history

Launcher app version history

id: LK-20260713-launcher-app-version-history
date: 2026-07-13
sequence: 53
type: feat
compatibility: compatible
component: `labkit_launcher` | `1.3.0 -> 1.4.0`
scope: Launcher app version history

Context

The structured changelog could be parsed by maintainers, but launcher users could not inspect the history of the selected app. Earlier normalization also attached broad release descriptions without recording every app version event, which made histories such as CIC appear to begin years of versions too late.

Decision and rationale

Expose component-filtered history in the launcher and make exact component events the durable lookup key. A user should be able to move from the current app catalog directly to its evolution record without reading Git history or understanding changelog internals.

Changes

• Added labkit_launcher("history", appCommand) for programmatic history lookup and a Version History viewer for the selected launcher app.
• Added explicit component introduction events and reconstructed every tracked launcher, facade, and app version transition from origin/main history.
• Added continuous-history validation so missing introductions, gaps, and current-version mismatches fail the release guardrail.

User and data impact

Launcher users can inspect dated version transitions, compatibility, rationale, impact, and evidence for the selected app. App calculations and user data are unchanged.

Compatibility and migration

The launcher command and button are additive. Existing list, version, package, maintenance, and app-launch workflows remain available.

Validation

LauncherGuiTest covers programmatic filtering and the hidden GUI viewer; ChangelogGuardrailTest validates complete version chains against current metadata. These checks were included in the combined mainline change 4a6c41dd.

Evidence

• Component history, launcher viewer, and changelog validation were included in 4a6c41dd.
• Historical component events were reconstructed from version-file changes on the then-current origin/main history.

Known limitations and follow-up

History begins when version metadata was first tracked for each component. Behavior before that point can only be inferred from older source commits and is not assigned invented version numbers.