You’ve just downloaded a SAMSON Extension that could accelerate your workflow. You launch SAMSON, but the Extension doesn’t appear. No error, no trace—just… gone. This common frustration among molecular modelers often boils down to version compatibility between SAMSON and its Extensions.
If you build or use Extensions in SAMSON, understanding how compatibility is determined can help you avoid wasted hours and ensure smoother workflows.
Extension Compatibility: What Actually Matters
Every SAMSON Extension is built with a specific version of the SAMSON SDK (Software Development Kit). At startup, SAMSON checks whether each Extension is compatible with its own internal SDK version. Interestingly, it’s not just about matching exact versions—it follows a logic rooted in semantic versioning.
Here’s how compatibility is determined:
- Same major version: The major version number of the SDK used to build the Extension and SAMSON’s own SDK must match.
- Older or equal minor version: The SDK’s minor version must be less than or equal to SAMSON’s minor version.
This ensures backward compatibility: your Extensions won’t rely on features from a future version of SAMSON that hasn’t been installed yet.
Example:
Suppose SAMSON v1.7.8 uses SDK v1.7.8 internally. An Extension built with SDK v1.5.2 or 1.6.4 will load just fine. But an Extension built with SDK v1.8.5? It won’t load.
You may be wondering why. Here’s the reason: even though that Extension has the same major version (1), its minor version (8) is ahead of SAMSON’s (7). SAMSON cannot assume forward compatibility—it doesn’t know if it supports everything that the Extension expects from SDK v1.8.5.
What If a Newer Version Exists?
If a compatible, updated version of a SAMSON Extension becomes available online via SAMSON Connect, and your system is online, SAMSON will automatically update the Extension on startup. But only if the update’s SDK version remains compatible with your current SAMSON version.
This is great for staying up to date—but only within the limits of compatibility rules. If the Extension vendor releases a new version built with SDK v2.0.0 and you’re still using SAMSON 1.7.8? SAMSON won’t load the new version, but it will keep the last compatible version (say, 1.6.4).
Practical Takeaways for Modelers
- Use automatic updates: SAMSON will handle compatible Extension updates silently.
- Keep SAMSON updated: If you want to use the latest version of an Extension, make sure your SAMSON version supports it.
- Check SDK compatibility before developing Extensions: Match the major version and stay within the minor version limit to ensure that users can load your Extension.
Managing Extensions in SAMSON isn’t just about downloading the newest tools—it’s about making sure they work within your current environment. Knowing how SAMSON checks version compatibility can prevent debugging nightmares and get you modeling faster.
To learn more about how SAMSON handles Extension versioning and SDK compatibility, visit the full documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/versioning/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.