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Revision as of 17:44, 11 January 2012

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We release each SDK version three weeks before each new version of Firefox is released. This allows enough time for compatibility fixes to land on the SDK's stabilization branch after Firefox stops accepting incompatible changes (at the time it merges from aurora to beta?) while still giving AMO and addon developers enough time to update addons to use the new version of the SDK.
We release each SDK version three weeks before each new version of Firefox is released. This allows enough time for compatibility fixes to land on the SDK's stabilization branch after Firefox stops accepting incompatible changes (at the time it merges from aurora to beta?) while still giving AMO and addon developers enough time to update addons to use the new version of the SDK.


Each SDK release is compatible with the current and upcoming versions of Firefox. For example, SDK 1.2, which ships after Firefox 7 but before Firefox 8, is compatible with those two versions of Firefox.
{{note|SDK 1.0's schedule did not follow this process. SDK 1.1's schedule was slightly irregular. SDK 1.2's stabilization cycle and SDK 1.3's development cycle were only five weeks long in order to change the offset between SDK and Firefox releases from two weeks to three weeks.}}
 
{{note|Further readings about the Firefox development and release process can be found here: [http://mozilla.github.com/process-releases/draft/development_overview/ overview], [http://mozilla.github.com/process-releases/draft/development_specifics/ specifics].}}
 
The [[Jetpack/SDK_2012_Release_Schedule | Add-on SDK 2012 Release Schedule]] shows the SDK releases we expect to see in 2012, and shows the range of compatible Firefox versions in a tooltip.
 
Note that this range is not fixed for a given SDK version, but changes as an SDK goes through Development and Beta states, and as the set of available Firefox versions changes, according to the [[#SDK_Releases_and_Firefox_Compatibility | algorithm described below]].  
 
<h2>SDK Releases and Firefox Compatibility</h2>
 
Each SDK is compatible with a particular range of Firefox versions: meaning that it's tested against those versions, and add-ons it produces will be marked as compatible with those versions.
 
<h3>Firefox Versions</h3>
At any time, there are four Firefox versions that matter:
 
* Release
* Beta (release+1)
* Aurora (beta+1)
* Development version on moz-central (aurora+1)
 
Every 6 weeks, a new Firefox is released, and everyone moves along:
 
<pre>
Release    ->  X
Beta        ->  Release
Aurora      ->  Beta
Development ->  Aurora
            ->  Development
</pre>
 
The [[RapidRelease/Calendar|Rapid Release Calendar]] shows what this looks like for the second half of 2011 and the first half of 2012.
 
<h3>SDK Versions</h3>
The SDK release process mirrors that for Firefox, except that the SDK does not have separate Aurora and Beta states. So with the SDK we have three interesting versions at any given time:
 
* Release
* Beta (or Stabilization)(release+1)
* Development version on [https://github.com/mozilla/addon-sdk GitHub] (beta+1)
 
As for Firefox, every 6 weeks a new SDK is released, and everyone moves along.
 
<pre>
Release    ->  X
Beta        ->  Release
Development ->  Beta
            ->  Development
</pre>


[[Image:Addon-sdk-schedule.png]]
'''SDK Development Version'''
An SDK in the Development state is compatible with all four of the current Firefox versions.  Each time a new version of Firefox is released, the SDK drops compatibility with the previous release of Firefox.


{{note|SDK 1.0's schedule did not follow this process. SDK 1.1's schedule was slightly irregular. SDK 1.2's stabilization cycle and SDK 1.3's development cycle were only five weeks long in order to change the offset between SDK and Firefox releases from two weeks to three weeks.}}
'''SDK Released Version'''
An SDK in the Release state is compatible with the Release Firefox and the Beta Firefox at the time of the SDK's release.
 
So: 1.4 ships on January 10th 2012. At that time, the released Firefox will be 9, and the Beta will be 10. Therefore 1.4 will support Firefoxes 9 and 10.
 
'''SDK Beta/Stabilization Version'''
An SDK in the Stabilization state is compatible with the same Firefox versions as it will be compatible with in Release, ''plus any earlier versions still in existence''.


{{note|Further readings about the Firefox development and release process can be found here: [http://mozilla.github.com/process-releases/draft/development_overview/ overview], [http://mozilla.github.com/process-releases/draft/development_specifics/ specifics].}}
So as long as Firefox 8 is still the current Release, and Firefox 9 is the Beta, and 10 is Aurora, then SDK 1.4 in Stabilization supports 8, 9, 10. Once Firefox 9 is released, halfway through the stabilization of SDK 1.4, Stabilization drops support for Firefox 8.


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