Stable dependency version management

Always use stable, well-defined version constraints in configuration files to ensure reproducible builds and prevent unexpected behavior. Avoid using development branches for production dependencies.

Key practices:

1. Use semantic versioning constraints:
   • Use ^ for minor updates: "package": "^1.2.3"
   • Use ~ for patch updates: "package": "~1.2.3"
   • Pin exact versions when needed: "package": "1.2.3"
2. Never use dev branches in production unless absolutely necessary. If required:

   {
     "require": {
       "package": "1.2.*",
     },
     "minimum-stability": "dev",
     "prefer-stable": true
   }
   

3. Always commit lock files (e.g., composer.lock) to ensure consistent dependency versions across environments.

4. When updating versions, update all related configuration files and documentation to maintain consistency.