Within your current major version, there is nothing to renew. Every minor and patch update is included — you simply install it with apt and your existing licence keeps working. The one time you need a new licence is when you move to a brand-new major version, which is a one-off upgrade rather than a subscription.
How versions are written. A version like
1.4.2reads as major.minor.patch. The first number is the major (the1.xline). Everything from1.0.0up to1.9.9is the same major and is covered by one licence.
Once you hold a licence for a major line, all of its updates — new features in minor releases and fixes in patch releases — are yours at no extra cost. There is no expiry date to watch and no renewal to buy. To pick up the latest update, run the usual package-manager commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgradeTo update a single component instead of everything at once, name the package:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade binions-<service>Your setup carries over automatically across an upgrade:
application.toml and master.toml are not overwritten — the changes you made as the operator are kept.Tip. Staying current within your major is free, so there is no reason to hold back. Update on your own schedule to get the latest fixes — your licence already covers every release on the line.
A Binions licence is not a recurring subscription. For the whole life of a major version, your set — one complete installation on one host — keeps working with no time limit. This is true for both tiers:
For exactly what a licence covers — sets, hosts, and which versions are included — see Limits & version coverage.
A new major version — for example 2.0.0 — sits outside your current licence. Major versions can change behaviour in significant ways, so moving up is treated as a fresh start that requires a new or upgrade licence rather than a free update.
The package manager enforces this with a major-version gate: if you try to install a 2.x package while you hold a 1.x licence, the installer stops and will not complete the upgrade until you relicense. Your running 1.x installation is unaffected in the meantime.
Plan major upgrades deliberately. Crossing from
1.xto2.xis not an automaticapt upgrade— it needs a new or upgrade licence first. A new major is priced the same simple way as any set — £1 per binion, for the set as it stands at that version. Get yours at binions.io, then run the upgrade.
For how the gate behaves and how to clear it, see the major-version gate.
Whether you are taking a minor update or stepping up to a new major, the safe routine is the same:
sudo apt update then sudo apt upgrade (or upgrade a single package).The full step-by-step procedure, including verification commands and version pinning, lives in the Upgrade section.