---
title: Quick reference
description: The applies_to directive uses the following format: This page provides minimal reference information on the applies_to directive. For more detailed information,...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/contribute-docs/how-to/cumulative-docs/reference
---
# Quick reference
If you have questions about how to write cumulative documentation while contributing,
reach out to **@elastic/docs** in the related GitHub issue or PR.
The `applies_to` directive uses the following format:
```
:
```
This page provides minimal reference information on the `applies_to` directive. For more detailed information, refer to [the applies_to syntax guide](https://elastic.github.io/docs-builder/syntax/applies).
## Dimensions
The `applies_to` keys fall into three dimensions:
| Dimension | Values |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Stack/Serverless | `stack`, `serverless` |
| Deployment | `deployment` (with subkeys: `ece`, `eck`, `ess`, `self`), `serverless` |
| Product | `product` (with subkeys, including those for APM agents, EDOT SDKs, and client libraries) |
Use only one dimension at the page level. `serverless` can appear in both the Stack/Serverless and Deployment dimensions. [Learn more](/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/contribute-docs/how-to/cumulative-docs/guidelines#dimensions).
## Key reference
### key
`applies_to` accepts the following keys in this structure.
- `serverless`: Applies to [Elastic Cloud Serverless](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/deploy/elastic-cloud/serverless).
- `security`: Applies to Serverless [security projects](https://www.elastic.co/docs/solutions/security/get-started#create-sec-serverless-project).
- `elasticsearch`: Applies to Serverless [search projects](https://www.elastic.co/docs/solutions/search/serverless-elasticsearch-get-started).
- `observability`: Applies to Serverless [observability projects](https://www.elastic.co/docs/solutions/observability/get-started).
- `stack`: Applies to the [Elastic Stack](https://www.elastic.co/docs/get-started/the-stack) including any Elastic Stack components.
- `deployment`: Applies to some deployment type(s).
- `ece`: Applies to [Elastic Cloud Enterprise](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise) deployments.
- `eck`: Applies to [Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-on-k8s) deployments.
- `self`: Applies to [self-managed](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/deploy/self-managed) deployments.
- `ess`: Applies to [Elastic Cloud Hosted](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/deploy/elastic-cloud/cloud-hosted) deployments.
- `product`: Applies to a specific product that uses a unique versioning scheme (for example, not `stack`, `ece`, `eck`).
- `apm_agent_dotnet`: Applies to the [Elastic APM .NET agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/dotnet).
- `apm_agent_go`: Applies to the [Elastic APM Go agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/go).
- `apm_agent_java`: Applies to the [Elastic APM Java agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/java).
- `apm_agent_node`: Applies to the [Elastic APM Node.js agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/nodejs).
- `apm_agent_php`: Applies to the [Elastic APM PHP agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/php).
- `apm_agent_python`: Applies to the [Elastic APM Python agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/python).
- `apm_agent_ruby`: Applies to the [Elastic APM Ruby agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/ruby).
- `apm_agent_rum`: Applies to the [APM RUM JavaScript agent](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/apm/agents/rum-js).
- `curator`: Applies to [Elasticsearch Curator](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/curator) (Curator).
- `ecctl`: Applies to [Elastic cloud control](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/ecctl) (ECCTL).
- `edot_android`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Android](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/android/) (EDOT Android).
- `edot_cf_aws`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Cloud Forwarder](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-cloud-forwarder/) (EDOT Cloud Forwarder).
- `edot_cf_azure`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Cloud Forwarder](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-cloud-forwarder/) (EDOT Cloud Forwarder).
- `edot_collector`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Collector](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-collector/) (EDOT Collector).
- `edot_dotnet`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry .NET](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/dotnet/) (EDOT .NET).
- `edot_ios`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry iOS](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/ios/) (EDOT iOS).
- `edot_java`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Java](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/java/) (EDOT Java).
- `edot_node`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Node.js](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/nodejs/) (EDOT Node.js).
- `edot_php`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry PHP](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/php/) (EDOT PHP).
- `edot_python`: Applies to the [Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Python](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/opentelemetry/edot-sdks/python/) (EDOT Python).
The `product` key and its subkeys are used to indicate feature availability and applicability. The similarly named [`products` frontmatter field](https://elastic.github.io/docs-builder/syntax/frontmatter#products) is used to drive elastic.co search filters.
### lifecycle
`applies_to` accepts the following lifecycle states:
- `preview`
- `beta`
- `ga`
- `deprecated`
- `removed`
- `unavailable`
### version
`applies_to` accepts the following version formats:
| Format | Syntax | Examples | Badge Display | Description |
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------|------------------|---------------------------------------|
| **Greater than or equal to** (default) | `x.x+``x.x``x.x.x+``x.x.x` | `ga 9.1``ga 9.1+` | `9.1+` | Applies from this version onwards |
| **Range** (inclusive) | `x.x-y.y``x.x.x-y.y.y` | `preview 9.0-9.2` | `9.0-9.2``9.0+`* | Applies within the specified range |
| **Exact version** | `=x.x``=x.x.x` | `beta =9.1` | `9.1` | Applies only to this specific version |
* Range display depends on release status of the second version.
**Important notes:**
- Versions are always displayed as **Major.Minor** (for example, `9.1`) in badges, regardless of whether you specify patch versions in the source.
- Each version statement corresponds to the **latest patch** of the specified minor version (for example, `9.1` represents 9.1.6 if 9.1.6 is the latest patch available for the 9.1 series).
- When critical patch-level differences exist, use plain text descriptions alongside the badge rather than specifying patch versions.
**Automatic Version Sorting**: When you specify multiple versions for the same product, the build system automatically sorts them in descending order (highest version first) regardless of the order you write them in the source file. For example, `stack: preview =9.0, ga 9.1-9.7, deprecated =9.8, removed 9.9+` will be displayed as `stack: removed 9.9+, deprecated =9.8, ga 9.1-9.7, preview =9.0`. Items without versions (like `ga` without a version or `all`) are sorted last.