version

version · No Google docs page

Appears in

SoftwareSourceCode

What is it?

version records the specific release number of a creative work. For SoftwareSourceCode, this is the software version string (e.g., "2.7.3" or "0.3.7"). The property is defined on CreativeWork, so it applies broadly, but its most common structured data usage is in software metadata via CodeMeta files.

Why this matters for AEO

When a developer asks an AI engine "what is the latest version of [library]," the engine needs a structured data source for that number. A version field in SoftwareSourceCode markup provides a machine-readable answer that does not require parsing changelogs or release pages. This is particularly important for academic citation, where referencing a specific version of a research tool is a requirement.

What the specs say

Schema.org: Number or Text. The version of the CreativeWork embodied by a specified resource. schema.org/version

Google: No dedicated Google structured data page exists for SoftwareSourceCode or the version property. Google does not offer rich results for this type.

How to find your value

• GitHub Releases — The tag name on the latest release (e.g., v2.7.3)
• package.json — The version field
• setup.py / pyproject.toml — The version parameter or [project] version key
• DESCRIPTION (R) — The Version: field
• Changelog — The most recent entry heading
• codemeta.json — The existing version value if the file already exists

Format and code

Type: Number or Text

Most software versions contain dots and are treated as Text, not Number. Semantic versioning strings like "2.7.3" should be quoted as strings.

Basic usage:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "h5RDMtoolbox",
  "version": "2.7.3"
}

In a full CodeMeta file:

{
  "@context": "https://doi.org/10.5063/schema/codemeta-2.0",
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "codemetar",
  "version": "0.3.7",
  "codeRepository": "https://github.com/ropensci/codemetar",
  "programmingLanguage": {
    "@type": "ComputerLanguage",
    "name": "R",
    "url": "https://r-project.org"
  }
}

Common mistake: using a v prefix (e.g., "v2.7.3"). Git tags often include the prefix, but version in schema.org should contain the version number itself. Strip the v before adding it to structured data.

Webflow implementation

Static pages

For a software product page, add to Page Settings > Custom Code > Before </head>:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "Your Project",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "codeRepository": "https://github.com/your-org/your-repo"
}
</script>

CMS template pages

If a Webflow CMS collection has a "Version" plain text field:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;name&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;PlainText&quot;} }}",
  "version": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;PlainText&quot;} }}"
}
</script>

In Schema HQ

The version field can be mapped from a Webflow CMS text field to the version property in SoftwareSourceCode markup. This is useful for teams that maintain a project catalog in Webflow CMS and want version numbers included in structured data.

Real examples

h5RDMtoolbox (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) (codemeta.json):

{
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "h5RDMtoolbox",
  "version": "2.7.3",
  "codeRepository": "git+https://github.com/matthiasprobst/h5RDMtoolbox.git"
}

codemetar (rOpenSci) (codemeta.json):

{
  "@type": "SoftwareSourceCode",
  "name": "codemetar",
  "version": "0.3.7",
  "codeRepository": "https://github.com/ropensci/codemetar"
}

Both projects store the version as a plain text string following semantic versioning conventions.

Related fields

• codeRepository
• programmingLanguage
• name
• dateModified
• dateCreated

FAQ

Should version be a Number or Text?

Use Text. Software versions almost always contain dots (e.g., "2.7.3"), which makes them invalid as JSON numbers. Even a simple version like "3" is better expressed as Text for consistency with how version strings are handled across the ecosystem.

How does version relate to softwareVersion?

version is a property of CreativeWork and applies to any creative work, including documents and datasets. softwareVersion is a property of SoftwareApplication. For SoftwareSourceCode (which is a CreativeWork, not a SoftwareApplication), use version. CodeMeta and most academic metadata tools use version for source code.