software update question

[Dustynet]

When updating Palo firewalls, why the need to update through each base version as well as a preferred maintenance version?

e.g. if going from version 8.1.x, to 10.1.x,  why 9.0 >  9.0.x > 9.1 > 9.1 > 10.0 etc.

IF each baseline version release e.g. 9.0, 9.1, 10.0 is a full release of the software then what is to stop upgrading to 9.0 > 10.0 > 10.1 skipping the interim preferred maintenance releases?

The only obvious 2x explanations that I can come up with are :

• the baseline releases for 9.0, 10.0 etc are not in fact full versions of the firewall software and must have a dependency on previous versions.
• The preferred maintenance versions are ONLY required if upgrading a firewall with an existing configuration, so that each version update can rewrite each policy rule in line with internal database changes etc. thus not corrupting the configuration if theoretically jumping from 8.1.x to 10.1.0 for example.

Does anyone have any internal level of technical understanding which can confirm if I can get away with upgrading from 8.1.x to 10.1.0 without interim versions, on an otherwise factory reset firewall with no customised configuration in place?

Always curious!