The integrated V3-to-V4 records contain the header increase that authorizes
their breaking changes. Leaving those terminal records editable would let a
later change reuse that already accepted 3-to-4 increase, so version 4 would
not establish a stable compatibility baseline for persisted user data.
Capture the accepted root classifications and semantic record digests in a
separate finalization checkpoint. Validate that checkpoint before rendering
or writing acknowledgement artifacts, and preserve its accepted records even
after the current writer advances. Keep publication evidence independent:
the verified released version remains 3 until a release establishes otherwise.
Compare future writer-4 schemas with the accepted baseline using the existing
compatibility classifier. Compatible additions remain permitted through new
same-version acknowledgement records. Breaking changes require a higher
writer and their own header transition; comments, aliases and source-location
changes do not alter the accepted semantics. Later unaccepted compatible
records retain the existing update workflow.
Document the distinction between finalization, publication and compatible
evolution, with regression coverage for locked records, incomplete or
inconsistent checkpoints, additive changes and future-version transitions.
Yixiang Tu