Add an unstable edition that includes all unreleased and upcoming encodings

benchmarks/string-bench/src/lib.rs

@@ -70,8 +70,11 @@ pub use serialized::*;
 
 /// Session with the available string encodings and their canonicalize kernels
 /// registered for benchmarking.
-pub static SESSION: LazyLock<VortexSession> =
-    LazyLock::new(|| VortexSession::default().with_tokio());
+pub static SESSION: LazyLock<VortexSession> = LazyLock::new(|| {
+    let session = VortexSession::default().with_tokio();
+    vortex_bench::enable_benchmark_editions(&session);
+    session
+});
 
 /// A named string column, canonicalized to a `VarBinViewArray`-backed array,
 /// ready for either benchmark path.

benchmarks/string-bench/src/main.rs

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ use vortex_bench::LogFormat;
 use vortex_bench::create_output_writer;
 use vortex_bench::display::DisplayFormat;
 use vortex_bench::display::print_measurements_json;
+use vortex_bench::enable_benchmark_editions;
 use vortex_bench::measurements::CustomUnitMeasurement;
 use vortex_bench::setup_logging_and_tracing_with_format;
 
@@ -282,6 +283,8 @@ fn run_vortex_column(
 ) -> Result<Vec<SerializedResult>> {
     let runtime = CurrentThreadRuntime::new();
     let session = VortexSession::default().with_handle(runtime.handle());
+    enable_benchmark_editions(&session);
+
     let mut results = Vec::with_capacity(encoders.len());
     for &encoder in encoders {
         let result = runtime.block_on(bench_serialized_with_session(

docs/specs/versioning/design.md

@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ supports all its members. New formats require a later edition, leaving the earli
 to writers targeting older versions.
 
 An _edition family_ groups editions for related components. Membership is cumulative within a
-family: each later edition includes all earlier members.
+family: each later edition includes all earlier members. The `unstable` family is the exception. It
+has one undated edition that never freezes, and its members change in place.
 
 The `core` family covers the default writer's formats, while optional features have independent
 families. A writer can select one `core` edition and one `tensor` edition, for example, and use the
@@ -251,8 +252,9 @@ historical writing implementation.
 
 A new format starts in a draft edition so it can be tested before its origin commits to reading it
 indefinitely. Drafts have no recorded minimum version or frozen guarantee. A format intended for
-`core` can progress from its own family to `preview` for broader testing, then to `core` for default
-use. Promotion preserves its wire ID and interpretation. The
+`core` can progress from the shared `unstable` edition to `preview` for broader testing, then to
+`core` for default use. A defective ID can leave the `unstable` edition when its successor joins.
+Promotion preserves its wire ID and interpretation. The
 [registry instructions](editions.md#format-testing-and-promotion) cover promotion, freezing, and
 recording the minimum version.
 

docs/specs/versioning/editions.md

@@ -67,6 +67,16 @@ or revision requires a new draft edition. Vortex-maintained draft formats are ex
 compatible unless a defect blocks promotion into `core`, while independent plugin projects state
 their own policy.
 
+### `unstable`
+
+- `array`: `fastlanes.bitpacked.v2`, `fastlanes.delta`, `fastlanes.for.v2`,
+  `vortex.decimal_byte_parts.v2`, `vortex.patched`, `vortex.union`
+- `layout`: `vortex.list`
+- `aggregate`: `vortex.bloom_filter.sbbf`, `vortex.sum_v2`
+
+This edition is undated and never freezes. Its members change in place. The list layout is
+distinct from the `vortex.list` array encoding already in core.
+
 ### `preview2026.08.0`
 
 This edition currently adds no components.
@@ -113,17 +123,23 @@ For example, `core2026.08.0` declares `min`, `max`, `bounded_min`, `bounded_max`
 statistics, however, do store sums, in a fixed legacy field governed by the enclosing format's
 contract.
 
