Understanding Compatibility for SAMSON Extensions

For molecular modelers, the seamless interaction between software updates and compatibility is crucial. Nothing halts productivity quite like discovering that your extension no longer works after upgrading to a newer version of a platform. If you’re utilizing SAMSON Extensions, understanding how compatibility is maintained and managed can save you both time and headaches.

How Does SAMSON Ensure Extension Compatibility?

Extensions depend on the SDK version of SAMSON that was used during the development of the extension. During startup, SAMSON automatically checks whether the SDK version of an extension is compatible with its own version. If they are compatible, the extension loads properly. Here are the compatibility rules simplified:

  • Major compatibility: The major version numbers for both SAMSON and the SDK must match.
  • Minor sequence: The minor version number of the SDK must be less than or equal to that of SAMSON.

For instance:

  • If SAMSON is version 1.7.8, extensions built using SDK versions 1.3.5 or 1.7.7 will be compatible.
  • However, SDK version 1.8.5 will not be compatible with SAMSON version 1.7.8.

This careful compatibility check ensures that extensions function as expected without errors caused by mismatched versions.

Automatic Updates of Extensions

SAMSON goes further to ease version management by introducing automatic updates for extensions. If a newer, compatible version of an extension becomes available, and your system has internet access, SAMSON will update the extension automatically during startup. For example:

If your SAMSON version is 1.7.8 and you have an extension developed with SDK version 1.5.2, it will load with no issues. Now let’s assume a new version of the same extension is released, built with SDK version 1.6.4. SAMSON will detect this update and automatically install the newer version, keeping your workflow up-to-date without manual intervention.

However, automatic updates only work as long as the major versions match. If a SAMSON extension is updated for a major version 2.0.0 of the platform, but your SAMSON remains at 1.7.8, the extension will not update. Instead, SAMSON will keep running the most recently compatible version of that extension.

Best Practices for Molecular Modelers

Given how compatibility is handled in SAMSON, here are some recommendations:

  • Update SAMSON frequently. Automatic updates ensure that you benefit from improvements and bug fixes for both the platform and its extensions.
  • Be aware of the SDK version used for building your critical extensions. This will help you understand their compatibility and future update requirements.
  • Check the SAMSON documentation for details on versioning policies and compatibility.

Compatibility management helps save time and ensures a stable working environment for molecular modelers. With SAMSON’s semantic versioning, you can stay confident about using your extensions seamlessly across updates.

To learn more about versioning and compatibility, visit the official documentation.

SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at samson-connect.net.

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