diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE
index bc147adb78..6361247876 100644
--- a/ANNOUNCE
+++ b/ANNOUNCE
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+libpng 1.6.44.git
+=================
+
+This is a development version, not intended to be a public release.
+It will be replaced by a public release, or by another development
+version, at a later time.
+
+
 libpng 1.6.43 - February 23, 2024
 =================================
 
diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 441b57ecf1..6eab52bae7 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -6196,6 +6196,8 @@ Version 1.6.43 [February 23, 2024]
     consistency verification and text linting.
   Added version consistency verification to pngtest.c also.
 
+Version 1.6.44 [TODO]
+
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net.
 Subscription is required; visit
 https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/png-mng-implement
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ad3f2427dc..77e5398b6a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.6)
 
 set(PNGLIB_MAJOR 1)
 set(PNGLIB_MINOR 6)
-set(PNGLIB_REVISION 43)
-set(PNGLIB_SUBREVISION 0)
-#set(PNGLIB_SUBREVISION "git")
+set(PNGLIB_REVISION 44)
+#set(PNGLIB_SUBREVISION 0)
+set(PNGLIB_SUBREVISION "git")
 set(PNGLIB_VERSION ${PNGLIB_MAJOR}.${PNGLIB_MINOR}.${PNGLIB_REVISION})
 set(PNGLIB_ABI_VERSION ${PNGLIB_MAJOR}${PNGLIB_MINOR})
 set(PNGLIB_SHARED_VERSION ${PNGLIB_ABI_VERSION}.${PNGLIB_REVISION}.${PNGLIB_SUBREVISION})
diff --git a/README b/README
index a6ca3ae9f9..d0a3635bdf 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-README for libpng version 1.6.43
-================================
+README for libpng version 1.6.44.git
+====================================
 
 See the note about version numbers near the top of `png.h`.
 See `INSTALL` for instructions on how to install libpng.
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ca475f7711..ee7d0eadac 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Guess values for system-dependent variables and create Makefiles.
-# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72 for libpng 1.6.43.
+# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72 for libpng 1.6.44.git.
 #
 # Report bugs to <png-mng-implement@lists.sourceforge.net>.
 #
@@ -614,8 +614,8 @@ MAKEFLAGS=
 # Identity of this package.
 PACKAGE_NAME='libpng'
 PACKAGE_TARNAME='libpng'
-PACKAGE_VERSION='1.6.43'
-PACKAGE_STRING='libpng 1.6.43'
+PACKAGE_VERSION='1.6.44.git'
+PACKAGE_STRING='libpng 1.6.44.git'
 PACKAGE_BUGREPORT='png-mng-implement@lists.sourceforge.net'
 PACKAGE_URL=''
 
@@ -1417,7 +1417,7 @@ if test "$ac_init_help" = "long"; then
   # Omit some internal or obsolete options to make the list less imposing.
   # This message is too long to be a string in the A/UX 3.1 sh.
   cat <<_ACEOF
-'configure' configures libpng 1.6.43 to adapt to many kinds of systems.
+'configure' configures libpng 1.6.44.git to adapt to many kinds of systems.
 
 Usage: $0 [OPTION]... [VAR=VALUE]...
 
@@ -1488,7 +1488,7 @@ fi
 
 if test -n "$ac_init_help"; then
   case $ac_init_help in
-     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of libpng 1.6.43:";;
+     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of libpng 1.6.44.git:";;
    esac
   cat <<\_ACEOF
 
@@ -1685,7 +1685,7 @@ fi
 test -n "$ac_init_help" && exit $ac_status
 if $ac_init_version; then
   cat <<\_ACEOF
-libpng configure 1.6.43
+libpng configure 1.6.44.git
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72
 
 Copyright (C) 2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -1948,7 +1948,7 @@ cat >config.log <<_ACEOF
 This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
 running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.
 
