Future release schedule

At ICMC26, Tim Hudson announced a change to the OpenSSL Library release schedule for future releases. Last year we committed to making long term stable (LTS) releases every two years. Following the release of 4.0, the first major release since 2018, we now commit to a major release every two years.

OpenSSL release plan for 2026.

So the next LTS will be 4.2 in April 2027 and then we’ll have a major release, 5.0, in October 2027. That means the final 4.x release will be supported for the entire 5.x release cycle. This gives significant flexibility for projects that depend on OpenSSL to decide the appropriate moment to move to a more recent version of the library.

Background

In 2018, OpenSSL adopted a versioning scheme that generally matched user expectations. OpenSSL 3.0 was the first version to use the scheme. The signature feature of 3.0, providers, significantly delayed its release. Since OpenSSL 1.0.2 was nearing end-of-life and to ensure there was an upgrade path from OpenSSL 1.1.1 for projects that stick with LTS releases, 3.0 was designated an LTS.

Based on that experience, OpenSSL switched to a time-based release policy which means releases come at a predictable cadence instead of waiting for features to be completed. Besides making it easier for downstream projects to plan their own development, the policy also allows OpenSSL developers to release features when they are ready. If a feature misses a release, the wait to the next release is only six months.

While 4.0 removed a number of deprecated features, including SSLv3, there’s still a need for outdated code to be removed and for the API to be updated. So it makes sense to also have a predictable schedule for major releases.

By scheduling an LTS release followed by a major release, we enable projects to upgrade to the latest OpenSSL on their own timetable. After the next LTS, 4.2, in April 2027, projects have the option to stay with the 4.X line or move to 5.0 when it’s released in October 2027. Additionally, by making the last version of a major release line the LTS, we can work out any teething problems with the updated API/ABI.

For more details, see: