> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mindsdb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MindsDB Releases

MindsDB releases new features, functionalitites, and fixes on regular cadence. This document outlines the release process, versioning, and naming conventions.

## Release Types and Versioning

MindsDB uses [semantic versioning](https://semver.org/) to name all releases. This format is applied consistently across our GitHub tags, Python packages, and Docker images.

Each release name follows the structure:

```
v<MAJOR>.<MINOR>.<PATCH>(<TYPE><NUMBER>)
```

Where:

* `MAJOR` indicates the major version, which introduces significant changes or backward-incompatible updates.
* `MINOR` indicates the minor version, which introduces new features that remain backward-compatible.
* `PATCH` indicates the patch version, which introduces small fixes or improvements.
* `TYPE` is an optional component, which informs about the nature of the (pre-)release.
* `NUMBER` is an optional component used when `TYPE` is provided that indicates the pre-release version.

The following are the release types and their naming conventions.

| **Release Type**               | **Sample Version** | **Description**                                                                                                                              |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **GA (General Availability)**  | `v25.9.3`          | The stable public release. `25` is the major version, `9` is the minor version, and `3` is the patch number.                                 |
| **Pre-GA (Release Candidate)** | `v25.9.3rc1`       | A release candidate that is nearly ready for GA. `rc` stands for release candidate, and `1` indicates the version number of the pre-release. |
| **Alpha**                      | `v25.9.3alpha1`    | An early testing version with limited features or stability. `alpha` denotes an initial stage for internal or early feedback.                |
| **Beta**                       | `v25.9.3beta1`     | A version close to final release. `beta` indicates a feature-complete build shared for broader testing and feedback.                         |

## Release Process

The `main` branch of the [MindsDB repository](https://github.com/mindsdb/mindsdb) contains the latest stable version of MindsDB and represents the GA (General Availability) release.

MindsDB adheres to the release process as follows.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Release Preparation">
    A short-lived `release/x.x.x` branch is created for each release where all code changes for that release are pushed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Development Phase">
    Developers create feature PRs that target the `release/x.x.x` branch. This branch is used for testing and validation of the release.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pre-GA Release">
    Pre-GA artifacts are built, including both the Python package and the Docker image, and shared for broader testing and feedback.
  </Step>

  <Step title="GA Release">
    After successful testing and validation, the `release/x.x.x` branch is merged into the `main` branch, making it an official GA release. The final GA versions of the Python package and Docker image are released.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If you are interested in contributing to MindsDB, follow [this link](/contribute/contribute).
</Tip>