Versioning and Changelog
LLMO is a protocol. Protocols must evolve without breaking implementations. This page defines how changes are managed.Versioning scheme
LLMO uses semantic versioning:MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
- MAJOR: breaking changes to schema structure, field semantics, or validation rules
- MINOR: new optional fields, new artifact types, expanded enums
- PATCH: clarifications, typo fixes, documentation improvements
What is versioned
| Artifact | Version field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LLMO protocol | llmo_version | The overall protocol version governing semantics and rules |
| llmo.json schema | schema_version | The structural schema for truth pack artifacts |
| Canonical definitions | tied to protocol version | Term definitions are stable within a major version |
| Validation rules | tied to protocol version | How claims are checked is stable within a major version |
Backward compatibility
Within a major version:- New optional fields may be added to schemas
- Existing required fields will not be removed or renamed
- Enum values may be added but not removed
- Validation rules may be tightened but not relaxed (stricter is backward-compatible; looser is not)
- Breaking changes are documented in the changelog
- Migration guides are provided
- Deprecated fields carry a deprecation notice for at least one minor version before removal
RFC process
Changes to the LLMO protocol follow an RFC (Request for Comments) process:- Proposal: a written document describing the change, its rationale, and its impact
- Review: community and maintainer review with explicit approval criteria
- Decision: accept, reject, or defer with documented reasoning
- Implementation: schema and documentation updates
- Release: new version published with changelog entry
Deprecation rules
When a field, artifact type, or validation rule is deprecated:- The deprecation is announced in the changelog
- The deprecated element is marked in the schema with a deprecation notice
- The deprecated element remains functional for at least one minor version
- Removal occurs only in a major version increment
Changelog
v0.1.0 (2026-04-02)
- Initial protocol specification
- Core ontology: entity, claim, source, provenance, freshness, supersession, representation
- Protocol artifacts: entity record, claim record, source record, truth pack, decision envelope
- llmo.json schema v0.1.0
- Validation rules: source weighting, claim validation, freshness checks, conflict resolution, supersession
- Evaluation harness specification
- Humans + Harness operating doctrine
- Governance framework
- Security threat model