diff --git a/server/handlers/semver.go b/server/handlers/semver.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4d5f6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/handlers/semver.go
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// Semver represents a parsed semantic version (major.minor.patch[-prerelease]).
+type Semver struct {
+	Major      int
+	Minor      int
+	Patch      int
+	Prerelease string
+}
+
+// ParseSemver parses a version string like "1.2.3" or "v1.2.3-beta.1".
+// Leading "v" is stripped. Prerelease suffix after "-" is preserved.
+func ParseSemver(s string) (Semver, error) {
+	s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+	s = strings.TrimPrefix(s, "v")
+	if s == "" {
+		return Semver{}, fmt.Errorf("empty version string")
+	}
+
+	// Split off prerelease suffix
+	var pre string
+	if idx := strings.IndexByte(s, '-'); idx >= 0 {
+		pre = s[idx+1:]
+		s = s[:idx]
+	}
+
+	parts := strings.Split(s, ".")
+	if len(parts) != 3 {
+		return Semver{}, fmt.Errorf("version %q must have exactly 3 parts (major.minor.patch)", s)
+	}
+
+	major, err := strconv.Atoi(parts[0])
+	if err != nil {
+		return Semver{}, fmt.Errorf("invalid major version %q: %w", parts[0], err)
+	}
+	minor, err := strconv.Atoi(parts[1])
+	if err != nil {
+		return Semver{}, fmt.Errorf("invalid minor version %q: %w", parts[1], err)
+	}
+	patch, err := strconv.Atoi(parts[2])
+	if err != nil {
+		return Semver{}, fmt.Errorf("invalid patch version %q: %w", parts[2], err)
+	}
+
+	return Semver{Major: major, Minor: minor, Patch: patch, Prerelease: pre}, nil
+}
+
+// Compare returns -1 if a < b, 0 if a == b, +1 if a > b.
+// Prerelease versions sort lower than the same release version (per semver spec).
+func (a Semver) Compare(b Semver) int {
+	if a.Major != b.Major {
+		return cmpInt(a.Major, b.Major)
+	}
+	if a.Minor != b.Minor {
+		return cmpInt(a.Minor, b.Minor)
+	}
+	if a.Patch != b.Patch {
+		return cmpInt(a.Patch, b.Patch)
+	}
+	// Same numeric version — prerelease < release
+	if a.Prerelease == b.Prerelease {
+		return 0
+	}
+	if a.Prerelease == "" {
+		return 1 // a is release, b has prerelease → a > b
+	}
+	if b.Prerelease == "" {
+		return -1 // a has prerelease, b is release → a < b
+	}
+	// Both have prerelease — compare lexicographically
+	if a.Prerelease < b.Prerelease {
+		return -1
+	}
+	return 1
+}
+
+// String returns the version in "major.minor.patch[-prerelease]" format.
+func (v Semver) String() string {
+	s := fmt.Sprintf("%d.%d.%d", v.Major, v.Minor, v.Patch)
+	if v.Prerelease != "" {
+		s += "-" + v.Prerelease
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
+func cmpInt(a, b int) int {
+	if a < b {
+		return -1
+	}
+	return 1
+}
diff --git a/server/handlers/semver_test.go b/server/handlers/semver_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ea9952
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/handlers/semver_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package handlers
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestParseSemver(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		input   string
+		want    Semver
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{"1.2.3", Semver{1, 2, 3, ""}, false},
+		{"v1.2.3", Semver{1, 2, 3, ""}, false},
+		{"0.0.0", Semver{0, 0, 0, ""}, false},
+		{"1.2.3-beta.1", Semver{1, 2, 3, "beta.1"}, false},
+		{"v0.5.4-rc1", Semver{0, 5, 4, "rc1"}, false},
+		{"10.20.30", Semver{10, 20, 30, ""}, false},
+		{"", Semver{}, true},
+		{"not-a-version", Semver{}, true},
+		{"1.2", Semver{}, true},
+		{"1.2.3.4", Semver{}, true},
+		{"a.b.c", Semver{}, true},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.input, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := ParseSemver(tt.input)
+			if tt.wantErr {
+				if err == nil {
+					t.Fatalf("ParseSemver(%q) expected error, got %v", tt.input, got)
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("ParseSemver(%q) unexpected error: %v", tt.input, err)
+			}
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("ParseSemver(%q) = %v, want %v", tt.input, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSemverCompare(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		a, b string
+		want int
+	}{
+		{"1.0.0", "2.0.0", -1},
+		{"2.0.0", "1.0.0", 1},
+		{"1.1.0", "1.0.0", 1},
+		{"1.0.0", "1.1.0", -1},
+		{"1.0.1", "1.0.0", 1},
+		{"1.0.0", "1.0.0", 0},
+		{"1.0.0-alpha", "1.0.0", -1},
+		{"1.0.0", "1.0.0-alpha", 1},
+		{"1.0.0-alpha", "1.0.0-beta", -1},
+		{"1.0.0-beta", "1.0.0-alpha", 1},
+		{"1.0.0-alpha", "1.0.0-alpha", 0},
+		{"0.5.3", "0.5.4", -1},
+		{"0.5.4", "0.5.3", 1},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.a+"_vs_"+tt.b, func(t *testing.T) {
+			a, _ := ParseSemver(tt.a)
+			b, _ := ParseSemver(tt.b)
+			got := a.Compare(b)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("(%s).Compare(%s) = %d, want %d", tt.a, tt.b, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSemverString(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		v    Semver
+		want string
+	}{
+		{Semver{1, 2, 3, ""}, "1.2.3"},
+		{Semver{0, 0, 0, ""}, "0.0.0"},
+		{Semver{1, 0, 0, "beta.1"}, "1.0.0-beta.1"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.want, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := tt.v.String(); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("Semver.String() = %q, want %q", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}