-It was created by libpng $as_me 1.6.43, which was
+It was created by libpng $as_me 1.6.44.git, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72.  Invocation command line was
 
   $ $0$ac_configure_args_raw
@@ -3248,7 +3248,7 @@ fi
 
 # Define the identity of the package.
  PACKAGE='libpng'
- VERSION='1.6.43'
+ VERSION='1.6.44.git'
 
 
 printf "%s\n" "#define PACKAGE \"$PACKAGE\"" >>confdefs.h
@@ -3381,17 +3381,17 @@ fi
 
 
 
-PNGLIB_VERSION=1.6.43
+PNGLIB_VERSION=1.6.44.git
 PNGLIB_MAJOR=1
 PNGLIB_MINOR=6
-PNGLIB_RELEASE=43
+PNGLIB_RELEASE=44
 
 
 
 ac_config_headers="$ac_config_headers config.h"
 
 
-# Check for basic programs.
+# Check the basic programs.
 ac_ext=c
 ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
 ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
@@ -15382,7 +15382,7 @@ cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<\_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 # report actual input values of CONFIG_FILES etc. instead of their
 # values after options handling.
 ac_log="
-This file was extended by libpng $as_me 1.6.43, which was
+This file was extended by libpng $as_me 1.6.44.git, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72.  Invocation command line was
 
   CONFIG_FILES    = $CONFIG_FILES
@@ -15450,7 +15450,7 @@ ac_cs_config_escaped=`printf "%s\n" "$ac_cs_config" | sed "s/^ //; s/'/'\\\\\\\\
 cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 ac_cs_config='$ac_cs_config_escaped'
 ac_cs_version="\\
-libpng config.status 1.6.43
+libpng config.status 1.6.44.git
 configured by $0, generated by GNU Autoconf 2.72,
   with options \\"\$ac_cs_config\\"
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 505d72ff60..2c6b3333c6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ AC_PREREQ([2.68])
 
 dnl Version number stuff here:
 
-AC_INIT([libpng],[1.6.43],[png-mng-implement@lists.sourceforge.net])
+AC_INIT([libpng],[1.6.44.git],[png-mng-implement@lists.sourceforge.net])
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([scripts/autoconf])
 
 # libpng does not follow GNU file name conventions (hence 'foreign')
@@ -46,17 +46,17 @@ dnl automake, so the following is not necessary (and is not defined anyway):
 dnl AM_PREREQ([1.11.2])
 dnl stop configure from automagically running automake
 
-PNGLIB_VERSION=1.6.43
+PNGLIB_VERSION=1.6.44.git
 PNGLIB_MAJOR=1
 PNGLIB_MINOR=6
-PNGLIB_RELEASE=43
+PNGLIB_RELEASE=44
 
 dnl End of version number stuff
 
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([pngget.c])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 
-# Check for basic programs.
+# Check the basic programs.
 AC_LANG([C])
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_AS
diff --git a/png.c b/png.c
index 9ed3157009..28e5a43e73 100644
--- a/png.c
+++ b/png.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include "pngpriv.h"
 
 /* Generate a compiler error if there is an old png.h in the search path. */
-typedef png_libpng_version_1_6_43 Your_png_h_is_not_version_1_6_43;
+typedef png_libpng_version_1_6_44_git Your_png_h_is_not_version_1_6_44_git;
 
 /* Tells libpng that we have already handled the first "num_bytes" bytes
  * of the PNG file signature.  If the PNG data is embedded into another
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ png_get_copyright(png_const_structrp png_ptr)
    return PNG_STRING_COPYRIGHT
 #else
    return PNG_STRING_NEWLINE \
-      "libpng version 1.6.43" PNG_STRING_NEWLINE \
+      "libpng version 1.6.44.git" PNG_STRING_NEWLINE \
       "Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Cosmin Truta" PNG_STRING_NEWLINE \
       "Copyright (c) 1998-2002,2004,2006-2018 Glenn Randers-Pehrson" \
       PNG_STRING_NEWLINE \
diff --git a/png.h b/png.h
index 83d3903126..b71bd7064a 100644
--- a/png.h
+++ b/png.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 /* png.h - header file for PNG reference library
  *
- * libpng version 1.6.43
+ * libpng version 1.6.44.git
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Cosmin Truta
  * Copyright (c) 1998-2002,2004,2006-2018 Glenn Randers-Pehrson
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
  */
 
 /* Version information for png.h - this should match the version in png.c */
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING "1.6.43"
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING "1.6.44.git"
 #define PNG_HEADER_VERSION_STRING " libpng version " PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING "\n"
 
