Protocol versions and publication posture
Current, draft, stable, and pending contracts
Active publication posture
Draft and stable labels stay separate
ReleaseStateMeaningPosture
Draft v0.1
Current draft
Active reference for message, trace, lifecycle, and conformance
Use now
Stable release
Pending
Stable waits for durable external citation
Not yet
Publication discipline
Credibility depends on visible rule changes
Reference stays current
Active reference shows today's model
Stable means stable
Stable label requires durable citation
Change stays visible
Readers can see changes and compatibility