dotCMS will periodically specify specific product releases as Long-Term Supported (LTS) releases, which will be maintained for a longer period than other dotCMS releases, and which will provide a number of advantages for customers that choose to install them.
- All releases of dotCMS will still be fully supported for the duration of their designated support period.
- So, customers that desire or have a need to be on the newest releases will still receive full normal support.
- The advantage of LTS releases is that customers who choose to run an LTS release will receive active patch updates to fix bugs, plus a longer overall support window.
- Starting with LTS release 22.03, dotCMS also provides an approved PostgreSQL image, to ensure full compatibility.
Latest LTS Releases
| Version | Patch Release Date | End of Life Date | PostgreSQL Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| dotCMS 24.04.24v11 | Nov 12, 2024 | Nov 6, 2025 | dotcms/postgres:15 |
| dotCMS 23.10.24v19 | Nov 12, 2024 | May 19, 2025 | dotcms/postgres:15 |
To download LTS releases, please see Current Releases.
Advantages of LTS Releases
LTS releases provide advantages to both Cloud and self-hosted customers.
- dotCMS will periodically deliver LTS patch releases, which will backport fixes made in newer dotCMS versions to the LTS release.
- LTS Patch Releases are, by design, maintenance releases — addressing bugs, security issues, and other minor problems, but seldom if ever adding new features.
- Cloud customers on LTS releases will automatically be scheduled for upgrades to new LTS patch releases, to proactively prevent customers from experiencing issues addressed in the patch release.
- Upgrades to LTS patch releases will, by design, be quick and low-risk.
- LTS patch releases can be installed with no need for data migration, and minimal downtime (or no downtime on clustered instances running version 5.3.8 or higher).
- Because LTS releases will receive regular patches, customers on LTS releases may not need to undergo full upgrades (including data migration and testing) as frequently as customers on non-LTS releases.
- When customers upgrade from an older LTS release to a newer LTS release, they'll have a lower risk of encountering version incompatibilities.
- LTS releases will be supported for a minimum of 18 months after it was originally designated as an LTS release.
- For example, on May 6, 2024, version 24.04.24 was designated as an LTS release.
- This means the 24.04.24.x series will be supported until at earliest November 6, 2025.
Limitations of LTS Releases
It's important to note that LTS patch releases will include fixes for known issues only.
- New features will not be backported to LTS releases. See our backporting policy.
- So, customers with a desire or need for the newest features and enhancements will need to install newer (non-LTS) releases to have access to the newest features.
Backporting Policy
The dotCMS backporting policy aims to maintain the integrity and reliability of our LTS releases while providing our users with cutting-edge features and improvements in a predictable and organized manner.
- Fixes Only: dotCMS will backport bug fixes to currently supported Long-Term Support (LTS) versions. Any critical bugs or security issues identified will be addressed and backported to LTS versions fewer than 18 months old to ensure stability and security across our LTS releases.
- No Backporting of Features: dotCMS will not backport features or improved functionality to existing LTS versions. Our focus is on maintaining a stable and consistent experience for our users on LTS, without introducing changes that could affect existing implementations.
- Incorporation Into Future LTS: As dotCMS develops new features or improvements they are incorporated into the next LTS release. This ensures that all new functionalities outlined in our product roadmap are thoroughly exercised before making it into an LTS. This provides our users with the most stable and up-to-date version of dotCMS when they upgrade to a newer release.
What Version to Use?
We recommend the latest release version for customers who want to take advantage of the newest features or for customers who are in an implementation phase and plan to launch some time in the future — after launch, they might want to switch to an LTS version.
We recommend the LTS version if your company has policies that don’t allow for frequent upgrades or restrict using non-LTS software. Additionally, you might want to use an LTS version if you are using dotCMS in secondary products that either don’t require newer dotCMS features or if you don’t have enough resources to keep dotCMS updated.
