Database Version Lifecycles & DBA Notes
PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle: Official EOL roadmaps from latest GA to impending deprecations, versioning architecture, and migration strategies.
Official Version & EOL Lifecycle Roadmap
Active support windows and critical end-of-life (EOL) deadlines from latest GA releases down to nearest milestones.
PostgreSQL
Supported & Imminent EOL Generations| Version | Release Type | Release Date | End of Life (EOL) | Status | Senior DBA Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (RC)Deep-Dive | Release Candidate (GA: Nov 19, 2026) | Ekim 2026 (RC) / GA: 19 Kasım 2026 | Kasım 2031 (Tahmini) | v19 RC (GA: Nov 19, 2026) | Public Release Candidate. Recommended for staging verification of core Asynchronous I/O (AIO), logical failover slots, and JIT optimizations. General Availability scheduled for November 19, 2026. |
| 18 (18.6)Deep-Dive | Current Major GA | 25 Eylül 2025 (Son Yama 18.6: 13 Ağustos 2026) | Kasım 2030 | Active GA (v18.6) | Latest stable release 18.6 (released August 13, 2026 alongside 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, 14.24). PostgreSQL 18 has been stable since September 2025 and is supported through November 2030. |
| 17 (17.11)Deep-Dive | Supported Major | 26 Eylül 2024 (Son Yama 17.11: 13 Ağustos 2026) | 08 Kasım 2029 | Active (17.11) | Widely deployed production baseline. Radix-tree TidStore cuts vacuum memory by 50% alongside streaming sequential reads. Updated to 17.11 on August 13, 2026. |
| 16 (16.15) | Supported Major | 14 Eylül 2023 (Son Yama 16.15: 13 Ağustos 2026) | 09 Kasım 2028 | Active (16.15) | High production stability. Parallel COPY worker threads and bi-directional replication enhancements (Aug 13, 2026: 16.15). |
| 15 (15.19) | Supported Major | 13 Ekim 2022 (Son Yama 15.19: 13 Ağustos 2026) | 11 Kasım 2027 | Active (15.19) | Extensively tested in enterprise workloads. Native MERGE syntax and LZ4/Zstandard compression (Aug 13, 2026: 15.19). |
| 14 (14.24) | EOL Imminent | 30 Eylül 2021 (Son Yama 14.24: 13 Ağustos 2026) | 12 Kasım 2026 | Critical EOL (Nov 2026) | CRITICAL: Community support and security fixes terminate in November 2026. Complete pg_upgrade to PG 17/18 immediately. |
| 13 | End of Life (EOL) | 24 Eylül 2020 | 13 Kasım 2025 | End of Life | Community support lapsed in November 2025. No security bulletins issued. Migrate to PG 17/18 immediately. |
| 12 | End of Life (EOL) | 03 Ekim 2019 | 21 Kasım 2024 | End of Life | Official support has lapsed. No further security patches issued. Migrate to PG 17/18 immediately. |
MySQL
Supported & Imminent EOL Generations| Version | Release Type | Release Date | End of Life (EOL) | Status | Senior DBA Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26.10 Innovation | Latest Calendar Innovation Track | Ekim 2026 | 3 Aylık Döngü (Quarterly) | 26.10 Innovation | Latest calendar-versioned innovation release for testing and labs (October 2026). Innovation track adopted calendar versioning in mid-2026. Not recommended for mission-critical production. |
| 26.7 Innovation | Calendar Innovation Track | 28 Temmuz 2026 | Ekim 2026 (26.10 ile değişti) | Superseded by 26.10 | Released July 28, 2026; superseded by 26.10. |
| 9.7 LTS | Flagship Production LTS (Recommended) | 21 Nisan 2026 (Son Yama 9.7.4: 20 Ekim 2026) | Nisan 2034 (Premier: Nisan 2031) | 9.7 LTS (Recommended) | Recommended flagship LTS release for enterprise production. Released April 21, 2026 with latest patch 9.7.4 (October 20, 2026). |
| 8.4 LTSDeep-Dive | Parallel Long Term Support (LTS) | 30 Nisan 2024 (Son Yama 8.4.13: Ekim 2026) | Nisan 2032 (Premier: Nisan 2029) | 8.4 LTS (Stable) | Parallel active LTS track (latest patch 8.4.13). Ideal baseline for existing enterprise systems migrating away from 8.0 towards 9.7. |
