IDs Versions and Builds

[Lookinglasss]

I thought browsers just came with version numbers but now find that Opera uses an ID number and a version number, sometimes disclosing only one. There is also the browser's build number, and maybe more identifying numbers besides. Firefox and IE at least, seem to combine ID, version, and build into one number so Firefox 40.0.3 would mean (to use a generic set of terms) "ID" 40 "version" 0, and "build" 3. Is this a correct interpretation?

After I've got myself straightened out on nomenclature, how does this tie in with the platform the browser is running on, especially re desktop (mouse) vs. mobile (touch) devices?

I need an expert to untangle this!


(fwiw I am struggling to have conversations about cross-browser compatability problems - w3c validated code is NOT a remedy, I have learned, and Opera Mini is a dog )

[Josa]

Right now on the release channel Firefox is 53.0.3 (version 53, 4th build). 53.0 should have been the final 53 build, but problems made Mozilla release new builds with specific changes to fix them.
You can also identify these builds by their ID (check at about:support). But it's a 1:1 thing (each build has its own ID), so it doesn't add something new for you. And you can check the code changelog in about:buildconfig.
Nightly channel is a little more interesting because the build version is the date (right now 55.0a1 (2017-06-08)) but there can be 2 or more builds on the same day, so that's where the build ID is important.

[Lookinglasss]

Hi Josa

.. Firefox is 53.0.3 (version 53, 4th build) ...

So in FF 53, the 4th build is denoted by the number 3 (in the third position)?!

For the three terms commonly used, is for FF that first position the ID, the second the version, and the third the build?

Is that third position in the FF IdentifyingNumber (for want of a better term) always used for its build number?

I need a common terminology suitable for discussion of RWD/cross-browser compatability issues (i.e comprehensible in all the various stables) but at the moment it's Tower of Babel stuff.

[Virtual_ManPL]

version X.Y.Z

X - major version
Y - minor version
Z - patch version

X.0.Z - is used by Mozilla Firefox

X.Y.Z - is used by Mozilla Firefox Extended Support Release

There are also:
build ID - which is used to distinguish daily test builds
revision - which is used to distinguish "hourly" test builds

[Josa]

The second number is only used on the ESR channel. Right now this channel offers Firefox 52.1.2. In the next couple of days it will offer Firefox 52.2.0

I think you should interpret it as "Firefox version.esr_update.build".

All the versions so you can see how things flow: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/releases/

[Lookinglasss]

Thanks folks, so for general usage, for Firefox anyway, the X.Y.Z identifier = Version.Update.Build.

If both "dektop" and "mobile" versions follow this labelling (generally), is there any way to identify a "dektop" version from a "mobile" version by only their identifier i.e without having to look it up? The current wiki article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_v ... _.28old.29 shows "dektop" and "mobile" versions as being the same ...

[Virtual_ManPL]

You can distinguish desktop from mobile Mozilla Firefox, basing on theirs User Agent,
and "mobile" platforms will have these strings added to it:
- Mobile, Tablet (Firefox Mobile)
- iPod, iPad, iPhone (Firefox for iOS)
and sometimes: Fennec, arm***, TV, touch, etc.

See these URLs for more detailed information:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... nt/Firefox
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... user_agent

[Lookinglasss]

So the "complete generic" format of the ID is then X.Y.Z.m where m is a phrase e.g. "Firefox Mobile" (for Mobile, smartphones?, Tablet), "Firefox for iOS" (for iPod, iPad, iPhone) .. and "Fennec", "arm***" (what these?), "TV", "touch", etc

I guess FF versions also work on Macs, and are these different versions identified differently to the iOS designation?

My interest is in the fixes needed to valid HTML/CSS (etc?) for it to run as designed in these different browser environments. I haven't found anything "odd" with the way FF interprets things (yet?) but have VERY limited testing capability and until now no clear way of recording/communicating results.

My specific problem is managing the way different browsers (e.g Safari mobile, Opera mini, and screen readers) interpret links for touch device interaction.

Thanks for helping shed light on this for me.

[James]

version X.Y.Z

X - major version
Y - minor version
Z - patch version

X.0.Z - is used by Mozilla Firefox

X.Y.Z - is used by Mozilla Firefox Extended Support Release

There are also:
build ID - which is used to distinguish daily test builds
revision - which is used to distinguish "hourly" test builds

Firefox up til 16.0.2 came out used to show the build date and not the 20100101 since 16.0.2.

Normally for Release channel the Z is updated however there was the odd Firefox 50.1.0 Release https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/50.1.0/releasenotes/ even though it is not listed on https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

The 50.1.0 Release is why the last update for Fx 45 ESR was 45.9.0esr and not 45.8.0esr as 45.6.0esr came out when 50.1.0 did.

I guess FF versions also work on Macs, and are these different versions identified differently to the iOS designation?

The desktop Firefox (for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX) and Android Firefox use the same versions scheme.

The Firefox shell browser for iOS devices is not the same as one for OSX nor does it use the same versions (current version is 7.6) and also due to Apple's restrictions it does not use the Gecko and JavaScript engines that the desktop and Android versions of Firefox use.

[Virtual_ManPL]

Firefox up til 16.0.2 came out used to show the build date and not the 20100101 since 16.0.2.

True, but I wrote about build ID, not geckotrail string in User Agent.

[Lookinglasss]

The desktop Firefox (for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX) and Android Firefox use the same versions scheme.

The Firefox shell browser for iOS devices is not the same as one for OSX nor does it use the same versions (current version is 7.6) and also due to Apple's restrictions it does not use the Gecko and JavaScript engines that the desktop and Android versions of Firefox use.

If I understand right, the rendering engine parses and displays the HTML/CSS web resource and (from wiki) it looks like the FF versions are lockstepped with Gecko. So as the desktop and android FF use the same versions of Gecko is it true that that what works on FF on desktop will then work on FF on a mobile (unless it's being run on an iOS device)?

And generally speaking is it the development process of the rendering engines that drives the bowser development development or the other way around?