# Versionadded:: next

**URL:** <https://discuss.python.org/t/versionadded-next/65280>\
**Category:** Core Development\
**Created:** [September 27, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/versionadded-next/65280 "2024-09-27T22:35:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![encukou](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/encukou/32/2461_2.png) [@encukou](https://discuss.python.org/u/encukou)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/versionadded-next/65280/1 "2024-09-27T22:35:55Z")

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_As discussed in [dpo-38423](https://discuss.python.org/t/38423) implemented in [gh-121277](https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/121277) and documented in [devguide](https://devguide.python.org/documentation/markup/#paragraph-level-markup):_

You can now use `next` in documentation version directives to target the upcoming release of the current branch (main for now, backports will follow):

```rest
.. versionadded:: next
.. versionchanged:: next
.. versionremoved:: next
.. deprecated:: next
.. deprecated-removed:: next 3.20
   (here the second version, "removed in", can't be `next`)

```

When a release is cut, the `next` [will be replaced](https://github.com/python/release-tools/blob/master/update_version_next.py) with the release’s number.

Before the backports are in place, you can use this grep to check if `next` will work in your branch:

```shell
grep expand_version_arg Doc/tools/extensions/pyspecific.py

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![encukou](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/encukou/32/2461_2.png) [@encukou](https://discuss.python.org/u/encukou)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/versionadded-next/65280/2 "2025-01-27T15:47:33Z")

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The feature is now in all active branches (3.9+). You can backport without fear! (Ideally, do check the rendered docs on backport PRs.)