The goal when producing new version of NetBeans Platform is to be backward compatible, unless otherwise stated. This means that if you developed a module/plugin for version A of the platform then it should work even in platform version B that was developed a few years later. If there is a module for which the previous statement is not true, then the compatibility is compromised. Discovering such modules is generally bad sign. It can either mean that there is an unwanted incompatible change, and in such case we shall fix it prior to release, or this change is desirable and highly justified, and in such case it should be properly documented. In either case, backward compatibility is the strongest commitment of the NetBeans platform. Undesired incompatible changes have to be eliminated.

If you develop a module for NB IDE or an application based on NB Platform then it is in your own interest to know if your module works with the newer version of IDE/Platform. You can test the backward compatibility by yourself and let us know the result of your testing. We will evaluate your results and report bugs to the developers. Or you can report the bugs by yourself.

There are multiple levels of compatibility. Ability to compile old code against new version. Ability to link old binaries with new version and last, but definitely not least, ability to guarantee that behavior of NetBeans libraries remains unchanged. That is the highest level of compatibility.