Semver

Given a version number MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH:

MAJOR incompatible API changes

MINOR add functionality (backwards-compatible)
PATCH bug fixes (backwards-compatible)
Simple ranges
1.2.3
=1.2.3
>1.2.3
<1.2.3
>=1.2.3
Note that suffixed versions (1.2.3-rc1) are not matched.

Ranges
~1.2.3 is >=1.2.3 <1.3.0
^1.2.3 is >=1.2.3 <2.0.0
^0.2.3 is >=0.2.3 <0.3.0 (0.x.x is special)
^0.0.1 is =0.0.1 (0.0.x is special)
^1.2 is >=1.2.0 <2.0.0 (like ^1.2.0)
~1.2 is >=1.2.0 <1.3.0 (like ~1.2.0)
^1 is >=1.0.0 <2.0.0
~1 same
1.x same
1.* same
1 same
* any version
x same
Hyphenated ranges
1.2.3 - 2.3.0 is >=1.2.3 <=2.3.4
Partial right
1.2.3 - 2.3 is >=1.2.3 <2.4.0
1.2.3 - 2 is >=1.2.3 <3.0.0
Partial left
1.2 - 2.3.0 is 1.2.0 - 2.3.0
When the right is partial (eg, 2.3), missing pieces are assumed to be x (eg,
2.3.x).

When the left is partial (eg, 1.2), missing pieces are assumed to be 0 (eg, 1.2.0).

Combining ranges
>=0.14 <16 And (space-separated)
0.14.x || 15.x.x Or (pipe-separated)
Pre-releases
1.2.3-prerelease+build
Explanation
^ means “compatible with”
~ means “reasonably close to”
0.x.x is for “initial development”
1.x.x means public API is defined