When a website is continuously deployed, it should be easy to see exactly what code is running in production. Showing the latest deployed commit gives everyone a clear reference point when checking changes, reporting issues, or investigating bugs.
This makes it easier to confirm what is live, trace problems back to a specific change, and understand whether a fix has already been deployed.
For downloadable products, such as mobile apps and desktop apps, show a version number instead so users and support teams can identify which installed release they are using.
Websites are often continuously deployed, so a traditional version number can quickly become meaningless.
Instead, show the latest deployed commit hash.
This helps the team identify exactly what code is running in production, find the developer or PR connected to a change, investigate bugs faster, confirm whether a deployment has reached production, and roll back or compare changes more easily.
A common pattern is to show the commit hash in the footer with a link to the commit in GitHub or Azure DevOps.
When something breaks, the team can quickly check what changed and who worked on it.
Note: If the repository is private, the commit link may not be available to everyone. That is OK. The hash is still useful for developers with access.
Version 2.4
❌ Figure: Bad example - This looks tidy, but it does not clearly identify the deployed code on a continuously deployed website
Last deployed commit: a1b2c3d
✅ Figure: Good example - The team can trace the exact code running in production
Version numbers are useful when users need to download, install, or update software.
This includes mobile apps, desktop apps, browser extensions, APIs, and packages with breaking changes.
For these products, a version number helps users, support teams, and developers know which release they are using.