What do the last few numbers/letters mean exactly? Right now I am on version 2021.3.0f1.
What does the “3” the “0” the “f” and the “1” mean/signify?
When do you all update your LTS versions?
Should I be updating my LTS version regularly?
From what I understand LTS, locks in the feature set and only fixes bugs, is that correct? No more features or significant changes are added, so from that perspective it seems like updating often comes with little risk, but I’m not sure.
2021**.3.**0f1
The 3 signifies the major release number of the 2021 edition of Unity. At the moment there are 3 of these, with 1 and 2 being the “tech” releases. Generally speaking, a 1 or 2 means you’re getting new features, API changes, and changes to the editor. If it’s a 3, that means it’s the LTS release.
2021.3.0f1
In this case, the 0 refers to the minor version. When the major version gets a minor update, this number increments. So the first release of a major version is 0, the second is 1, the third is 2, and so on. These updates usually don’t change the API or interface and instead focus on things like bugfixes, performance regression fixes, various things that won’t break any existing projects.
The f1, I believe, refers to it being the “final” release, as in it’s confirming that everything is locked in as I mentioned before. I don’t think I’ve seen Unity apply these things to the non-LTS releases but I may be misremembering.
I tend to make a backup of my project (or rely on an existing backup in case there aren’t any changes) and do some cursory tests with new LTS releases whenever I notice there’s a new version. The testing is mostly a formality on my part because updating to new LTS releases has never broken my projects, only yearly releases tend to do that.