The lifecycle

Our API standards lifecycle follows these steps:

  1. Standards development pipeline plan
  2. Requirements
  3. Standards development
  4. Release candidate version
  5. Approval
  6. Version release
  7. Deprecation
  8. Expiry

The lifecycle applies to new standards and major version releases. It can also apply to minor version releases if the API Council decides it is appropriate.

A more detailed description of the lifecycle, including processes and role summaries, is available on Confluence. See API Standards Version and Lifecycle Management Policy.

Version numbering

Each version number captures major and minor version updates and patches. For example, v3.2.8 indicates major version update three, minor version update two, patch eight.

Definitions for our standards versioning approach, along with descriptions of high level roles and processes, are available on Confluence. See API Standards Version and Lifecycle Management Policy.