Apache Pulsar 4.0 LTS: Active Support Ends October 21, 2026
Apache Pulsar 4.0, the current long-term support release, leaves active support on October 21, 2026. The Pulsar release policy gives an LTS release 24 months of active support from its release, which for 4.0 was October 21, 2024, and 36 months of security support, so security patches for the 4.0 line continue until October 21, 2027. After that the line is closed.
The Pulsar release policy
Pulsar publishes two kinds of release. An LTS release comes every 18 months and gets 24 months of active support and 36 months of security support. A feature release comes every 3 months and gets 6 months of each. The policy keeps the last 2 LTS releases and the last 2 feature releases in active support, and provides security patches for the past 3 LTS releases and 2 feature releases. In practice a feature release is out of support two quarters after it ships, and only the LTS lines are worth planning production around.
Releases and their dates
| Release | Type | Released | Active support ends | Security support ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulsar 4.2 | Feature | March 24, 2026 | September 24, 2026 | September 24, 2026 |
| Pulsar 4.1 | Feature | September 8, 2025 | March 8, 2026 | March 8, 2026 |
| Pulsar 4.0 | LTS | October 21, 2024 | October 21, 2026 | October 21, 2027 |
| Pulsar 3.3 | Feature | June 5, 2024 | December 5, 2024 | December 5, 2024 |
| Pulsar 3.0 | LTS | May 2, 2023 | May 2, 2025 | May 2, 2026 |
On this page the "end of life" date we serve for a Pulsar release is the end of active support, and the extended-support date is the end of security support. The 3.0 line shows the full arc: active support ended in May 2025, security support a year later, and the line is now closed.
What to do
- On Pulsar 4.1 or 4.2: both feature releases are out of support already (4.2 ended September 24, 2026). Move to the 4.0 LTS line or to the next LTS when it ships; a feature release is not a place to stay.
- On Pulsar 4.0: nothing breaks on October 21, 2026, but the line stops improving. Keep the cluster on the latest 4.0 patch, and plan the move to the next LTS release during the security-only year rather than at its end on October 21, 2027.
- Watch the policy page, not the mailing list. Pulsar's release policy page carries the dates for every release in a single table; the next LTS will appear there with its own 24- and 36-month windows the day it is released.
- Managed Pulsar? Vendors that run Pulsar as a service set their own support windows for the versions they offer. The dates on this page are the Apache project's.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Apache Pulsar 4.0 reach end of life?
Active support for Pulsar 4.0 ends on October 21, 2026, 24 months after its release on October 21, 2024. Security patches continue for another year, until October 21, 2027, which is the end of all support for the 4.0 line under the Pulsar release policy.
How long are Apache Pulsar releases supported?
An LTS release, published every 18 months, gets 24 months of active support and 36 months of security support. A feature release, published every 3 months, gets 6 months of both. The policy supports the last 2 LTS releases and the last 2 feature releases, with security patches for the past 3 LTS releases and 2 feature releases.
Are Pulsar 4.1 and 4.2 still supported?
No. Both are feature releases with six-month windows. Pulsar 4.1 reached end of support on March 8, 2026, and Pulsar 4.2 on September 24, 2026. A feature release is a stepping stone to the next LTS, not a place to stay.
Sources
- Apache Pulsar, "Release policy" (pulsar.apache.org/contribute/release-policy): LTS and feature release definitions, the 24/36-month and 6-month windows, and the per-release support table.
Related
- Apache Pulsar — every release, live status and EOL Risk Score
- Apache Kafka — the other streaming platform's dates
- How we verify our dates