+Aggregate serialization support alone does not make an aggregate an edition member. Editions
+declare aggregate IDs intended for persisted zone maps. The `all_*` aggregates are in-memory pruning
+predicates and do not need entries. Legacy file statistics also do not need entries.
+
 ## Format testing and promotion
 
-A format intended for `core` starts in a dedicated edition family. Its first edition is a draft,
-with no recorded `min_library_version` and no frozen compatibility guarantee. Even at this draft
-stage, the format is expected to be complete. If testing reveals a defect whose correction changes
-what readers must understand, the correction needs a new wire ID and a later edition.
+A format intended for `core` starts in the shared `unstable` edition. This edition is undated, has
+no recorded `min_library_version`, and never freezes, so it gives no compatibility guarantee. Even
+at this stage, the format is expected to be complete. If testing reveals a defect whose correction
+changes what readers must understand, the correction needs a new wire ID. Replace the defective ID
+with its successor in the `unstable` declaration, for example `vortex.foo` with `vortex.foo_v2`.
 
 After initial testing, the format can enter a new `preview` edition for broader opt-in use, then a
 later `core` edition for default use. Promotion changes which editions permit the format while
-preserving its contract and wire ID. The current `preview` edition is empty, so its first component
-must go into a new edition.
+preserving its contract and wire ID. The `unstable` and `preview` editions are registered but must
+be enabled explicitly. The current `preview` edition is empty, so its first component must go into a
+new edition.
 
 ## Freezing an edition
 
@@ -142,10 +158,12 @@ writers from choosing it, but readers must retain support because existing files
 
 Default declarations live in `vortex-edition/src/declarations/`. Optional modules keep declarations
 with their implementation code. The exported TOML records are under `vortex/editions/`, grouped by
-family.
+family. The undated `unstable` edition never freezes, so it has no record; only its `family.toml`
+is exported.
 
-1. For a new component, declare its own family and draft edition. For a revision, add a later
-   edition to the family that owns the earlier ID.
+1. For a new core-maintained component, add it to the `unstable` edition. Optional modules use
+   their own families. For a revision in `unstable`, replace the earlier ID with its successor.
+   For a revision in another family, add a later edition to the family that owns the earlier ID.
 2. To promote a tested format, add it to new `preview` and `core` editions without changing its ID
    or contract.
 3. When an edition freezes, record the first release of its origin that supports every permitted

docs/specs/versioning/using-editions.md

@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ no components prevents the writer from serializing any component governed by edi
 ## Edition families
 
 An _edition family_ groups editions for related formats. The `core` family covers the default
-writer's formats. Optional features have their own families, such as `tensor` and `zstd`, so they
-can add formats without changing an application's `core` selection.
+writer's formats. Core-maintained formats not yet in `core` are tested in the shared `unstable` and
+`preview` families, which must be enabled explicitly. The `unstable` family has one undated edition,
+`unstable`, whose members change in place. Optional features have their own families,
+such as `tensor` and `zstd`, so they can add formats without changing an application's `core`
+selection.
 
 A writer selects at most one edition per family. Selecting `core2026.08.0` and `tensor2026.04.0`
 permits every component in either edition. Within one family, a later edition includes all earlier

fuzz/src/lib.rs

@@ -34,20 +34,23 @@ pub use gpu::FuzzCompressGpu;
 pub use gpu::run_compress_gpu;
 pub use row::FuzzRowEncode;
 pub use row::run_row_encode;
+use vortex::editions::DEFAULT_PREVIEW_EDITION;
+use vortex::editions::EditionSessionExt;
+use vortex::editions::UNSTABLE;
+use vortex_error::VortexExpect;
+use vortex_session::VortexSession;
 
 pub const FUZZ_ARRAY_MAX_LEN: usize = 2048;
 pub const FUZZ_FILE_ARRAY_MAX_LEN: usize = 16_384;
 
