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    <div>
     <h2 class="title">
      <a name="mysql-releases">
      </a>
      1.3 MySQL Releases: Innovation and LTS
     </h2>
    </div>
   </div>
  </div>
  <p>
   The MySQL release model is divided into two main tracks: LTS
      (Long-Term Support) and Innovation. All LTS and Innovation
      releases include bug and security fixes, and are considered
      production-grade quality.
  </p>
  <div class="figure">
   <a name="mysql-lts-innovation-versioning-graph">
   </a>
   <p class="title">
    <b>
     Figure 1.1 MySQL Release Schedule
    </b>
   </p>
   <div class="figure-contents">
    <div class="mediaobject">
     <img alt="Graph shows the general release cycle starting with MySQL 8.0.0 Bugfix series, and shows short Innovation releases between each long LTS version. Roughly every two years a new LTS series branch begins, including 8.4.x and 9.7.x." src="images/mysql-lts-innovation-versioning-graph.png" style="width: 100%; max-width: 830px;"/>
    </div>
   </div>
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  <br class="figure-break"/>
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   <div class="titlepage">
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     <div class="simple">
      <h3 class="title">
       <a name="mysql-releases-lts">
       </a>
       MySQL LTS Releases
      </h3>
     </div>
    </div>
   </div>
   <div class="itemizedlist">
    <ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; ">
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Audience
       </code>
       : If your environment requires a
            stable set of features and a longer support period.
      </p>
     </li>
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Behavior
       </code>
       : These releases only contain
            necessary fixes to reduce the risks associated with changes
            in the database software's behavior. There are no removals
            within an LTS release. Features can be removed (and added)
            only in the first LTS release (such as 8.4.0 LTS) but not
            later.
      </p>
     </li>
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Support
       </code>
       : An LTS series follows the
       <a class="ulink" href="https://www.oracle.com/support/lifetime-support/software.html" target="_blank">
        Oracle
            Lifetime Support
       </a>
       Policy, which includes 5 years of
            premier support and 3 years of extended support.
      </p>
     </li>
    </ul>
   </div>
  </div>
  <div class="simplesect">
   <div class="titlepage">
    <div>
     <div class="simple">
      <h3 class="title">
       <a name="mysql-releases-innovation">
       </a>
       MySQL Innovation Releases
      </h3>
     </div>
    </div>
   </div>
   <div class="itemizedlist">
    <ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; ">
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Audience
       </code>
       : If you want access to the
            latest features, improvements, and changes. These releases
            are ideal for developers and DBAs working in fast-paced
            development environments with high levels of automated tests
            and modern continuous integration techniques for faster
            upgrade cycles.
      </p>
     </li>
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Behavior
       </code>
       : Apart from new features in
            innovation releases, behavior changes are also expected as
            code is refactored, deprecated functionality is removed, and
            when MySQL is modified to behave more in line with SQL
            Standards. This will not happen within an LTS release.
      </p>
      <p>
       Behavior changes can have a big impact, especially when
            dealing with anything application-related, such as SQL
            syntax, new reserved words, query execution, and query
            performance. Behavior changes might require application
            changes which can involve considerable effort to migrate. We
            intend to provide the necessary tools and configuration
            settings to make these transitions easier.
      </p>
     </li>
     <li class="listitem">
      <p>
       <code class="literal">
        Support
       </code>
       : Innovation releases are
            supported until the next Innovation release.
      </p>
     </li>
    </ul>
   </div>
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     <div class="simple">
      <h3 class="title">
       <a name="mysql-releases-portfolio">
       </a>
       MySQL Portfolio
      </h3>
     </div>
    </div>
   </div>
   <p>
    MySQL Server, MySQL Shell, MySQL Router, MySQL Operator for
        Kubernetes, and MySQL NDB Cluster have both Innovation and LTS
        releases.
   </p>
   <p>
    MySQL Connectors have one release using the latest version
        number but remain compatible with all supported MySQL Server
        versions. For example, MySQL Connector/Python 9.0.0 is
        compatible with MySQL Server 8.0, 8.4, and 9.0.
   </p>
  </div>
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   <div class="titlepage">
    <div>
     <div class="simple">
      <h3 class="title">
       <a name="mysql-releases-install-upgrade-downgrade">
       </a>
       Installing, Upgrading, and Downgrading
      </h3>
     </div>
    </div>
   </div>
   <p>
    Having two tracks affects how MySQL is installed, upgraded, and
        downgraded. Typically you choose one particular track and all
        upgrades progress accordingly.
