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.net-corewindows-installer

What does mean the term Feature Band applied to the MSI installer for Windows?

Recently I have been reading the article by Microsoft What's new in .NET Core 3.0 and in its part

.NET Core SDK Windows Installer

The MSI installer for Windows has changed starting with .NET Core 3.0. The SDK installers will now upgrade SDK feature-band releases in place. Feature bands are defined in the hundreds groups in the patch section of the version number. For example, 3.0.101 and 3.0.201 are versions in two different feature bands while 3.0.101 and 3.0.199 are in the same feature band. And, when .NET Core SDK 3.0.101 is installed, .NET Core SDK 3.0.100 will be removed from the machine if it exists. When .NET Core SDK 3.0.200 is installed on the same machine, .NET Core SDK 3.0.101 won't be removed.

I have found for the first time the term feature band. Could someone please explain what exactly this term means in this context?

Solution

  • It means when they change the third version number by the hundreds they also change the UpgradeCode to allow it to install side by side.