 /* The versions of shared library builds should stay in sync, going forward */
@@ -286,18 +286,18 @@
 /* These should match the first 3 components of PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING: */
 #define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR   1
 #define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR   6
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_RELEASE 43
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_RELEASE 44
 
 /* This should be zero for a public release, or non-zero for a
  * development version.
  */
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_BUILD  0
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER_BUILD 1
 
 /* Release Status */
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_ALPHA    1
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_BETA     2
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_RC       3
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_STABLE   4
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_ALPHA               1
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_BETA                2
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_RC                  3
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_STABLE              4
 #define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_RELEASE_STATUS_MASK 7
 
 /* Release-Specific Flags */
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@
 #define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_SPECIAL 32 /* Cannot be OR'ed with
                                        PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_PRIVATE */
 
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_BASE_TYPE PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_STABLE
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_BASE_TYPE PNG_LIBPNG_BUILD_BETA
 
 /* Careful here.  At one time, Guy wanted to use 082, but that
  * would be octal.  We must not include leading zeros.
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@
  * From version 1.0.1 it is:
  * XXYYZZ, where XX=major, YY=minor, ZZ=release
  */
-#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER 10643 /* 1.6.43 */
+#define PNG_LIBPNG_VER 10644 /* 1.6.44.git */
 
 /* Library configuration: these options cannot be changed after
  * the library has been built.
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ extern "C" {
 /* This triggers a compiler error in png.c, if png.c and png.h
  * do not agree upon the version number.
  */
-typedef char* png_libpng_version_1_6_43;
+typedef char* png_libpng_version_1_6_44_git;
 
 /* Basic control structions.  Read libpng-manual.txt or libpng.3 for more info.
  *
diff --git a/pngconf.h b/pngconf.h
index 000d7b1a8a..175a36c6f1 100644
--- a/pngconf.h
+++ b/pngconf.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 /* pngconf.h - machine-configurable file for libpng
  *
- * libpng version 1.6.43
+ * libpng version 1.6.44.git
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Cosmin Truta
  * Copyright (c) 1998-2002,2004,2006-2016,2018 Glenn Randers-Pehrson
diff --git a/pngtest.c b/pngtest.c
index 45ef66a701..81da721263 100644
--- a/pngtest.c
+++ b/pngtest.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 #include "png.h"
 
 /* Generate a compiler error if there is an old png.h in the search path. */
-typedef png_libpng_version_1_6_43 Your_png_h_is_not_version_1_6_43;
+typedef png_libpng_version_1_6_44_git Your_png_h_is_not_version_1_6_44_git;
 
 /* Ensure that all version numbers in png.h are consistent with one another. */
 #if (PNG_LIBPNG_VER != PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR * 10000 + \
diff --git a/scripts/libpng-config-head.in b/scripts/libpng-config-head.in
index 37577f4134..2fb79d428a 100644
--- a/scripts/libpng-config-head.in
+++ b/scripts/libpng-config-head.in
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 # Modeled after libxml-config.
 
-version=1.6.43
+version=1.6.44.git
 prefix=""
 libdir=""
 libs=""
diff --git a/scripts/libpng.pc.in b/scripts/libpng.pc.in
index 6a581d1a48..73ed7f54dd 100644
--- a/scripts/libpng.pc.in
+++ b/scripts/libpng.pc.in
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ includedir=@includedir@/libpng16
 
 Name: libpng
 Description: Loads and saves PNG files
-Version: 1.6.43
+Version: 1.6.44.git
 Libs: -L${libdir} -lpng16
 Cflags: -I${includedir}
diff --git a/scripts/pnglibconf.h.prebuilt b/scripts/pnglibconf.h.prebuilt
index 83f09fbe77..2c95cd5df2 100644
--- a/scripts/pnglibconf.h.prebuilt
+++ b/scripts/pnglibconf.h.prebuilt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* pnglibconf.h - library build configuration */
 
-/* libpng version 1.6.43 */
+/* libpng version 1.6.44.git */
 
 /* Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Cosmin Truta */
 /* Copyright (c) 1998-2002,2004,2006-2018 Glenn Randers-Pehrson */