   </p>
   <p>
    When using the official MySQL repository, the desired track is
        defined in the repository configuration. For example, with
    <a class="link" href="linux-installation-yum-repo.html" title="2.5.1 Installing MySQL on Linux Using the MySQL Yum Repository">
     Yum
    </a>
    choose
    <code class="literal">
     mysql-innovation-community
    </code>
    to install and
        upgrade Innovation releases or
    <code class="literal">
     mysql-8.4-lts-community
    </code>
    to
        install and upgrade MySQL 8.4.x releases.
   </p>
   <p>
    <span class="strong">
     <strong>
      LTS Notes
     </strong>
    </span>
   </p>
   <p>
    Functionality remains the same and data format does not change
        in an
    <a class="link" href="glossary.html#glos_lts_series" title="LTS Series">
     LTS series
    </a>
    ,
        therefore in-place upgrades and downgrades are possible within
        the LTS series. For example, MySQL 8.4.0 can be upgraded to a
        later MySQL 8.4.x release. Additional upgrade and downgrade
        methods are available, such as
    <a class="link" href="clone-plugin.html" title="7.6.7 The Clone Plugin">
     the
        clone plugin
    </a>
    .
   </p>
   <p>
    Upgrading to the next
    <a class="link" href="glossary.html#glos_lts_series" title="LTS Series">
     LTS
        series
    </a>
    is supported, such as 8.4.x LTS to 9.7.x LTS,
        while skipping an LTS series is not supported. For example,
        8.4.x LTS can't skip 9.7.x LTS to directly upgrade to 10.7.x
        LTS.
   </p>
   <p>
    <span class="strong">
     <strong>
      Innovation Notes
     </strong>
    </span>
   </p>
   <p>
    An Innovation installation follows similar behavior in that an
        Innovation release upgrades to a more recent
    <a class="link" href="glossary.html#glos_innovation_series" title="Innovation Series">
     Innovation series
    </a>
    release. For example, MySQL 9.0.0 Innovation would upgrade to
        MySQL 9.3.0.
   </p>
   <p>
    The main difference is that you cannot directly upgrade between
        an
    <a class="link" href="glossary.html#glos_innovation_series" title="Innovation Series">
     Innovation
        series
    </a>
    of different major versions, such as 8.3.0 to
        9.0.0. Instead, first upgrade to the nearest LTS series and then
        upgrade to the following Innovation series. For example,
        upgrading 8.3.0 to 8.4.0, and then 8.4.0 to 9.0.0, is a valid
    <a class="link" href="upgrade-paths.html" title="3.2 Upgrade Paths">
     upgrade path
    </a>
    .
   </p>
   <p>
    To help make the transition easier, the official MySQL
        repository treats the first LTS release as both LTS and
        Innovation, so for example with the Innovation track enabled in
        your local repository configuration, MySQL 8.3.0 upgrades to
        8.4.0, and later to 9.0.0.
   </p>
   <p>
    Innovation release downgrades require a logical dump and load.
   </p>
   <p>
    <span class="strong">
     <strong>
      Additional Information and
        Examples
     </strong>
    </span>
   </p>
   <p>
    For additional information and specific example supported
        scenarios, see
    <a class="xref" href="upgrade-paths.html" title="3.2 Upgrade Paths">
     Section 3.2, “Upgrade Paths”
    </a>
    or
    <a class="xref" href="downgrading.html" title="Chapter 4 Downgrading MySQL">
     Chapter 4,
     <i>
      Downgrading MySQL
     </i>
    </a>
    . They describe available options
        to perform in-place updates (that replace binaries with the
        latest packages), a logical dump and load (such as using
    <a class="link" href="mysqldump.html" title="6.5.4 mysqldump — A Database Backup Program">
     <span class="command">
      <strong>
       mysqldump
      </strong>
     </span>
    </a>
    or
    <a class="ulink" href="/doc/mysql-shell/8.4/en/mysql-shell-utilities-dump-instance-schema.html" target="_top">
     MySQL
        Shell's dump utilities
    </a>
    ), cloning data with the
    <a class="link" href="clone-plugin.html" title="7.6.7 The Clone Plugin">
     clone plugin
    </a>
    , and
    <a class="link" href="replication-upgrade.html" title="19.5.3 Upgrading or Downgrading a Replication Topology">
     asynchronous
        replication
    </a>
    for servers in a replication topology.
   </p>
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