How would you explain semantic versioning and when it matters for .NET applications or packages?

How do you use semantic versioning for .NET applications?

Explains semantic versioning for .NET applications and how it communicates release impact.

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TL;DR

Semantic versioning usually follows MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. A patch version is for backward-compatible fixes, a minor version is for backward-compatible features, and a major version indicates breaking changes. It is especially important for shared libraries, APIs, SDKs, and packages consumed by other teams. For internal applications, versioning still helps trace what is deployed.

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Versioning discipline, breaking changes, package/application releases, communication, and compatibility.

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Why this question matters
Versioning helps teams and consumers understand release impact. For applications, packages, and APIs, the meaning of a version should be consistent enough to support release decisions.
Semantic versioning usually follows MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. A patch version is for backward-compatible fixes, a minor version is for backward-compatible features, and a major version indicates breaking changes. It is especially important for shared libraries, APIs, SDKs, and packages consumed by other teams. For internal applications, versioning still helps trace what is deployed.
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Optional upgrade with examples, trade-offs, and sharper phrasing.
For example, if a shared NuGet package adds a new optional helper, that might be a minor version. If it changes a public method signature, that is a major version because consumers must change code. The trade-off is that applications do not always map perfectly to semantic versioning, but the team still needs a consistent versioning scheme tied to release notes and deployment artifacts.

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Details

Changing public package APIs without major versioning.
Using versions that do not map to artifacts.
Publishing release notes that do not explain impact.
Treating app and package versioning as the same problem.

How would you explain semantic versioning and when it matters for .NET applications or packages?

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