Re: [boost] ABI and API compatibility

From: Jens Seidel (jensseidel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-04-24 03:06:45

On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 09:14:25AM +0400, Vladimir Prus wrote:
> Right now, Boost provides not guarantees whatsoever about API
> and ABI compatibility between any two versions. This might be
> OK for major releases, but the question is if we really want
> 1.35.1 to be incompatible to 1.35.0 in any way? If 1.35.1 is a
> bugfix release, then I would hope that:
> 
> 1. Applications using 1.35.0 need not be changed at all.

This means the API, the Application Program Interface, does not
change (no changes in source code required).

> 2. If application link to 1.35.0 as dynamic library, then
> switching them to use 1.35.1 should not break anything.

This means the ABI, the Application Binary Interface, does not
change.

> Does this make sense, and if so, can we officially document
> such a policy?

Of course, this would be great!

But please note that probably also changes to the build system
are required to adjust the soname. Thus there even exist one
or do only some distrubutions added the version number as
(bogus) soname? I'm really no expert in this domain but just
documenting it is *not* sufficient!

Jens