In semantic versioning, which description expresses the basic idea?

• A. A versioning scheme that uses dates instead of numbers.
• B. A versioning scheme that uses MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH numbers.
• C. A scheme where only the patch version increments.
• D. A versioning scheme based on alphabetical feature names.

Answer: (B)

Semantic versioning communicates how a release changes with a simple, three-part number: major, minor, and patch. The major part signals breaking changes that may require code updates. The minor part indicates backward-compatible feature additions. The patch part covers backward-compatible bug fixes. This structure is what the correct description is aiming at: a scheme that uses MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH numbers to convey the level of change. Other descriptions miss this clarity: using dates doesn’t express compatibility guarantees; focusing only on patch increments ignores larger, backward-incompatible or feature-related changes; and alphabetical feature names don’t communicate how releases affect existing code.