mcj-coder Semantic Version Impact Assessment
Intent
Derive correct semantic version changes per component/library from observed impact and change intent, ensuring releases are immutable and traceable.
When to Use
- Any time a component/library changes and may be released
- Before tagging, releasing, or deploying
- When reviewing change sets for release readiness
Precondition Failure Signal
- Version bumps are arbitrary or inconsistent
- Conventional commit semantics are ignored or misapplied
- Breaking changes ship under minor/patch versions
- Components that did not change are version-bumped unnecessarily
Postcondition Success Signal
- Each impacted component/library has a justified version bump
- Unchanged components do not receive a new version
- Version decisions align with change intent and observable impact
- Release notes can be derived from the version decision
Process
- Source Review: Inspect the impact set and all commit messages since the last release for each impacted component.
- Implementation: Calculate the appropriate semantic version bump based on the nature of the changes (breaking, feature, fix).
- Verification: Verify that the calculated version correctly reflects the impact on the component's public contract.
- Documentation: Document the proposed version bumps and the rationale for each.
- Review: Tech Lead and Platform Engineer review the version bump calculations.
Example Test / Validation
- Given a change set, identify impacted components and derive version bumps
- Verify breaking changes trigger major version increments
- Verify patch/minor are used appropriately for fixes/features
- Confirm unchanged components remain at current versions
Common Red Flags / Guardrail Violations
- “Just bump minor to be safe”
- Bundling multiple components into one version decision without need
- Downgrading breaking changes to avoid major bump
- Skipping impact analysis and relying on assumptions
Recommended Review Personas
- Tech Lead – validates semantic correctness and consistency
- Release/Platform Engineer – validates traceability and component scoping
- Domain Expert – validates whether change is breaking in practice
Skill Priority
P2 – Consistency & Governance
Conflict Resolution Rules
- Must consume incremental-change-impact output
- Correctness of version semantics overrides convenience
- If breaking status is ambiguous, escalate and document decision
Conceptual Dependencies
- incremental-change-impact
Classification
Governance
Notes
Version numbers are contracts. Treat them as part of the public surface area.