Glossary
Patch Release
A patch release is a version that contains only backward-compatible bug fixes, incrementing the third number in a semantic version, for example moving from v2.4.0 to v2.4.1.
Patch releases exist to fix defects without changing the public behavior of the software in any way that would require users to adapt. They add no new features and break no existing functionality, which is exactly what makes them safe to adopt quickly and often automatically.
Under semantic versioning, a patch increments the PATCH position, the third number, while MAJOR and MINOR stay the same. A series like v2.4.0, v2.4.1, v2.4.2 represents successive bug-fix releases on the same feature set. Security fixes that are backward compatible are also patch releases, just more urgent ones.
The release notes for a patch are usually short and dominated by a Fixed section. Because dependency managers are configured to accept patch updates freely, keeping patches strictly backward compatible is essential to preserving that trust.