| 8.0 | End of Life (EOL) | 19 Nisan 2018 | 21 Nisan 2026 | End of Life (Apr 30, 2026) | CRITICAL: Official support terminated on April 21, 2026. Zero security bulletins issued. Production databases must be upgraded to MySQL 9.7 LTS or 8.4 LTS immediately. |
| 5.7 | End of Life (EOL) | 21 Ekim 2015 | 25 Ekim 2023 | End of Life | Support ended in late 2023. Severe zero-day vulnerability liability. Upgrade to 9.7 LTS or 8.4 LTS immediately. |
SQL Server
Supported & Imminent EOL Generations| Version | Release Type | Release Date | End of Life (EOL) | Status | Senior DBA Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (v17.0 CU10)Deep-Dive | Latest Major GA | 18 Kasım 2025 (GA); CU10: KB5125471 | Ocak 2031 (Ext: 2036) | 2025 GA (CU10) | CU10 (KB5125471) is listed for SQL Server 2025. Check the official CU/GDR servicing branch and target version before choosing a package. |
| 2022 (v16.0) | Mainstream Production GA | 16 Kasım 2022 | 11 Ocak 2028 (Ext: 2033) | Mainstream GA | Enterprise benchmark. Query Store enabled by default, Azure Managed Instance link, S3 backup integration. |
| 2019 (v15.0) | Extended Support | 04 Kasım 2019 | 08 Ocak 2030 (Mainstream: 28 Şub 2025) | Extended Support | Mainstream support ended February 2025. Only security fixes and critical hotfixes provided. |
| 2017 (v14.0) | Extended Support | 02 Ekim 2017 | 12 Ekim 2027 | Extended Support | First release with native Linux/Docker support. Plan upgrade to SQL 2022/2025 ahead of Oct 2027 EOL. |
| 2016 (v13.0) | End of Life (EOL) | 01 Haziran 2016 | 14 Temmuz 2026 | End of Life (Jul 2026) | CRITICAL: 10-year extended support terminated in July 2026. No further CVE security patches issued. Migrate to SQL 2022/2025. |
| 2014 (v12.0) | End of Life (EOL) | 01 Nisan 2014 | 09 Temmuz 2024 | End of Life | Extended support expired July 2024. No further CVE or GDR security bulletins issued. |
Oracle Database
Supported & Imminent EOL Generations| Version | Release Type | Release Date | End of Life (EOL) | Status | Senior DBA Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26ai LTS (23.26.x)Deep-Dive | Long-Term Support (LTS Release - Recommended) | Ekim 2025 (politika tablosu; platforma göre doğrulayın) | Premier: Aralık 2031; Extended: TBD | 26ai LTS (Recommended) | 26ai is a long-term release. The policy lists GA in October 2025 and Premier Support through December 2031. Extended Support is TBD; verify platform and contract conditions. |
| 23ai (v23.5+ RU) | Precursor LTS (Merged into 26ai) | 02 Mayıs 2024 | 26ai LTS ile Devam Ediyor | Merged into 26ai LTS | The 23c/23ai development track matured into the official 26ai (23.26.x) long-term release; the support policy lists GA in October 2025. |
| 21c (v21.x) | Innovation Release | 13 Ağustos 2021 | Temmuz 2027 (Premier); Extended yok | Premier: July 2027 | Premier Support is listed through July 2027; Extended Support is unavailable. Plan migration around platform and certification requirements. |
| 19c (12.2.0.3) | Long Term (Premier Support) | 25 Nisan 2019 | Premier: Aralık 2029; Extended: Aralık 2032 | Premier: 2029 / Extended: 2032 | Premier Support is listed through December 2029 and Extended through December 2032. Component exclusions apply from May 2027; verify the support contract and technical support policies. |
| 18c (12.2.0.2) | Innovation Release (Expired) | 16 Şubat 2018 | 30 Haziran 2021 | End of Life | The first yearly release model; official support terminated in 2021. |
| 12c R2 (12.2.0.1) | Legacy Terminal Release (EOL) | 01 Mart 2017 | 31 Mart 2022 | End of Life | Last pre-yearly release family. Support has completely lapsed. |
Database Versioning & Lifecycle Architecture Guides
In-depth architectural guides on version numbering syntax, release cadence models, and patch semantics per engine.