-fn enable_latest_core_edition(session: &vortex_session::VortexSession) {
-    use vortex::editions::CORE_2026_08_3;
-    use vortex::editions::EditionSessionExt;
-    use vortex_error::VortexExpect;
-    use vortex_error::vortex_err;
-
-    session
-        .enable_edition(CORE_2026_08_3)
-        .map_err(|error| vortex_err!("{error}"))
-        .vortex_expect("latest core edition is registered");
+/// Enable the `preview` and `unstable` editions in addition to the default editions, so the
+/// fuzzer also exercises the components that await stabilization.
+fn enable_fuzz_editions(session: &VortexSession) {
+    for edition in [DEFAULT_PREVIEW_EDITION, UNSTABLE] {
+        session
+            .enable_edition(edition)
+            .vortex_expect("fuzz edition is registered");
+    }
 }
 
 // Runtime initialization - platform-specific
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@ mod native_runtime {
             session = session.with::<vortex_cuda::CudaSession>();
             vortex_cuda::initialize_cuda(&session.cuda_session());
         }
-        super::enable_latest_core_edition(&session);
+        super::enable_fuzz_editions(&session);
         session
     });
 }
@@ -96,7 +99,7 @@ mod wasm_runtime {
 
     pub static SESSION: LazyLock<VortexSession> = LazyLock::new(|| {
         let session = VortexSession::default().with_handle(WasmRuntime::handle());
-        super::enable_latest_core_edition(&session);
+        super::enable_fuzz_editions(&session);
         session
     });
 }
@@ -115,28 +118,10 @@ mod wasi_runtime {
 
     pub static SESSION: LazyLock<VortexSession> = LazyLock::new(|| {
         let session = VortexSession::default();
-        super::enable_latest_core_edition(&session);
+        super::enable_fuzz_editions(&session);
         session
     });
 }
 
 #[cfg(all(target_arch = "wasm32", not(target_os = "unknown")))]
 pub use wasi_runtime::SESSION;
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests {
-    use vortex::editions::CORE_2026_08_3;
-    use vortex::editions::EditionSessionExt;
-
-    use super::SESSION;
-
-    #[test]
-    fn fuzz_session_uses_latest_core_edition() {
-        assert!(
-            SESSION
-                .enabled_editions()
-                .editions()
-                .contains(&CORE_2026_08_3)
-        );
-    }
-}

vortex-bench/src/lib.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ use tpch::benchmark::TpcHBenchmark;
 pub use utils::file::*;
 pub use utils::logging::*;
 use vortex::compressor::BtrBlocksCompressorBuilder;
+use vortex::editions::DEFAULT_PREVIEW_EDITION;
+use vortex::editions::EditionSessionExt;
+use vortex::editions::UNSTABLE;
 use vortex::error::VortexExpect;
 use vortex::error::vortex_err;
 use vortex::file::VortexWriteOptions;
@@ -83,9 +86,20 @@ static GLOBAL: mimalloc::MiMalloc = mimalloc::MiMalloc;
 pub static SESSION: LazyLock<VortexSession> = LazyLock::new(|| {
     let session = VortexSession::default().with_tokio();
     vortex_spatial::initialize(&session);
+    enable_benchmark_editions(&session);
     session
 });
 
+/// Enable the `preview` and `unstable` editions in addition to the default editions, so
+/// benchmarks also measure the components that await stabilization.
+pub fn enable_benchmark_editions(session: &VortexSession) {
+    for edition in [DEFAULT_PREVIEW_EDITION, UNSTABLE] {
+        session
+            .enable_edition(edition)
+            .vortex_expect("benchmark edition is registered");
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Target {
     pub engine: Engine,

vortex-edition/src/declarations/core/mod.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub static FAMILY: EditionFamily = EditionFamily {
 wire representation that old readers either recognize or reject; several IDs may deserialize \
 into one current in-memory array. Every core edition freezes, and a frozen edition carries a \
 read-forever guarantee: a file written with it stays readable by every later Vortex release. \
-New core objects first undergo testing in independently versioned families, then join preview for \
+New core objects first undergo testing in the shared unstable family, then join preview for \
 broad opt-in use, and finally join core with the same IDs and wire contracts. An edition may \
 freeze in the release that cuts it; after that release version is known, the declaration is \
 backfilled with it as the minimum. A frozen edition never changes.",

vortex-edition/src/declarations/mod.rs

@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@
 
 pub mod core;
 pub mod preview;
+pub mod unstable;
 
 use crate::EditionDeclaration;
 use crate::EditionFamily;
 
