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]

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?

[github-actions]

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]

Still no updates?

[callain]

Hello and thanks @chapmanjw, this is really useful information that should be documented in the SP API documentation

I am also looking for information regarding the versioning of product types.

Can someone clarify if there is a productTypeVersion for the whole set of product types (like the search product type definition seems to say) or each product type has a different version?

If I understand correctly the notification PRODUCT_TYPE_DEFINITIONS_CHANGE behavior

If the notification is triggered by the addition of one or more new product types in a marketplace, the notification payload provides the names of the new product types and the product type version applicable to those product types.
If the notification is triggered only by a new product type version, the notification payload provides the new product type version.

It means there is no way for us to know which product types have changed beacause we will receive only the new product types or just a new version. And if we want to stay up to date we must re-download each product type definition per marketplace

[github-actions]

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.

[github-actions]

closed for inactivity

[marketplacehub-com]

pls reopen. still relevant @mafge @chapmanjw