> Markdown twin of https://adna.network/reference/specification/15-archive-versioning/
> Index: https://adna.network/llms.txt · Full corpus: https://adna.network/llms-full.txt
> State is a build-time snapshot generated 2026-08-30 (UTC); nothing here is live.

# 15. Archive & Versioning — aDNA Specification

> **Scan**: Archive patterns for sync vs. git environments, retention policy, CLAUDE.md version tracking convention.

*Decisions: C9, C10*

## 15.1 Archive Pattern

The archive pattern varies by environment:

**Sync environments** (cloud storage, team sync tools):
- Archive directories within content folders (e.g., `how/backlog/archive/`)
- Session history uses `how/sessions/history/YYYY-MM/`
- Archive-don't-rename rule: move to `archive/` instead of renaming files
- Project-level `archive/` within the nearest triad directory for vault-level archival

**Git repositories**:
- Git history serves as the primary archive
- `archive/` subdirectories for visibly-deprecated items (documents users should see are retired)
- Session history follows the same `YYYY-MM/` pattern regardless of environment

## 15.2 Retention

Session history SHOULD NOT be auto-deleted. Manual cleanup after 6 months is acceptable if storage is a concern.

## 15.3 Versioning

aDNA instances track their own version via a comment in CLAUDE.md: `<!-- vX.Y | YYYY-MM-DD -->`.

Major version increments indicate structural changes. Minor version increments indicate significant content updates. Session history serves as the detailed changelog — no formal CHANGELOG.md is required.

## 15.4 Standard Versioning & Backwards Compatibility

The aDNA standard uses two versioning tracks:

- **Standard version** (this document, `adna_standard.md`): Governs the normative specification — triad architecture, required files, conformance levels, naming conventions. Follows semantic versioning: `vMajor.Minor`.
- **Governance version** (`CLAUDE.md` `version` field, `CHANGELOG.md`): Governs the operational implementation — protocols, templates, skills, tooling. Follows `Major.Minor` versioning.

**Backwards compatibility promise**:

- Standard **minor** versions (e.g., v2.0 → v2.1) MUST NOT invalidate conformant instances. An instance conformant to aDNA v2.0 MUST remain conformant to aDNA v2.1.
- Standard **major** versions (e.g., v2.x → v3.0) MAY introduce breaking changes. When they do, migration guidance MUST be provided.
- Governance version changes are operational and do not affect standard conformance.

**Version-cut checklist** (v2.5, ADR-046 — the footer-lag anti-recurrence rule): on every version bump, the document's four version-bearing surfaces MUST agree before the cut commits — (1) the frontmatter `title`, (2) the frontmatter `updated` date, (3) a new changelog comment line in the header block, and (4) the *End of …* footer line. A cut that leaves any of the four stale is incomplete. *(This rule exists because the footer lagged the title across multiple historical bumps — most recently shipping "v2.3" inside the published v2.4 document.)*

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