Each CMS has a slightly different approach when it comes to determining the version name and the lifecycle of their releases.
WordPress
In WordPress’ case there is essentially one main, stable line and several secondary developer lines for testing.
The numbering is simple and sequential: version
X.Y.Z:
3.5.1 is followed by
3.6, which is followed by
3.6.1, then
3.7 etc… Basically, the higher, the newer.
For those who want to test the beta version, the
WordPress Beta Tester plugin is available.
Nevertheless, in the near future WordPress may make a few changes in this area; if/when this happens we may assume that some alternative approaches to the version naming and release schedule will be made, similar to those already employed by Jooma!.
Joomla
Joomla! release cycle is a little more complex than WordPress, especially as there are 2 different releases; STS and LTS, which we will cover below:
- STS – Short Term Support – a version of Joomla! that is not intended for extended use; any version that does not end x.5 is an STS version, such as 1.6, 1.7, 3.0, 3.1 etc… These versions introduce new functions and other significant changes and are usually used for testing or evaluation, or for any early-adopters who like being at the forefront of the development curve (with all the issues that inevitably come with it!). Short Term Support releases “exist“ only for about 6 months, after which a new STS or LTS version is released. Support for each STS version is available only up to 1 month after the next version (STS or LTS) releases; so they are not recommended for long-term projects.
- LTS – Long Term Support – a version of Joomla! that serves as a stable platform on which to build a site, with an easy-to-follow naming convention; each version that ends .5 is an LTS release. So, 1.5, 2.5 and (when it is released) 3.5 are all LTS versions. Each LTS release is supported until the publication of the next LTS release, which is a significantly large period of around 2 years. They are recommended for sites that have a lot of content and extensions with regular updates, as the CMS for such sites should not be updated except when absolutely necessary to avoid potential conflicts with existing content.
Regarding the numbering, in recent years there has been a change:
Previously, the numbering system would increase in increments of
.1, so
1.5 would be followed by
1.6, then
1.7 etc…
After the changes, LTS releases will always be numbered
x.5, with the STS releases starting at
x.0 then incrementing by
.1 with each release; so the
2.5 LTS release was followed by the
3.0,
3.1 and
3.2 STS versions, with the next version expected to be the
3.5 LTS release, then
4.0 STS etc…
Essentially, the STS versions are reserved for the
x.0,
x.1,
x.2 or if required
x.3 numbers, and
x.5 is reserved only for the LTS versions.
This infographic best illustrates the Joomla! release cycle