Django Moves to Annual Release Cycle with Unified Support Model
Django's Steering Council has accepted DEP 20, shifting the framework to an annual release cycle starting January 2028, with version numbers reflecting the release year. This change unifies support, granting every feature release three years of maintenance and retiring the 'LTS' label. The new cadence also improves alignment with Python's annual releases, simplifying the support matrix for developers. Existing support commitments for Django 5.2 LTS and 6.2 LTS remain unchanged.
- →Unified Support Model Retires 'LTS' Label
- →Annual Release Cycle and Versioning
- →Improved Python Version Alignment
- →Transition Timeline for New Release Cadence
Deprecations (1) ›
- Unified Support Model Retires 'LTS' Label
Every feature release will now receive three years of support: one year of mainstream bug fixes followed by two years of security and data-loss fixes. Consequently, the 'LTS' (Long Term Support) label will be retired as all feature releases will share this commitment.
Enhancements (1) ›
- Improved Python Version Alignment
The new annual cycle better aligns with Python's October releases, ensuring each Django version supports the three latest Python versions at launch. It will also pick up new Python versions during its first year, simplifying the Python support matrix.
Notes (2) ›
- Annual Release Cycle and Versioning
Beginning January 2028, Django will adopt an annual release cycle, issuing one feature release per year. Version numbers will correspond to the release year, such as Django 2028 and Django 2029.
- Transition Timeline for New Release Cadence
The first release under the new annual cycle will be Django 2028. Support commitments for Django 5.2 LTS and 6.2 LTS will remain as previously announced, with no changes before 2028.
https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2026/aug/10/annual-release-cycle/
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