Piper Morgan Version Numbering Scheme

Two versioning docs, deliberately (clarified 2026-08-12): this one explains the numbering scheme — what each tier of X.Y.Z means. versioning.md explains the release strategy — which branches releases cut from, and the VERSION/pyproject must-match rule that scripts/check-version-consistency.py enforces. They overlap on the current-version header only.

Current Version: 0.8.11.0 (Alpha, released 2026-07-17 — Finish-the-Unfinished sprint; main and production converged at the cut; next: 0.9.0 beta at MVP) Last Updated: July 3, 2026

Overview

Piper Morgan uses semantic versioning with a three-tier system: X.Y.Z

Each tier has specific meaning that communicates the maturity and stage of the software.

Version Tiers Explained

First Digit (X): Major Stage

Indicates the fundamental maturity level of the product.

0 = Pre-MVP (experimental, alpha, beta)
1 = MVP (minimum viable product)
2+ = Post-MVP (major platform upgrades or fundamental changes)

Examples:

0.8.0 → Pre-MVP, alpha stage
1.0.0 → MVP release
2.0.0 → Major platform redesign or fundamental architecture change

Second Digit (Y): Milestone

Within each major stage, marks significant feature milestones and capabilities.

Pre-MVP Milestones (0.Y.Z):

0.0 = Proof of concept to prototype
0.1 = New DDD (Domain-Driven Design) foundation
0.2 = GitHub integration, documentation, learning conversations
0.3 = MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration
0.4 = Spatial intelligence
0.5 = Ethical boundaries layer
0.6 = Plug-in architecture
0.7 = Great Refactor (system-wide architectural improvements)
0.8 = Alpha release (first external testers)
0.9 = Beta release (wider testing)

MVP Milestones (1.Y.Z):

1.0 = MVP release
1.1 = First feature addition post-MVP
1.2+ = Subsequent feature additions

Third Digit (Z): Patch/Update

Within each milestone, marks incremental updates, bug fixes, and improvements.

Release Types:

X.Y.0 = Major milestone release (e.g., 0.8.0 = first alpha)
X.Y.1 = First update to milestone (e.g., 0.8.1 = first alpha update)
X.Y.2+ = Subsequent patches and updates

Examples:

0.8.0 → First alpha release
0.8.1 → First update to alpha testers
0.9.0 → First beta release
0.9.1 → First update to beta testers
1.0.0 → First MVP release
1.0.1 → Fast-follow bug fix

Version History Timeline

Early Development (May - August 2025)

0.0.1 (May 28, 2025) - Proof of concept
0.0.2 - First interactive prototype
0.0.x - Various increasingly sophisticated iterations

Foundation Era (August - September 2025)

0.1.0 - Real product foundation with DDD architecture
0.2.0 - GitHub integration, documentation system, learning conversations
0.3.0 - Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration
0.4.0 - Spatial intelligence capabilities
0.5.0 - Ethical boundaries layer activated
0.6.0 - Plug-in architecture implemented

Maturation Era (September - October 2025)

0.7.0 - Great Refactor (system-wide improvements)
- Sprint GREAT-1 through GREAT-6
- Architecture consolidation
- Pattern standardization
- Performance optimization

Alpha Era (October 2025 - Present)

0.8.0 (October 24, 2025) - First Alpha Release
0.8.1–0.8.6 - Alpha updates (Oct 2025 – May 2026)
0.8.7 (June 3, 2026) - M1 Foundation + M2 Conscious Floor stable cut for alpha
0.8.8 (June 19–20, 2026) - D1 close: Radar default home, F2 shell complete, BYOC credential layer, Conscious Floor, Files, Slack inbound, 252/252 regression
0.8.9 (June 22, 2026) - RECONNECT WS-1: DB-backed connector config + StandupAssembler; security: AES-256-GCM field encryption, encrypted secrets, per-user LLM key routing, auth hardening; Design D2: token system, mobile nav, Radar rename
0.8.9.1 (July 2, 2026) - Security patch: closed #1343 anonymous LLM-key billing exposure (hotfix on production)
0.8.9.2 (July 3, 2026) - Security patch: closed #1344 open-registration exposure, invite-token gate (hotfix on production) ← CURRENT (released). main itself is still at 0.8.9, pending its next cut.

Beta Era (Planned)

0.9.0 - Beta / MVP release (wider testing, more self-service, UUID bearer auth)
0.9.x - Beta updates and refinements

Production Era (Planned)

1.0.0 - MVP feature set polished for production release
1.0.x - Post-MVP bug fixes and improvements
1.1.0+ - Feature additions

How to Interpret Versions

Reading a Version Number

Example: 0.8.1

0 = Pre-MVP stage (still experimental)
8 = Alpha milestone (external testers)
1 = First update since alpha launch

Meaning: “This is the first update to alpha testers during the pre-MVP phase.”

What This Tells You

If you see 0.x.x:

Software is pre-MVP
Expect bugs, rough edges, incomplete features
Breaking changes may occur between milestones
Not for production use

If you see 1.0.x:

Software has reached MVP
Core functionality is stable
Suitable for production use (with caveats)
Breaking changes will be rare

If you see 1.x.0 (where x > 0):

New features added post-MVP
May introduce new capabilities
Backwards compatibility preserved where possible

Alpha vs Beta vs MVP

Alpha (0.8.x)

Purpose: Early testing with small group (2-5 testers)

Guided setup process
Close PM support
Frequent bugs expected
Rapid iteration based on feedback
Focus: “Does this basically work?”

Beta (0.9.x)

Purpose: Wider testing (10-20 testers)

More self-service
Documented known issues
Fewer critical bugs
Weekly updates
Focus: “Is this reliable enough?”

MVP (1.0.0)

Purpose: First production release

All core features working
Comprehensive documentation
Stable enough for real work
Regular update schedule
Focus: “Is this useful?”

Version Communication

In Documentation

Always reference the current version:

This guide is for Piper Morgan v0.8.0

In Code

Check version programmatically:

from services.config import VERSION
print(f"Piper Morgan {VERSION}")

For Users

System status shows version:

python main.py status
# → Piper Morgan v0.8.0

Frequently Asked Questions

Why start at 0.8.0 for alpha?

The version number reflects the journey from proof-of-concept (0.0.1) through multiple major milestones (DDD, MCP, plugins, refactor) before reaching alpha testing readiness.

When will we reach 1.0?

Version 1.0 (MVP) will be released when:

Core features are stable
Beta testing validates reliability
Documentation is comprehensive
System is production-ready (with caveats)

Estimated: Early 2026

What happens after 1.0?

Post-MVP versions (1.1+) will add new features while maintaining backwards compatibility. Major architectural changes would trigger 2.0.

Can I rely on 0.8.x for production work?

No. Alpha versions (0.8.x) are explicitly not for production use. See ALPHA_AGREEMENT.md for details.