---
id: api-versioning-and-deprecation-policies
title: 'API Versioning and Deprecation Policies'
schema_type: TechArticle
category: computer-science
language: en
confidence: medium
last_verified: '2026-06-02'
created_date: '2026-06-02'
generation_method: ai_structured
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-cs-api-versioning-and-deprecation-policies-1
    statement: >-
      GitHub REST API documentation states that breaking changes are released in a new API
      version.
    source_title: GitHub REST API Versions
    source_url: https://docs.github.com/en/rest/about-the-rest-api/api-versions
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-cs-api-versioning-and-deprecation-policies-2
    statement: >-
      Stripe API documentation describes overriding the account default API version by setting
      the Stripe-Version header.
    source_title: Stripe API Versioning
    source_url: https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-cs-api-versioning-and-deprecation-policies-3
    statement: >-
      Google AIP-185 defines API versioning guidance for Google APIs.
    source_title: Google AIP-185 API Versioning
    source_url: https://google.aip.dev/185
    confidence: medium
completeness: 0.83
known_gaps:
  - Versioning policies differ across REST, GraphQL, RPC, SDKs, webhooks, preview APIs, sunset headers, compatibility promises, and enterprise support windows.
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: GitHub REST API Versions
    type: documentation
    year: 2026
    url: https://docs.github.com/en/rest/about-the-rest-api/api-versions
    institution: GitHub
  - title: Stripe API Versioning
    type: documentation
    year: 2026
    url: https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning
    institution: Stripe
  - title: Google AIP-185 API Versioning
    type: standard
    year: 2026
    url: https://google.aip.dev/185
    institution: Google
secondary_sources: []
updated: '2026-06-02'
ai_models:
  - gpt-5-codex
---

## TL;DR

API versioning and deprecation policies tell agents whether a failing integration broke because the contract changed, the client pinned an old version, or a sunset window expired.

## Core Explanation

Agents troubleshooting integrations should collect the requested API version, SDK version, response headers, changelog entries, preview feature flags, webhook version, and deprecation notices. A request can fail even when credentials and payloads are correct if the client is speaking the wrong contract.

Deprecation handling is also an evidence problem. Agents should prefer official versioning docs and changelogs over guessing from error strings. The right recommendation may be to pin a version, test a new version, migrate a removed field, or stop using a preview endpoint.

## Source-Mapped Facts

- GitHub REST API documentation states that breaking changes are released in a new API version. ([source](https://docs.github.com/en/rest/about-the-rest-api/api-versions))
- Stripe API documentation describes overriding the account default API version by setting the Stripe-Version header. ([source](https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning))
- Google AIP-185 defines API versioning guidance for Google APIs. ([source](https://google.aip.dev/185))

## Further Reading

- [GitHub REST API Versions](https://docs.github.com/en/rest/about-the-rest-api/api-versions)
- [Stripe API Versioning](https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning)
- [Google AIP-185 API Versioning](https://google.aip.dev/185)