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Versioning

One number​

The SDK has a single version, TRUCKERSMP_SDK_VERSION, baked into the headers you compile against. It is packed as 0xAABBBBCC (major.minor.patch).

The handshake​

Session::Create declares your compiled-against version to the client before anything else happens. There are three outcomes:

  • Your SDK version is supported: everything you compiled against exists, in full. The session comes up and every table you know about is complete.
  • Your SDK is newer than the client: the client refuses the declaration, and Session::Create returns nullptr. Return false from truckersmp_init and the plugin simply stays unloaded. The client keeps itself up to date, so in practice this window is short.
  • Your SDK is older than the minimum the client still supports: the client refuses in the same way. See the support window below.

This is why you never null-check individual functions inside a module: if a module table is served at all, every member your headers declare is present.

The support window​

SDK versions are supported for about one year. Within that window, a plugin binary runs unchanged on current clients; past it, the client may refuse the plugin until it is rebuilt against a current SDK.

The window exists so the client does not have to carry every past version forever: functionality that was retired long ago can be dropped once no supported SDK version still contains it. We generally aim to keep backward compatibility as much as possible; however, should such changes be needed, they will be documented.

Support always covers one line of releases. There is only one game client, so a fix ships in the newest SDK; an older major version never receives its own follow-up releases.

What upgrading the SDK means​

The SDK surface mostly grows. When you drop in newer headers:

  • Existing code keeps compiling and keeps meaning the same thing.
  • New modules, methods, and events become visible.
  • Your plugin now requires a client at least as new as those headers.

Major releases may drop existing events, functions, or even modules.

Retired functionality​

Occasionally a member outlives its usefulness. The SDK retires it in stages:

  1. Deprecated: the member still works; the headers mark it and your compiler warns. Migrate when convenient.
  2. Retired: the member remains callable forever (the layout never changes) but answers like a missing service: actions return NotSupported, getters return empty.