Add versioning tag details to Dependabot docs (#52801)

Co-authored-by: Felicity Chapman <felicitymay@github.com>

content/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-version-updates/configuration-options-for-the-dependabot.yml-file.md

@@ -1022,6 +1022,33 @@ updates:
     versioning-strategy: increase-if-necessary
 ```
 
+{% ifversion dependabot-updates-supported-versioning-tags %}
+
+### Versioning tags
+
+* Represent stages in the software release lifecycle, such as alpha, beta, and stable versions.
+* Allow publishers to distribute their packages more effectively.
+* Indicate the stability of a version and communicate what users should expect in terms of features and stability.
+
+{% data reusables.dependabot.dependabot-updates-supported-versioning-tags %}
+
+#### Versioning tag glossary
+
+* **`alpha`**: Early version, may be unstable and have incomplete features.
+* **`beta`**: More stable than alpha but may still have bugs.
+* **`canary`**: Regularly updated pre-release version for testing.
+* **`dev`**: Represents development versions.
+* **`experimental`**: Versions with experimental features.
+* **`latest`**: The latest stable release.
+* **`legacy`**: Older or deprecated versions.
+* **`next`**: Upcoming release version.
+* **`nightly`**: Versions built nightly; often includes the latest changes.
+* **`rc`**: Release candidate, close to stable release.
+* **`release`**: The official release version.
+* **`stable`**: The most reliable, production-ready version.
+
+{% endif %}
+
 ## Configuration options for private registries
 
 The top-level `registries` key is optional. It allows you to specify authentication details that {% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} can use to access private package registries.

data/features/dependabot-updates-supported-versioning-tags.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Reference: #16090
+# Add versioning tag details to Dependabot docs
+versions:
+  fpt: '*'
+  ghec: '*'
+  ghes: '> 3.14'

data/reusables/dependabot/dependabot-updates-supported-versioning-tags.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{% data variables.product.prodname_dependabot %} recognizes a variety of versioning tags for pre-releases, stable versions, and custom tags across different ecosystems.
+
+The `dependabot.yml` file doesn't control the versioning tags that you can use, but you can define in configuration options such as [`ignore`](/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-version-updates/configuration-options-for-the-dependabot.yml-file#ignore) the supported versioning tags you want to ignore updates for.
+
+#### Supported versioning tags
+
+| **Package Manager** | **YAML value**    | **Supported Tags**                                                                                                 | **Examples**                              |
+|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
+| Maven               | `maven`           | `alpha, a, beta, b, milestone, m, rc, cr, sp, ga, final, release, snapshot`                                                                                                              |  `spring-security-web@5.6.0-SNAPSHOT`, `spring-core@5.2.0.RELEASE`                                       |
+| npm                 | `npm`             | `alpha`, `beta`, `canary`, `dev`, `experimental`, `latest`, `legacy`, `next`, `nightly`, `rc`, `release`, `stable` | `lodash@beta`, `react@latest`, `express@next` |                                        |
+| pnpm                | `npm`             | `alpha`, `beta`, `canary`, `dev`, `experimental`, `latest`, `legacy`, `next`, `nightly`, `rc`, `release`, `stable` | `lodash@1.2.0-alpha`, `react@alpha`, `vue@next`                 |
+| yarn                | `npm`             | `alpha`, `beta`, `canary`, `dev`, `experimental`, `latest`, `legacy`, `next`, `nightly`, `rc`, `release`, `stable` | `lodash@1.2.0-alpha`, `axios@latest`, `moment@nightly`          |