I'm currently working on a new major version (v2) of an application meant to replace the current production version (v1). This redesign carries with it changes to the front-end, public API layer, internal API layer, and database — the whole kit and kaboodle.
While it is easy to have active v1 and v2 front-ends and public API (which I'll call the "front half" for brevity's sake) simultaneously in our lower environments, for various reason, this is NOT possible for us to do with the internal API and database (which I'll call the "back half").
The v2 redesign necessitates changes to the back half that cause breakage in the v1 front half. However, in this particular instance, by making a minor change in the v1 front half, this breakage can be avoided. As such, it is possible for us to deploy this v1 "shim" along with the changes to the back half to production. When the time comes, we will be able to cut over to the v2 front half without the back half needing any further deployments.
Is there a name for this particular type of deployment, where a shim is deployed to an existing app to make it work with an updated back end, with the goal of making a future cutover seamless?
Taking my definition of blue/green deployment from this informative blog post, I believe this is a distinctly separate kind of deployment.