To implement a versioning system for plugins in Golang, you can follow these steps:
Semantic Versioning: Start by adopting Semantic Versioning (SemVer) for your plugin and main application. SemVer defines a versioning scheme that allows specifying breaking changes, new features, and bug fixes. It typically follows the format: Major.Minor.Patch.
Plugin Interface: Create a well-defined and stable interface for your plugin that the main application can use to interact with it. This interface should include functions, structs, and any other necessary definitions.
Plugin Registration: Develop a registration mechanism where the main application can discover and load the plugins dynamically at runtime. This can be achieved by utilizing the Go plugin package, which allows dynamically loading Go code from a shared object (.so) file.
Dependency Management: Use a dependency management tool like Go modules or Dep to manage the dependencies of your main application and plugins. This will ensure that the correct versions of the dependencies are used by each component.
Version Compatibility Checks: Implement a mechanism to check if the loaded plugin version is compatible with the main application version. You can achieve this by defining a compatible range in your main application, specifying which plugin versions are compatible. You can then compare the loaded plugin's version against this range during the registration process.
Breaking Changes and Major Versions: When introducing breaking changes (changes that may break compatibility with previous versions) to your plugin or main application, increment the major version number. This indicates that older versions might not be compatible and require an upgrade.
Minor and Patch Versions: Increment the minor version when adding new features or functionality to the plugin that are backward compatible. Patch versions are for bug fixes or minor updates that don't introduce new features or break compatibility.
Compatibility Contracts: Consider defining compatibility contracts between the main application and plugins to ensure smooth integration. This includes documenting the supported plugin interface version range and any compatibility guidelines or requirements.
Release and Communication: Release new plugin versions with updated version numbers, along with release notes describing the changes. Communicate these changes and the compatible versions to users of the plugin, including the main application developers.
By following these steps, you can establish a versioning system for plugins in Golang that ensures compatibility with the main application and provides a smooth integration experience for users.