Product Types Definitions returns new version hash without official release update

[marketplacehub-com]

When we executing definitions/2020-09-01/productTypes API call (https://developer-docs.amazon.com/sp-api/docs/product-type-definitions-api-v2020-09-01-reference#searchdefinitionsproducttypes) we oftenly receiving new version of Product Types without official release confirmation.

For example this section of JSON response can be changed sometimes within 3 hours and sometimes with in 3 days:

    "productTypeVersion": {
        "version": "UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAlYD0vo6680PHaadJWMWTUlER4WE=",
        "latest": true,
        "releaseCandidate": false
    }

It looks like that version hash is changing when some event occurs on servers. But it`s really not reflects unique Product Types version at all...

Screenshot evidence:

[mafge]

Hi @marketplacehub-com, thanks for reaching out! Are you subscribed to ITEM_PRODUCT_TYPE_CHANGE notification? I am trying to understand how these changes affect your use case and how urgent this issue is for you. Can you elaborate on this? Thanks! Best, Marc Selling Partner Developer Services

[marketplacehub-com]

Hi @mafge, no we have worker job which is trying to pull all product types from amazon marketplaces. So, we can`t determinate if there is actual new product type version.

[marketplacehub-com]

HI @mafge, any ideas on this issue? We think this is a bug.

[chapmanjw]

@marketplacehub-com While large releases occur monthly, patch changes do occur daily/weekly. These patch changes are reserved for two types of changes: (1) non-breaking additive changes (such as adding optional attributes, adding enumeration values, etc.), and (2) emergent bug fixes (configuration broken requiring an immediate fix).

The unfortunate bit with these current opaque version strings (UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAlYD0vo6680PHaadJWMWTUlER4WE=) is that you as the client have no means to distinguish between monthly releases and small changes. We are working on a change in the coming months that will reduce the frequency of the notifications as well as provide clarity on when monthly releases occur: semantic versioning.

Internally, our configuration increments it's minor version on each ~monthly release (1.32.x -> 1.33.x). However, each patch change increments the patch version (1.32.123 -> 1.32.124). Currently, notifications are sent and the opaque version strings increment on each patch version, which isn't particularly useful in knowing when there are potentially breaking changes that you need to account for in updated product type definitions. With this in mind, the upcoming change will use the major/minor versions instead of the opaque strings. You'll see values like 1.32.x in the API responses and notifications, and the notifications will only be sent when the minor version changes (1.32.x -> 1.33.x) instead of the patch versions.

I would love your feedback on that upcoming plan.

Thanks,

John Chapman

[marketplacehub-com]

@chapmanjw, thnx for clarification. I really like more declarative release information like: 1.32.x instead of opaque version strings. That approach will really help us to understand versioning, so we can make appropriate decision if we should upgrade our already pull ProductType schema or not. Waiting for new release versioning approach!

[weilinggu]

@marketplacehub-com Just FYI. There is monthly announcement in SP-API documentation site such as this one. Within that, there is a sheet you can download to see upcoming and published changes to attributes and enums. This might help with your case for now.

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue is scheduled to close soon. If you are still encountering problems, please feel free to open a new issue and make a reference to this one.

[marketplacehub-com]

Sorry, do we have resolution for this issue already?