Salt version support lifecycle

Together with the Salt supported operating systems guidelines, this document is intended to clearly define how long a particular version of Salt will receive official packages, testing, and technical support.

Version support lifecycle

Salt version

Release date

Active support ends

CVE and critical support ends

3007 STS

March 6, 2024

June, 2025

June, 2025

3006 LTS

April 18, 2023

June, 2025

June, 2026

Note

Salt Project is committed to providing active support for the current LTS release. There will always be at least one LTS release at a time. If unforeseen circumstances cause delays in the timing of the next LTS release, support for the current LTS release will be extended as needed.

STS versions of Salt are actively supported until the date of the next LTS or STS release.

See Older version support lifecycle for versions of Salt older than 3006.

LTS/STS release and support policy

Beginning with the 3006 release of Salt, the Salt Project will follow an LTS/STS release strategy. Under this strategy, the Salt Project will release one LTS (long-term support) release of Salt per year and one or more STS (short-term support) release each year. The LTS release will receive bug fix releases for a longer period of time than STS releases.

The purpose of the LTS release is to provide users with a stable version of Salt for a longer period (2 years). The purpose of the STS release is to provide a feature release to users who need or prefer access to the latest features in between LTS releases.

Warning

If you are unsure whether to use the LTS or STS release, you should use the LTS release.

LTS release

STS release

Release schedule

  • Released once a year

  • 1-2 release candidates in the months leading up to the release

  • Regular bug/fix point releases as needed after GA release

  • Released in between LTS releases

  • There may possibly be more than one at a time or no STS releases at a given point in time

Support schedule

  • Active support for at least a full year, including regular bug/fix releases

  • CVE and critical fixes support for an additional year after active support ends

  • Salt Project will always actively support at least one LTS release at a time

  • If unforeseen circumstances cause delays in the timing of the next LTS release, support for the current LTS release will be extended as needed

  • Active support until the next LTS or STS release

  • CVE and critical fixes support until the next LTS or STS release

Development schedule

Features developed in the 6 months prior to release

Features developed in the 6 months prior to release

Use case

Best for users who:

  • Need or prefer a stable, thoroughly tested and well-supported release

  • Prefer stable releases over access to the latest features

  • Require longer time periods to plan and implement Salt infrastructure upgrades

Best for users who:

  • Need or prefer access to new features in between LTS releases

  • Are comfortable assuming a small amount of risk as a trade-off for access to the latest features

Support level definitions

Active support

Active support is defined as:

  • The Salt Project will issue regular point releases with critical bug fixes.

  • Improved software functionality may be provided at the discretion of the project.

  • Point releases will include the content of previously released updates.

  • The focus of point releases will be high and critical bugs.

Support for new releases of operating systems

Sometimes a new version of a supported operating system is released during the active support window for a specific version of Salt, such as a new release of RedHat or Debian. Salt Project support for new versions of operating systems varies for LTS and STS releases:

  • LTS releases - Support for new operating systems will not be added in future point releases. Instead, the new operating system will be supported in the next major LTS release.

  • STS releases - Support for new operating systems will be added for point releases if possible.

CVE and critical support

CVE and critical support is defined as:

  • The Salt Project may release point releases with fixes for selected CVEs.

  • Fixes in newer branches will not be back ported.

  • The focus of point releases will be critical CVEs and breaking fixes that are caused by CVE fixes.

Older version support lifecycle

The following table lists the support lifecycle for versions of Salt prior to the 3006 version:

Salt version

Phase 1 support ends

Phase 2 support ends

Phase 3 support ends

Extended life support ends

3005

Feb 25, 2023

Aug 25, 2023

Feb 25, 2024

Feb 25, 2025

3004

Apr 18, 2022

Oct 18, 2022

Apr 18, 2023

Apr 18, 2024

3003

Sep 30, 2021

Mar 31, 2022

Sep 30, 2022

Sep 30, 2023

3002

Apr 21, 2021

Oct 21, 2021

Apr 21, 2022

Apr 21, 2023

3001

Dec 31, 2020

Jun 30, 2021

Dec 31, 2021

Dec 31, 2022

3000

Aug 31, 2020

Feb 28, 2021

Aug 31, 2021

Aug 31, 2022

2019.2

Sep 30, 2019

Mar 31, 2020

Sep 30, 2020

Sep 30, 2021

2018.3

Oct 31, 2018

Apr 30, 2019

Oct 31, 2019

Oct 31, 2020

2017.7

Jan 31, 2018

Jun 30, 2018

Aug 30, 2019

Dec 31, 2019

2016.3

Nov 30, 2016

May 31, 2017

Nov 30, 2017

Nov 30, 2018

2015.8

Mar 31, 2016

Sep 30, 2016

Mar 31, 2017

Mar 31, 2018

2015.5

Nov 31, 2015

May 31, 2016

Nov 30, 2016

Nov 30, 2017

2014.7

May 31, 2015

Nov 30, 2015

May 31, 2016

May 31, 2017

Older version support level definitions

Phase 1 support

Regular point release support

During phase 1:

  • The Salt Project will issue regular point releases with critical bug fixes.

  • Improved software functionality may be provided at the discretion of the project.

  • Point releases will include the content of previously released updates.

  • The focus of phase 1 releases will be high and critical bugs.

Phase 2 support

On-demand support

During phase 2:

  • The Salt Project may release point releases with bug fixes as requested by VMware customers.

  • Point releases will include the content of previously released updates.

  • The focus of phase 2 releases will be high or critical bugs.

Phase 3 support

CVE support

During phase 3:

  • The Salt Project will release point releases with fixes for selected, critical CVEs.

  • Fixes in newer branches will not be back ported.

Extended life support

During extended life support:

  • The Salt Project will not release any point releases.

  • Users will still have access to archived documentation.

  • The Salt Project will provide ongoing best-effort technical support for customers on existing installations.

  • No bug fixes, security fixes, improved functionality, or root-cause analysis will be provided.

Phase details

Phase 1 support (6 months)

Phase 2 support (6 months)

Phase 3 support (6 months)

Extended life support (12 months)

Access to documentation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Technical support [1]

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (best effort)

Access to customer portal [2]

Yes

Yes

Yes

CVE fixes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Point release with bug fixes

Yes

Yes

Software enhancements

Yes