PostgreSQL Versioning Scheme: Numbering Semantics, 5-Year Lifecycle Model, and Zero-Downtime Patching
An in-depth guide to PostgreSQL's modern two-part versioning system (X.Y), binary layout stability across minor updates, annual release timelines, and community EOL mechanics.
MySQL Versioning Scheme: LTS vs Innovation Release Tracks, 8-Year Lifecycle, and Semantic Numbering
A technical guide to MySQL's transition from monolithic cycles to dual LTS branches (8.4 LTS & 9.7 LTS) and calendar innovation (26.7, 26.10), and post-8.0 EOL planning.
SQL Server Versioning Scheme: Year Labels, Internal Build Numbers & Modern Servicing Model (CU / GDR)
A comprehensive DBA reference mapping SQL Server marketing years to internal build numbers, explaining CU vs GDR servicing paths, and build verification queries.
Oracle Database Versioning Scheme: Long-Term vs Innovation Releases, Release Updates (RU) & Lifecycle
Authoritative analysis of Oracle's year-based release architecture, the 23c -> 23ai -> 26ai evolution, Oracle AI Database 26ai LTS (Jan 2026, 23.26.1 / 26.0.0.0, 23.26.x) succeeding 19c, RU cadence, and upgrade roadmaps.
Major Release Deep-Dives & Upgrade Guides
Deep-dive architectural evaluations of flagship major releases, memory performance optimizations, and zero-downtime upgrades.
PostgreSQL 19 DBA Release Analysis: Core Asynchronous I/O (AIO), Failover Replication Slots & JIT Advancements
A deep-dive technical preview of PostgreSQL 19 RC (GA planned for November 19, 2026): kernel-level Asynchronous I/O subsystem, failover slot synchronization for high-availability clusters, and staging readiness.
PostgreSQL 18 DBA Release Analysis: Direct I/O Subsystem, Partition Pruning Acceleration & Multi-Index Parallel Vacuum
Comprehensive technical review of PostgreSQL 18: Latest stable release 18.6 (Aug 13, 2026 alongside 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, 14.24, supported through Nov 2030), Direct I/O capabilities, advanced partition elimination, and enterprise upgrade strategies.
SQL Server 2025 (v17.0) DBA Release Analysis: Native VECTOR Type, T-SQL REST Endpoints & Fabric Continuous Mirroring
Technical evaluation of SQL Server 2025 (v17.0, GA Nov 18, 2025). Microsoft confirms 2025 is the latest major release (no SQL Server 2026 exists). Latest patches: CU8 (Aug 13, 2026) and CU10 (KB5125471); check GDR separately.
Oracle AI Database 26ai DBA Release Analysis: AI Vector Search, JSON-Relational Duality, Lock-Free Reservations & True Cache
Oracle evolved from 23c to 23ai and released Oracle AI Database 26ai as the flagship LTS successor to 19c (October 2025 policy GA, version 23.26.1 / 26.0.0.0 with quarterly updates 23.26.x). Native AI Vector Search, JSON-Relational Duality, and 19c migration.
PostgreSQL 17 DBA Deep Release Analysis: Memory Optimization, Streaming I/O, and Vacuum Enhancements
A senior DBA review of PostgreSQL 17 features: internal memory footprint reductions, streaming sequential scans, and zero-downtime pg_upgrade pathways.
MySQL 8.4 LTS DBA Release Analysis: Deprecations, Native Password Sunset, and InnoDB Internals
A deep-dive review of MySQL 8.4 Long Term Support: deprecation roadmaps, caching_sha2_password authentication enforcement, and Group Replication updates.