Alipay International Mini Program Development PlatformAlipay International Mini Program Development PlatformDOCS

Overview

Create a new version to release your mini program for the first time or to deliver updates (including new features, bug fixes, and basic information changes) to your users. This overview explains when and how to create a new version, and the rules for version numbering.

When to create a new version

You need to create a new version in the following scenarios:

  • Releasing for the first time: You are releasing your mini program for the first time.
  • Updating an existing mini program: You are making changes to a mini program that is already released. In this case, whether you need to create a new version depends on your mini program type and what you are updating. For details, see the following sections:

For DSL mini programs

DSL mini programs are built from the code that you upload to Mini Program Platform. Each version requires an uploaded code package. The need to create a version depends on what you update:

  • For source code changes

If your updates include code changes, you must create a new version and upload the updated code.

  • For updates made in Mini Program Platform only (no code changes)

If you update the mini program's basic information or other setup within the platform (e.g., the name, logo, or features):

    • If the latest version is in the New Version Created status for all selected target apps, your changes are applied directly, and you do not need to create a new version.
    • If the latest version is in a status other than New Version Created for any selected target app, you must create a new version to apply your changes.

For H5+ mini programs

H5+ mini programs are web-based. When users open your mini program, they are directed to the entrance URL you provide. The need to create a version depends on where you make the updates:

  • For updates made on your server

If you update the code, HTML, images, or other assets on the server that hosts your entrance URL, these changes are live immediately. Similar to visiting a website, users always see the latest content when they open the mini program. You do not need to upload your code to Mini Program Platform or create a new version to apply these changes.

  • For updates made in Mini Program Platform

If you update the mini program's basic information (including entrance URL) or other setup within the platform (e.g., the name, logo, or features):

    • If the latest version is in the New Version Created status for all selected target apps, your changes are applied directly, and you do not need to create a new version.
    • If the latest version is in a status other than New Version Created for any selected target app, you must create a new version to apply your changes.

How to create a new version

The process for creating a new version depends on your mini program type.

For DSL mini programs

To create a new version, follow these steps:

  1. Prepare your code

Get the code for your mini program's current logic:

    • If your updates include code changes, use your updated code.
    • If you are only updating details in Mini Program Platform (and a new version is required), use the same code as your previous version.
  1. Upload your code

Choose either of the following methods based on your preferred tool:

    • IDE: Choose this if you develop within Mini Program Studio or prefer a visual interface for uploads. For more information, see Upload code using the IDE.
    • CLI: Choose this to use terminal commands for CI/CD integration. For more information, see Upload code using the CLI.

For H5+ mini programs

In most cases, when you update an H5+ mini program and a new version is required to apply your changes, Mini Program Platform will guide you through the version creation process as part of the standard update flow. For step-by-step instructions, check the user guide for related topics, for example:

Version numbering rules

When creating a new version, follow these guidelines:

  • Format: The platform uses a standard major.minor.patch versioning system (e.g., 1.0.0) to help you track your releases. You can assign a number based on the following description or your internal guidelines:
    • major: Breaking or incompatible changes
    • minor: New features that are backwards-compatible
    • patch: Bug fixes or minor changes

For more information, see Semantic Versioning.

  • Default version assignment: If you do not specify a version number, the platform will use a default one. This happens if you accept the pre-suggested number in the visual interface (for both in Mini Program Platform and the IDE) or omit the version flag in the CLI. The default version number is as follows:
    • For your first version, 1.0.0.
    • For subsequent versions, the platform automatically increments the patch number of your latest version by 1. For example, if your latest version is 1.0.0, the default next version is 1.0.1.