Meta-Release Naming — Community Discussion

[hdamker]

Context
CAMARA currently uses Spring and Fall as labels for its two meta-releases each year. While this was clear in the early stages, these terms create challenges in a global project:

• Seasons are not universal (e.g., hemispheres, equatorial regions).
• The terminology feels region-specific and not inclusive for our international community.

Need
We should agree on new names that are:

• Globally neutral (no geographic/seasonal bias)
• Meaningful in the CAMARA context
• Expressive of the distinct purpose of each release cycle
• Technically usable in YAML files, repository names, and automation — ideally:
  • single token (no spaces or punctuation),
  • directly attachable to year (e.g. Spark26, 2026H1),
  • consistent and low risk of drift (no special characters, accents, or typography that invite variants).

See also the [Meta-Release Concept discussion](#194).

Opportunity
The updated release cadence concept defines:

• First half-year release (currently “Spring”) → introduces updated Commonalities and innovative / sandbox APIs. This release sets direction for the year.
• Second half-year release (currently “Fall”) → updates APIs to the new Commonalities and consolidates the work. This release ensures interoperability and stability across the ecosystem.

This creates the opportunity to adopt names that better reflect this innovation → stability lifecycle.

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Initial alternatives for discussion
(these examples are only meant to open the conversation — the community may propose entirely different directions)

Metaphoric pairs (innovation → stability)

• Cast26 / Forge26

  • Cast = initial mold, Forge = hardened and stable.
  • ✅ Elegant lifecycle metaphor.
  • ⚠ Risks: “cast” (broken bone), “forge” (forgery), overlap with 3GPP Forge.

• Rise26 / Forge26

  • Rise = growth, momentum; Forge = consolidation.
  • ✅ Positive tone, fits lifecycle.
  • ⚠ Still inherits “forge/forgery” risk.

• Spark26 / Anchor26

  • Spark = burst of energy, innovation; Anchor = stability, grounding.
  • ✅ Clear lifecycle, globally understandable, YAML-safe.
  • ⚠ “Spark” overlaps with Apache Spark but less problematic than “Ignite.”

• Frame26 / Build26

  • Frame = initial outline; Build = complete and strengthen.
  • ✅ Pragmatic, engineering-oriented, neutral in meaning.
  • ⚠ Less inspiring, but very usable technically.

• Prime26 / Set26

  • Prime = first, leading, decisive; Set = complete set of APIs aligned with Commonalities.
  • ✅ Fits CAMARA cadence well: Prime = innovation + direction, Set = full alignment.
  • ⚠ “Prime” has some branding overlap (Amazon Prime), but context is different.

Descriptive options

• Foundation26 / Consolidation26

  • Foundation = updated Commonalities and new APIs; Consolidation = alignment and integration.
  • ✅ Clear, low risk, YAML-safe.
  • ⚠ Less distinctive, more corporate tone.

• 2026H1 / 2026H2

  • Simple half-year identifiers.
  • ✅ Unambiguous, globally neutral, safe in automation.
  • ⚠ Very plain — may feel uninspiring.

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Next steps

• Gather community feedback on the naming direction (metaphoric vs descriptive).
• Test candidate names with non-native English speakers.
• Consider long-term clarity and trust (e.g., avoid terms that could suggest fraud or defects).
• Decide on a new pair before the next release cycle, so we can start using it consistently in docs, slides, and repositories.

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👉 Question to the community:
What naming direction do you feel best represents CAMARA’s global character and the dual nature of our releases — a metaphoric pair (e.g. Spark26/Anchor26 or Prime26/Set26) or a descriptive scheme (e.g. Foundation26/Consolidation26 or 2026H1/2026H2)?

[tanjadegroot]

my 2 cents: Spark26 / Glow26 or Shine26

• Spark for innovation stressing initial APIs new or evolving
• Glow / Shine for stability stressing stable APIs but also valid for any released API people would want to use

Spark and Shine sounds nice and is easy to say :-)

[Kevsy]

Just thinking: was the name CAMARA based on a particular etymologic definition? If so, we could consider terms with a semantic relationship to that definition, to give an original theme.

[albertoramosmonagas]

Hi,

From my perspective as a non-native English speaker, the top three pairs from the current proposals would be:

1. Spark / Anchor – clear, balanced, and intuitive; very good lifecycle metaphor.
2. Prime / Set – simple and technically safe, fits well with SemVer logic.
3. Foundation / Consolidation – neutral and precise, easy to understand globally.

In addition, I’d suggest two new pairs that could also fit CAMARA’s meta-release very well:

1. Launch / Land – extremely clear for non-native speakers, simple and universal and none significant risk.
2. Seed / Harvest – softer and organic, still conveys the same lifecycle meaning.

[jlurien]

Another suggestion is to use climbing inspired terms: Base/Summit
Seed/Harvest also sound good to me

[Kevsy]

Hi,

From my perspective as a non-native English speaker, the top three pairs from the current proposals would be:

1. Spark / Anchor – clear, balanced, and intuitive; very good lifecycle metaphor.
2. Prime / Set – simple and technically safe, fits well with SemVer logic.
3. Foundation / Consolidation – neutral and precise, easy to understand globally.

In addition, I’d suggest two new pairs that could also fit CAMARA’s meta-release very well:

1. Launch / Land – extremely clear for non-native speakers, simple and universal and none significant risk.
2. Seed / Harvest – softer and organic, still conveys the same lifecycle meaning.

That's a good list @albertoramosmonagas - but I suggest to avoid 'Set' because it has 430 definitions in English (one of which is a synonym for 'Prime' 🤓 )

[tanjadegroot]

Just thinking: was the name CAMARA based on a particular etymologic definition? If so, we could consider terms with a semantic relationship to that definition, to give an original theme.

To what I remembers CAMARA was a greek term for "roof", expressing everyone coming together - it wa written somewhere - Markus may still have that info (as the proposal of "CAMARA" came from DT :-) )

[Kevsy]

Just thinking: was the name CAMARA based on a particular etymologic definition? If so, we could consider terms with a semantic relationship to that definition, to give an original theme.

To what I remembers CAMARA was a greek term for "roof", expressing everyone coming together - it wa written somewhere - Markus may still have that info (as the proposal of "CAMARA" came from DT :-) )

Thanks @tanja - it looks like it means a vaulted (arched) cover, so as you say, a vaulted roof.

A vault is first outlined with a frame, which is built upon and is finished with the keystone (which provides the reinforcement). So may I suggest:

Frame26 / Keystone26

Frame = initial outline; Keystone = complete and reinforced.
✅ Pragmatic, engineering-oriented, neutral in meaning, original, directly relates to the word 'camara'
⚠Possible name clash with other technologies? I'll need to check...

[tanjadegroot]

@Kevsy For reference: #8 (comment) :-)

[tanjadegroot]

Although I understand the reasoning (@Kevsy), personally, as non-native English speaker, Keystone is not really obvious to me.

Latest favorite for me: Spark26 / Anchor26

with the above given explanations :-)

[MarkusKuemmerle]

Seed happens in winter
Bloom happens in spring
Grow happens in summer
Harvest happens in fall

So I would vote for Bloom --> Harvest

[hdamker]

So I would vote for Bloom --> Harvest

Hi @MarkusKuemmerle we are not yet in voting mode, and that is just a new proposal ;-)
Any other of the above proposals which would make sense from the perspective of the Marketing Working Group?