API Versioning Strategy

Design an API versioning strategy for {{api_name}}.

Current state: {{current_state}}
Consumer types: {{consumers}}
Change frequency: {{frequency}}

**Versioning Approach:**

**1. Version Scheme**

*Options:*
- URL path versioning (/v1/...)
- Header versioning
- Query parameter versioning
- Content negotiation

*Recommendation:* [approach] because [reasoning]

**2. Version Lifecycle**

*Active*
- Full support
- Bug fixes
- New features

*Maintenance*
- Security fixes only
- Duration: [period]

*Deprecated*
- No changes
- Sunset warning
- Duration: [period]

*Sunset*
- End of life
- Error response

**3. Breaking Change Policy**
- What constitutes breaking change
- Deprecation notice period
- Migration support

**4. Communication Strategy**
- Changelog format
- Deprecation announcements
- Migration guides
- Developer outreach

**5. Backward Compatibility**
- Additive change guidelines
- Default value handling
- Field removal process

**6. Documentation**
- Per-version docs
- Migration guides
- Changelog maintenance

**7. Monitoring**
- Version usage tracking
- Adoption metrics
- Sunset readiness