 /// The first-party edition families. Every family must be declared before its editions.
-pub static EDITION_FAMILIES: &[&EditionFamily] = &[&core::FAMILY, &preview::FAMILY];
+pub static EDITION_FAMILIES: &[&EditionFamily] =
+    &[&core::FAMILY, &preview::FAMILY, &unstable::FAMILY];
 
 /// The first-party Vortex edition declarations.
 pub static EDITION_DECLARATIONS: &[&EditionDeclaration] = &[
@@ -30,4 +32,5 @@ pub static EDITION_DECLARATIONS: &[&EditionDeclaration] = &[
     &core::v2026_08_2::DECLARATION,
     &core::v2026_08_3::DECLARATION,
     &preview::v2026_08::DECLARATION,
+    &unstable::DECLARATION,
 ];

vortex-edition/src/declarations/preview/mod.rs

@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright the Vortex contributors
 
-//! The `preview` edition family: additive, opt-in components awaiting adoption into `core`.
+//! The `preview` edition family: opt-in components awaiting adoption into `core`.
 
 use crate::EditionFamily;
 
-/// The `preview` family: stable opt-in components not yet available by default.
+/// The `preview` family: tested opt-in components not yet available by default.
 pub static FAMILY: EditionFamily = EditionFamily {
     name: "preview",
     origin: "vortex",
-    doc: "Additive, opt-in components maintained as part of Vortex but not yet adopted by the \
-default core writer. Components enter preview only once their serialized contracts are ready for \
-broad testing; independently evolving work remains in its own family until then.",
+    doc: "Opt-in components maintained as part of Vortex but not yet adopted by the default \
+core writer. Components move from unstable into preview once their serialized contracts are \
+ready for broad testing, then join core with the same IDs and wire contracts.",
 };
 
 pub mod v2026_08;

vortex-edition/src/declarations/unstable/mod.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright the Vortex contributors
+
+//! The `unstable` edition family: core-maintained components undergoing focused testing.
+
+use crate::Edition;
+use crate::EditionDeclaration;
+use crate::EditionFamily;
+use crate::EditionId;
+use crate::EditionMember;
+
+/// The shared family for core-maintained components before promotion to preview.
+pub static FAMILY: EditionFamily = EditionFamily {
+    name: "unstable",
+    origin: "vortex",
+    doc: "Opt-in components maintained as part of Vortex whose serialized contracts are ready \
+for focused testing. The family has one undated edition that never freezes, so components join \
+and leave it in place; a reader-visible correction still takes a new wire ID. Tested contracts \
+move into preview for broad opt-in use, then into core for use by default. The unstable edition \
+carries no read-forever guarantee.",
+};
+
+/// The single, undated edition of the `unstable` family.
+pub const UNSTABLE: EditionId = EditionId::undated("unstable");
+
+/// Built-in serialized components awaiting stabilization in [`UNSTABLE`].
+pub static DECLARATION: EditionDeclaration = EditionDeclaration {
+    edition: Edition {
+        id: UNSTABLE,
+        min_library_version: None,
+    },
+    added: &[
+        EditionMember::array(&"fastlanes.bitpacked.v2"),
+        EditionMember::array(&"fastlanes.delta"),
+        EditionMember::array(&"fastlanes.for.v2"),
+        EditionMember::array(&"vortex.decimal_byte_parts.v2"),
+        EditionMember::array(&"vortex.patched"),
+        EditionMember::array(&"vortex.union"),
+        EditionMember::layout(&"vortex.list"),
+        EditionMember::aggregate(&"vortex.bloom_filter.sbbf"),
+        EditionMember::aggregate(&"vortex.sum_v2"),
+    ],
+};