required.
• Avoid latest in production. It tracks the most recent build and may include breaking changes.

Release type	Description	Support duration	Typical frequency
LTS	For stable, long-term production use	18 months from initial release date	Annually
Standard	Releases between LTS lines, including new features	6 months from initial release date	Every three months

Trendz Analytics supports direct upgrades from any version to any other version — you do not need to apply intermediate upgrade scripts step by step. For example, you can upgrade directly from 1.12.0.0 to 1.15.0.0 in a single step.

Patch releases within the same minor version (e.g., 1.15.0.0 → 1.15.0.5) require no upgrade script and no downtime — update the Docker image tag only.