Backdrop CMS includes an update utility to handle any necessary changes to the database schema or configuration. Typically after replacing an older version of a module with a newer one, or the Backdrop core directory, you'll need to check if any updates need to be run.
About minor and major version updates
Backdrop CMS follows a semantic versioning scheme: given a version number MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, increment the:
- MAJOR version for incompatible API changes,
- MINOR version for added functionality in a backwards compatible manner, and
- PATCH version for backwards compatible bug fixes.
Additional labels for pre-release and build metadata are available as extensions to the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format, for example, 1.1.3-alpha1.
Consistent with semantic versioning, Backdrop uses the following terminology for a change of version:
- An Update is moving to the next minor (e.g. 1.1.y to 1.2.y) or patch version (e.g. 1.1.1 to 1.1.2).
- An Upgrade is moving the next major version (e.g. from 1.x.y to 2.x.y) and is a more involved process.
Minor and patch version updates maintain consistent APIs, and can be done independently from any additional modules you may have installed on your site.
Major version upgrades involve API changes, which will usually at the same time require that all the modules on your site are upgraded to compatible versions.