--- name: "rpm-version" section: "7" platform: "linux" package: "rpm-tools" version: "6.0.1-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/rpm-version" --- # rpm-version(7) RPM version system ## NAME **rpm-version** - RPM version system ## SYNOPSIS \[*EPOCH***:**\]*VERSION*\[**-***RELEASE*\] ## DESCRIPTION A label known as *EVR* is used to refer to software versions in RPM, consisting of up to three *components*: - • *VERSION* reflects the actual packaged software version. - • *RELEASE* reflects packaging revisions within that software version. - • *EPOCH* is an artificial override to allow working around versioning anomalies. Only the *VERSION* component is mandatory in an *EVR* label. All RPM packages have a *VERSION* and a *RELEASE*, however. ### Version The *VERSION* string reflects the actual packaged software version. The string consists of ASCII alphanumeric characters, optionally *segmented* with the *separators* period (**.**), underscore (**\_**) and the plus sign (**+**), and *operators* tilde (**~**) and caret (**^**). The *operators* are used to map pre- and post-release version strings into a coherent upgrade. Notably, the dash character (**-**) can NOT be used in *VERSION* or *RELEASE* as it is the component separator. ### Release The *RELEASE* reflects a revision within a single software version. Ideally, *RELEASE* is a simple integer that is incremented whenever changes are made to a package, and should be reset (to 1) whenever the software version changes. Technically, the format is exactly the same as for *VERSION*. ### Epoch The *EPOCH* is a non-negative integer, separated from the version with a colon (**:**). It's the most significant part of an *EVR*, skewing version comparison to make an older version to appear newer. It's sometimes necessary to work around version anomalies such as a software project changing its versioning scheme, but also packaging errors. An omitted *EPOCH* has an implicit value of zero. The epoch should be only used as a last resort. It violates the principle of least surprise, and changing it requires all related versioned dependencies in other packages to be updated accordingly. ### Comparing Two *EVR*s are compared left to right, one component at a time. The components are compared left to right, a *segment* at a time. The comparison stops as soon as a segment or component level difference is found, so if eg. the epochs differ, the rest of the *EVR* is not considered at all. Within components, consecutive alphabetic characters and consecutive numbers form *implicit segments*. *Explicit segments* are denoted by *separators* and *operators*. Numeric segments are compared numerically as integers with leading zeros ignored, otherwise lexicographical comparison is used. That is, **abc123** consists of two segments: **abc** and **123** and is equal to **abc0123**, **abc.123** and **abc.000123** despite difference in appearance. Numeric segments are considered newer than alphabetic segments regardless of the actual content. When otherwise equal, the component with more segments is considered newer, and similarly an *EVR* with more components is considered newer. For example, **0.0** is newer than **0** and **1.xyz** is older than **1.0** but newer than **1**. The segment *separator* characters are not compared, so they can be used interchangeably, and multiple consecutive separators are treated as if only one separator was used. Thus, **1.0** is equal to **1+0** and **1+.+0**. The tilde operator causes a segment to sort older, and is used for *pre-release versions*. For example **2.0~beta1** is older than **2.0** or **2.0~rc1**, and newer than **1.0**. The caret operator is essentially the opposite of tilde. It causes a segment to sort newer, and is used for *post-release snapshots* that exist between actual software releases. For example, **2.0^150825** is newer than **2.0** but older than **2.0.1**. ## EXAMPLES **123** A simple one-segment version **123**. Newer than **99**, older than **321**. **1.0.1** A segmented version string **1.0.1**, such as commonly used in software projects to indicate major.minor.micro semantics. Newer than **1.0**, older than **1.0.2**. **2.60.1-1** First release of version **2.60.1**. Newer than **2.0** or **2.60**, but older than **3.0**. **1.0-5** Fifth release of version **1.0**, newer than **1.0** or **1.0-1**, older than **1.0.1**. **5:3.0-1** First release of version **3.0**, with epoch of **5**. Newer than for **6.0-1**, or **4:6.0-1**, older than **5:3.1-1**. **1.0~beta2** Pre-release **beta2** of version **1.0**. Newer than **0.99** and **1.0~beta1**, older than **1.0**. **2.0^20250611** Post-release snapshot **20250611** of version **2.0**. Newer than **2.0**, older than **2.0.1**. ## BUGS Various non-obvious behaviors and dark corners exist within the version comparison algorithm, but are difficult to address due to high risk of breaking existing packages: - • Non-ASCII characters are ignored and thus equal: **1.1.α** equals **1.1.β** and even **1.1.ββ**. [**rpmbuild**(1)](/rpmbuild/1.md) rejects such EVRs but it's possible to encounter "illegal" values via API usage, very old packages and packages created with 3rd party tools. - • Implicit segments can be deceptive: **1.f** is newer than **1c.f**. The result becomes more obvious by making the segments explicit: **1.f** is newer than **1.c.f** because the segments are compared one by one, and **c** sorts lower than **f** lexicographically. [**rpm**(8)](/rpm/8.md) [**rpmbuild**(1)](/rpmbuild/1.md) [**rpmsort**(1)](/rpmsort/1.md) **http://www.rpm.org/**