> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/github/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Versioning documentation

> How GitHub Docs controls which content appears for each product version using frontmatter and Liquid conditionals.

GitHub Docs serves content for multiple product versions from a single source tree. Two independent mechanisms work together to version content: the `versions` frontmatter field restricts which versions include a given page, and Liquid conditionals inside the page body conditionally render specific paragraphs, sentences, or code blocks.

## Product versions

GitHub Docs recognizes three top-level product versions:

| Version key | Product                                              |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `fpt`       | GitHub.com free, pro, and team plans (free-pro-team) |
| `ghes`      | GitHub Enterprise Server                             |
| `ghec`      | GitHub Enterprise Cloud                              |

A page that applies to all versions includes all three keys. A page that applies only to GitHub Enterprise Server omits `fpt` and `ghec`.

<Note>
  As of early 2021, `fpt` URLs do not include the version segment. A helper function (`src/versions/lib/remove-fpt-from-path.ts`) strips `free-pro-team@latest` from rendered URLs automatically. Links to `fpt` content do not require version prefixes.
</Note>

## The `versions` frontmatter field

The `versions` field is **required** on every page. Its value is an object whose keys are version identifiers. The value for each key is a semver range expression that controls which releases of that version include the page.

Use `'*'` to include all releases of a version:

```yaml theme={null}
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghes: '*'
  ghec: '*'
```

## Version range examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```yaml GitHub.com only theme={null}
  title: About your personal dashboard
  versions:
    fpt: '*'
    ghec: '*'
  ```

  ```yaml GitHub Enterprise Server only theme={null}
  title: Downloading your license
  versions:
    ghes: '*'
  ```

  ```yaml GitHub.com and recent GHES releases theme={null}
  title: About your personal dashboard
  versions:
    fpt: '*'
    ghes: '>=2.20'
    ghec: '*'
  ```

  ```yaml Specific GHES range theme={null}
  title: Some transitional feature
  versions:
    fpt: '*'
    ghes: '>=2.22 <3.1'
  ```
</CodeGroup>

Range expressions use the [semver](https://semver.org/) format:

| Expression      | Meaning                                   |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `'*'`           | All releases                              |
| `'>=3.0'`       | Version 3.0 and later                     |
| `'>=2.22 <3.1'` | Versions 2.22, 2.23, and 3.0, but not 3.1 |

## Liquid version conditionals

Within the body of a page, use `{% ifversion %}` to conditionally render content. Liquid conditionals are processed at render time based on the version the reader is currently viewing.

### Basic conditional

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion ghes %}
This content only appears when reading GitHub Enterprise Server documentation.
{% endif %}
```

### Conditional with else

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
You can manage billing from your account settings on GitHub.com.
{% else %}
Contact your site administrator to manage your license.
{% endif %}
```

### Multi-branch conditional

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion fpt %}
This is GitHub.com free, pro, or team content.
{% elsif ghec %}
This is GitHub Enterprise Cloud content.
{% elsif ghes %}
This is GitHub Enterprise Server content.
{% endif %}
```

### Version range in Liquid

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion ghes >= 3.4 %}
This feature was introduced in GitHub Enterprise Server 3.4.
{% endif %}
```

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion ghes < 3.6 %}
This note only appears for older Enterprise Server releases.
{% endif %}
```

### Combining version checks

Use `or` and `and` to combine version conditions:

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
Available on GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise Cloud.
{% endif %}
```

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion ghes and ghes >= 3.5 %}
Available on GitHub Enterprise Server 3.5 and later.
{% endif %}
```

## Choosing between frontmatter and Liquid conditionals

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Use versions frontmatter when...">
    The **entire page** only applies to certain versions. If a page describes a feature that does not exist on GitHub Enterprise Server at all, exclude the `ghes` key from `versions`. Readers on a GHES-scoped docs site will receive a 404 rather than landing on an irrelevant page.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use Liquid conditionals when...">
    **Part of a page** varies by version. If a feature works on all versions but the UI differs, keep the page visible to all versions and use `{% ifversion %}` blocks around the version-specific paragraphs or steps.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Feature-based versioning

For features that span multiple product versions but shipped at different times across those versions, you can define a named feature flag in `data/features/` rather than repeating a complex version expression everywhere. The feature file specifies a `versions` object using the same semver syntax, and pages reference it by name:

```yaml theme={null}
# data/features/my-feature.yml
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghes: '>=3.6'
  ghec: '*'
```

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion my-feature %}
Content for versions where my-feature is available.
{% endif %}
```

## Linking across versions

### Linking to the same article in a different version

Use the `currentArticle` property to create a version-aware cross-link. The link remains valid even if the article URL changes:

```liquid theme={null}
{% ifversion fpt %}
For more information, see the [{% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_cloud %} documentation](/enterprise-cloud@latest/{{ currentArticle }}).
{% endif %}
```

### Preventing link transformation

By default, internal links are rewritten to match the reader's current version. To pin a link to a specific version — for example, linking to a GitHub.com-only terms page from Enterprise content — include the version in the path:

```markdown theme={null}
[GitHub's Terms of Service](/free-pro-team@latest/github/site-policy/github-terms-of-service)
```

## Versioning reusables and variables

Liquid conditionals can appear inside reusable Markdown files under `data/reusables/` and inside variable YAML values in `data/variables/`. This allows a single reusable or variable to render different text depending on the current version.

Example from `data/variables/product.yml`:

```yaml theme={null}
prodname_container_registry_namespace: >-
  {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}`ghcr.io`{% elsif ghes %}<code>containers.<em>HOSTNAME</em></code>{% endif %}
```

When this variable is referenced in content, it automatically resolves to the correct value for the current version context.

## Versioning tables and lists

When versioning individual rows in a table or items in a list, use [whitespace control](/content/markdown-and-liquid#whitespace-control) to avoid introducing stray newlines that break Markdown rendering:

```markdown theme={null}
| Feature | Available |
|---|---|
| Code scanning | Yes |
{%- ifversion ghes >= 3.5 %}
| Secret scanning | Yes |
{%- endif %}
| Dependabot alerts | Yes |
```