Core Versioning Principle
Identity remains stable. Meaning changes are traceable. Prior states remain preserved.
Entry Version is distinct from Schema Version, Event-Type Profile Version, and Controlled Values Registry Version.
Chronicle · Versioning
Chronicle Versioning Policy
Versioning preserves the historical evolution of a Chronicle Entry while keeping its canonical identity stable. Material changes create traceable Versions; minor editorial updates may not.
Prior substantive states must remain preserved. Chronicle should never silently rewrite historical meaning merely because a newer representation is available.
Editorial Update
A non-substantive change that improves presentation without changing historical meaning.
Examples: spelling, punctuation, formatting, broken-link repair, accessibility text
New Entry Version
Required when a change materially alters the Entry's historical representation, structured meaning, supporting architecture, or review basis.
Formal Correction
Used when Chronicle determines that its own record contains an error requiring explicit correction history and rationale.
Superseding Entry
Appropriate only when a genuinely distinct qualifying Occurrence requires its own Chronicle Entry or when a later canonical Entry formally replaces another Entry for a defined institutional purpose.
Editorial Update Boundary
Editorial updates must not alter historical meaning, classification, date, authoritative reference, Evidence relationship, Provenance, Relationship semantics, Verification basis, or material Historical Context.
If meaning changes, it is not merely editorial.
When a New Version Is Required
A new Entry Version should be created when a material change affects one or more of:
Event representation · Event Date · Event Type · Historical Context · Source references ·
Evidence · Provenance · Relationships · Verification basis · Material limitations ·
Publication-relevant representation
Formal Correction and Versioning
A Formal Correction and a new Entry Version often occur together, but they are not identical.
Correction = Why Chronicle changed its record.
Version = The resulting preserved state of that record.
Version = The resulting preserved state of that record.
Minor Corrections may not require a new Version if they do not change institutional meaning. Substantive Corrections should preserve the prior Version and create a new Version.
Superseding Entry vs. New Version
A new Version preserves the same canonical Chronicle Entry. A superseding Entry is a separate canonical Entry with its own identifier.
Same Occurrence / same Entry identity → New Version
Distinct qualifying Occurrence → New Chronicle Entry
Distinct qualifying Occurrence → New Chronicle Entry
Version Identity
The Chronicle identifier remains unchanged across Entry Versions.
CHR-2026-0001 · Version 1
CHR-2026-0001 · Version 2
CHR-2026-0001 · Version 3
CHR-2026-0001 · Version 2
CHR-2026-0001 · Version 3
Historical Immutability
Once a substantive Entry Version has been published or otherwise treated as an institutional record state, its historical representation should remain immutable.
Later changes should create a new Version or Correction lineage rather than overwriting the preserved prior state.
Preserve prior meaning. Add later meaning through lineage.
No Silent Substantive Rewrite
Chronicle must not silently alter substantive historical content, relationships, Provenance, Evidence, classification, or temporal representation.
Material change requires traceability.
Typographical Change
Usually editorial. A Correction may be recorded if Chronicle's Correction Procedure requires traceability for the change.
Metadata Change
May be editorial or material depending on whether the change affects identity, interpretation, retrieval, or institutional meaning.
Event-Date Change
Material. Ordinarily requires a Formal Correction, new Entry Version, Reverification, and Revalidation where applicable.
Event-Type Change
Material classification change. Identifier remains stable, but a new Version and Classification Correction will ordinarily be required.
Relationship Change
Material if the change alters historical sequence, supersession, correction lineage, authority reference, or other substantive connection.
Evidence / Provenance Change
Material when it changes the basis for Chronicle's representation, Verification, limitations, or historical interpretation.
Version Numbering
Chronicle should use simple sequential Entry Version numbers unless production requirements demonstrate a need for a different model.
Version 1 → Version 2 → Version 3
Version numbers identify states of the same Entry. They are not embedded in the Chronicle identifier.
Version Lineage
Each substantive Version should preserve enough lineage to identify:
Entry identifier · Version number · prior Version · effective date · reason for change ·
Correction reference when applicable · Verification state · Schema Version · publication state
Reverification and Revalidation
Material Versions should trigger Reverification where the reviewed representation changed and Revalidation of the affected Validation requirements. Full Revalidation is appropriate when the impact cannot be reliably bounded.
Material change → New Version → Reverification where required → Targeted or Full Revalidation → Publication decision
Supersession
Supersession should be used sparingly. A later Entry should not supersede an earlier Entry merely because it is newer.
Supersession is appropriate only where a later Entry formally or materially replaces the earlier Entry for a defined institutional purpose while preserving both identities and their Relationship.
Versioning and Publication
Public Chronicle interfaces should identify the current Version and preserve access or traceability to prior substantive Versions where institutionally appropriate.
Publication of a new Version must not erase the publication history of prior Versions.
First Production Version Baseline
Chronicle's first canonical production Entry establishes the initial production Version baseline:
CHR-2026-0001
Entry Version: 1
Lifecycle State: active
Verification State: verified
Validation: PASS
Publication State: published
Entry Version: 1
Lifecycle State: active
Verification State: verified
Validation: PASS
Publication State: published
No prior Chronicle Version exists for CHR-2026-0001, so CHR-VAL-010 — Correction and Version Consistency was correctly treated as Not Applicable during initial production Validation.
Future material changes to the same canonical Entry will preserve CHR-2026-0001 as the permanent identifier while creating a later Entry Version when required.
Versioning Principle
Versioning allows Chronicle to improve its historical record without pretending that earlier institutional states never existed.
Correct forward. Preserve backward.
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