semver.c
A zero-dependency Semantic Versioning 2.0 parser and renderer written in ANSI C.
What is semver.c?
semver.c is a lightweight C library for parsing, comparing, and rendering semantic version strings according to the SemVer 2.0 specification. It solves the problem of handling version numbers in C projects without relying on external dependencies or regex, making it suitable for constrained environments.
C developers working on embedded systems, performance-sensitive applications, or any project requiring portable, dependency-free version management.
Developers choose semver.c for its strict compliance with SemVer 2.0, zero dependencies, and efficient implementation that avoids regex, ensuring reliability and portability across ANSI C environments.
Overview
Semantic version in ANSI C
Use Cases
Best For
- Parsing and validating semantic version strings in C applications
- Comparing version numbers with operators like ^ and ~
- Bumping major, minor, or patch versions programmatically
- Converting versions to numeric values for sorting or filtering
- Embedded systems where dependency-free libraries are required
- Projects needing a portable SemVer implementation without regex
Not Ideal For
- Projects in high-level languages like Python or JavaScript that have native, more feature-rich semver libraries
- Applications requiring complex semver range operations beyond basic ^ and ~ operators, such as union or intersection of multiple ranges
- Teams that prioritize ease of use with automatic memory management, as semver.c requires manual memory freeing
Pros & Cons
Pros
Fully implements SemVer 2.0 specification, ensuring accurate parsing and comparison as stated in the README's features.
Has zero external dependencies, making it highly portable and ideal for embedded systems, a key selling point emphasized in the description.
Uses custom parsing without regex, compatible with ANSI C and avoiding performance or compatibility issues associated with regex engines.
Includes parsing, comparison, bumping, rendering, and numeric conversion, covering all essential semver operations as listed in the API.
Cons
Requires explicit calls to semver_free() to prevent memory leaks, which can be error-prone and adds overhead for developers, as shown in usage examples.
Only supports basic operators like ^ and ~; lacks advanced range expressions or wildcards found in other semver implementations, limiting complex dependency resolution.
The README provides API reference but lacks detailed tutorials, examples for complex use cases, or best practices, making it less accessible for newcomers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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