Version Bumping Logic Audit: Multi-Package Consistency

Hey guys! We've got a critical task on our hands: ensuring our multi-package version bumping logic is rock-solid. This article will dive deep into the issues, our approach to fixing them, and how we're making sure everything works consistently. Let's get started!

The Challenge: Reliable Versioning Across Multiple Packages

So, here's the deal: We recently tweaked our incrementPatchVersion function to graduate pre-release versions to stable releases. Think of it like this: 4.6.24-dev.0 should become 4.6.24. But, we've been hearing some rumblings about versioning acting a bit wonky, especially when we're bumping versions across multiple packages. The existing implementation in src/util/general.ts needs a serious audit and some love to handle all those tricky edge cases. This is a functionality issue with medium priority, so let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Robust Parsing of Semantic Versions is paramount. We need to make sure our version bumping logic can handle all sorts of semantic versions, including those with a v prefix (like v1.2.3), pre-release sections (like 1.0.0-alpha), and even negative or edge cases. We're talking about using a small, dependency-free parser that can clearly split versions on the . and preserve their meaning. If the patch component has a - (that's the pre-release indicator), we graduate it to the base numeric patch. And if the patch numeric isn't parseable? We throw a clear error – no mystery bugs here! Think of this as ensuring our versioning logic is clear, concise, and error-free, making the development process smoother and more reliable for everyone involved.

Multi-package Bumping Consistency is the name of the game. We need to audit the multi-package bump flow in src/commands/versions.ts and src/commands/release.ts to ensure a couple of things. First, all dependencies within the same scope are normalized consistently (think of the minor subcommand). Second, the publishedVersions that we're tracking under a mutex are updated atomically. This means no race conditions or inconsistent states when multiple packages are bumped at the same time. Plus, we need tests! Lots of tests to validate the outcomes of these multi-package bumps. These tests will act as a safety net, ensuring that our versioning logic behaves as expected across a variety of scenarios.

Diving into the Code: Implementation Details

Alright, let's get technical! Here's where we'll be focusing our efforts:

1. Rewriting incrementPatchVersion in src/util/general.ts

This is ground zero for fixing our version bumping woes. We need to rewrite incrementPatchVersion to be super clear and robust. This includes adding comprehensive unit tests in tests/util/general.test.ts to cover all those edge cases we talked about. We're aiming to restore the behavior described in our docs (docs/public/commands/publish.md), which means graduating pre-releases to stable versions.

To make this happen, we'll focus on crafting a function that's easy to understand and maintain. This means clear, concise code that avoids unnecessary complexity. We'll also pay close attention to error handling, ensuring that we provide informative messages when things go wrong. After all, a well-documented and robust function is key to a smooth and predictable versioning process.

2. Updating Tests in tests/util/general.test.ts

Our tests need to reflect the new graduation behavior. So, we'll update our test cases to ensure that, for example, '4.6.24-dev.0' correctly graduates to '4.6.24'. And, of course, we'll add those crucial edge-case tests to catch any unexpected behavior. These tests will serve as a critical safeguard, ensuring that our version bumping logic behaves predictably across a wide range of scenarios.

We'll be meticulous in designing our test cases, thinking through all the possible inputs and outputs. This includes testing versions with leading vs, various pre-release identifiers, and even potentially malformed versions. The goal is to build a comprehensive test suite that provides confidence in the correctness of our code.

3. Auditing and Enhancing src/commands/versions.ts

This is where we ensure atomic updates and add some helpful logging. When multiple packages are bumped, we need to make sure those updates to publishedVersions are happening atomically. This prevents any nasty race conditions. We'll also sprinkle in some logging so we can track exactly what's happening during the bump process. These logs will be invaluable for debugging and understanding the flow of execution, especially in complex multi-package scenarios.

We'll leverage mutexes or other synchronization mechanisms to ensure atomicity. This will guarantee that updates to shared state are performed in a consistent and predictable manner. The added logging will provide transparency into the version bumping process, making it easier to diagnose issues and track the history of changes.

Expected Behavior: Smooth Sailing for Releases

Here's what we're aiming for: When publishing from a pre-release, we want to see that base stable tag being used. So, 4.23.3-dev.1 becomes 4.23.3. Minor and major bump semantics should apply as usual. And those multi-package bumps? They need to be deterministic and logged, so we know exactly what happened. This behavior is what will make our release process predictable and efficient.

Technical Considerations and Edge Cases: The Nitty-Gritty

We can't forget about the details! We need to consider version strings with leading vs or metadata build tags. We'll document exactly which formats we accept and which ones we'll reject. And, of course, our tests need to run cross-platform and not rely on filesystem ordering. This ensures our solution is robust and works consistently across different environments.

This attention to detail will help us avoid subtle bugs and ensure our versioning logic works reliably regardless of the operating system or file system configuration. We'll also be sure to document any limitations or edge cases we uncover, providing clear guidance to developers using our versioning tools.

Success Criteria: We Nailed It!

How will we know we've succeeded? Easy: All tests in tests/util/general.test.ts pass. Our version bump behavior matches the documented expectations. And we see no surprising increments in multi-package publish runs. If we hit these marks, we know we've created a robust and reliable version bumping system.

Suggestions for the Fix

Here’s a quick recap of our plan of attack:

1. Rewrite incrementPatchVersion in src/util/general.ts with clear parsing and add unit tests for edge cases. This is the core of the fix, ensuring our version bumping logic is sound.
2. Audit src/commands/versions.ts to ensure atomic updates and add logs for bump operations. This addresses the multi-package consistency issue, making our version bumping process more robust.
3. Update docs/public/commands/publish.md to match implemented semantics and include examples. This ensures that our documentation aligns with our code, providing clear guidance to users.

By tackling these tasks, we'll create a versioning system that's not only reliable but also easy to understand and maintain. Let's get to work and make our release process smoother than ever!