---
id: semver4
version: "0.0.1b8"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: dormant
---

# semver4 — Semantic versioning module enriched by hotfix version

License: permissive · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 416.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

semver4 extends semantic versioning with a fourth numeric component to distinguish hotfix releases from standard patch releases. The standard semver 2.0 spec treats all backward-compatible bug fixes as patch increments, but this creates ambiguity when a hotfix must ship immediately while higher patch versions already exist as pre-release candidates. semver4 solves this by adding a 'fix' component: a version like 0.4.2.1 represents a hotfix to 0.4.2 without displacing pending 0.4.3 or 0.4.4 pre-releases.

The package provides two classes: Version4 for the extended four-part scheme and SemVersion for standard semver 2.0 parsing. Both support comparison, string representation, component mutation (inc_major, inc_minor, inc_patch, inc_fix), and serialization to JSON and YAML. It has no runtime dependencies and requires Python 3.8 or later.

Use it for:

- Distinguish hotfix releases from standard patch releases when pre-release versions already exist for higher patch numbers
- Parse and compare version strings that include a fourth numeric component in your release pipeline
- Serialize version objects to JSON or YAML for configuration files or API responses
- Migrate from standard semver 2.0 parsing while maintaining backward compatibility via the SemVersion class

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Parses and manipulates semantic versions with an optional fourth component for hotfix releases, plus standard semver 2.0 support.

Yes, if you need the four-part versioning scheme for hotfix management. The package is lightweight with no dependencies and permissive licensing. However, maintenance is dormant (last release March 2024, no recent commits), so treat it as stable-but-unsupported; do not expect bug fixes or updates if issues arise. Suitable for projects that have already adopted this versioning model or are willing to lock to a specific version.

## Install

pip install semver4
uv add semver4
poetry add semver4

## Installing semver4

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 2024-03-24 and no commits since 2024-12-30—so expect no active support or updates.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

from semver4 import Version4, SemVersion

# Four-part version with hotfix component
v = Version4('0.4.2.1-beta+build123')
print(v.fix)  # 1
v.inc_fix()
print(v)  # 0.4.2.2-beta+build123

# Standard semver 2.0
v2 = SemVersion('1.2.3-alpha+007')
print(v2)  # 1.2.3-alpha+007

Requires Python 3.8 or later. YAML serialization requires PyYAML to be installed separately.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package is actively maintained or has been abandoned despite the dormant status
- Real-world adoption and stability of the four-part versioning scheme in production environments
- Whether YAML serialization features are documented or tested beyond the excerpt

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 416.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

semantic versioning with hotfix, version parsing and comparison, semver with fix component, version string manipulation, hotfix version tracking, semver4 version parser, versioning, hotfix-release

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/semver4) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/semver4/)