iOS App Version Numbering

Question

The iTunes Connect Developer Guide PDF (page 47), refers to the following on the version number of an iOS app:

Use typical software versioning conventions (such as “1.0" or "1.0.1" or "1.1”)

There is no statement about the exact format of the app version number. Can we use version numbers such as "1.0.0.1" or "1.0.0.0.1"?

Fade

Answer 1

My recommendation is to stick to the 1.x.x format as your "marketing version number" for app store purposes and if you need any more than that just increment your build number. Both of these are available under the target summary inside of xcode. Check out the agvtool for a painless way of updating these two fields with your Xcode builds.

Noah

Answer 2

Yes, you may format it however you like, however usually one does not use more than two dots.

Swineherd

Answer 3

There is no set format for your version number (so long as it is the x.x.x format). You can have as many numbers in your version as needed, but it is recommended (I recall somewhere in the Human Interface Guidelines, not sure where) that you make a simple versioning system (no more than three numbers) so it is easier for the user. However, I have seen apps that use version numbers such as: 6.77.4903.0

There are no restrictions on how long your version number is, as long as it remains in the x.x.x format.

If you need more, feel free to use the build number, which isn't published, in Xcode by going to your project settings page.

Irritability

Thanks @RazorSharp, I also find a app that's version number is more than three numbers, Here is the app's URL itunes.apple.com/cn/app/cai-zhi-kuai-zhang/… – Fade

Looks like it's only got 3 now. – Galilean

Answer 4

210721 Chrome app still uses 4-component version number now, but I'm not sure how they achieved that. More discussion can be found here: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/15701

Edit 220307: please differentiate bundle short version vs marketing version number. The latter can have more than 3 component and gets displayed on App Store detail page.

Splenectomy