An edition is a software component that you can change.

It is like a loose-leaf notebook, which you can easily update by inserting new pages or replacing old ones.

You can create one or more editions of one component, with each edition implemented differently. Each edition has a time stamp, indicating the date and time when the edition was created.

You create an edition of a component either by saving work that you have done on a component or by expressly requesting that the system create an edition from an existing version. Also, when you first create a component, it is an edition. For more information on creating editions, see Creating new editions of existing components.

The word edition sometimes refers to both editions and versions. This is the case, for example, in some browsers that have a list pane labeled Editions. In this case, both editions and versions might be included in the list pane.

Because the word edition sometimes refers to both editions and versions, the phrase open edition is sometimes used to refer to the actual edition.

Generally, you periodically turn the edition you are working on into a version. You might also version an edition right after you make an important change.