Recommendations for the API version of a library (targeting GTK 4)

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1

There is gspell 1 for GTK 3, its pkg-config file is: gspell-1

A contributor started the work to port gspell to GTK 4. It needs an API version bump. So I wonder what are nowadays the recommendations.

I think “4.0” as the API version would be better than simply “4”, or “2”, so with the pkg-config file: gspell-4.0

That way, if the need arises, there can be a gspell-4.1 still targeting GTK 4, but with an API break.

(of course this is almost unrelated to the “normal” version number, as in the tarball filename, so there could be a gspell-4.2.tar.xz with the API version 4.0).

To avoid the situation of GtkSourceView for example, with GSV 5 depending on GTK 4. We learn by our own mistakes. (or the peculiar version numbers of WebKitGTK).

So, do you confirm that a pkg-config filename gspell-4.0 is a good choice?

This topic can be useful for other library developers.

2

There is no standard here. gspell-4.0 is a fine choice. gspell-2.0 works too.

3

Thanks for your reply, we will choose gspell-4.0 I think.

4

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