Oracle Linux End of Life: Premier vs Extended Support, Every Version
Oracle Linux 7 left premier support on December 31, 2024 — Oracle Linux 8 (to July 2029) and 9 (to June 2032) are the mainstream versions today, with OL10 current. Oracle Linux runs the classic enterprise-Linux ten-year lifecycle: roughly a decade of premier support, then a paid extended-support phase for a further ~3 years. OL7 estates now sit in that extended phase, which runs to June 2028 — a paid bridge, not a destination.
Because Oracle Linux is RHEL-compatible, its lifecycle rhymes with RHEL's — but the dates differ, and mixing them up is a common estate-planning error: Oracle publishes its own lifetime-support schedule, and an OL8 box does not share RHEL 8's exact dates. The table below is Oracle's clock, not Red Hat's.
Oracle Linux End-of-Life Table
| Version | Released | Premier support ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 10 | Jun 26, 2025 | No EOL announced — receiving updates | Supported |
| Oracle Linux 9 | Jul 6, 2022 | Jun 30, 2032 | Supported |
| Oracle Linux 8 | Jul 19, 2019 | Jul 31, 2029 | Supported |
| Oracle Linux 7 | Jul 23, 2014 | Dec 31, 2024 | EOL |
| Oracle Linux 6 | Feb 12, 2011 | Mar 31, 2021 | EOL |
Extended support runs ~3 years past each premier date (OL7 to Jun 2028, OL8 to Jul 2032, OL9 to Jun 2035). Per-version pages: endoflife.ai/oracle-linux.
The OL7 decision, honestly
Three real paths for an Oracle Linux 7 estate: pay Oracle for extended support and treat June 2028 as a hard project deadline; upgrade in place to OL8/OL9 (Leapp works on Oracle Linux too); or bring in third-party Enterprise Linux support, which typically costs less than vendor extended support and covers RHEL-compatible distributions as a class. Which one wins usually comes down to host count and how much of the estate is tied to Oracle Database licensing — where staying inside Oracle's support umbrella has contractual value beyond the patches.
If you run Oracle Linux
- Map versions to dates — the split that matters is OL7 (paid-bridge territory) vs OL8/9 (years of runway, but on the roadmap).
- OL7 without extended support: unpatched since December 2024 — this is the compliance finding waiting to happen; bridge or upgrade now.
- Track it continuously: Checker for spot checks, API for the estate, and the extended-support options when the bridge conversation starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oracle Linux 7 still supported?
Premier support ended December 31, 2024. OL7 remains under Oracle's paid extended support until June 30, 2028 for customers who purchase it; without that contract, an OL7 system has received no patches since the end of 2024.
When does Oracle Linux 8 reach end of life?
Premier support ends July 31, 2029, with paid extended support available to July 2032. Oracle Linux 9's premier support runs to June 30, 2032 (extended to June 2035).
Do Oracle Linux and RHEL share the same end-of-life dates?
No. Oracle Linux is RHEL-compatible and the lifecycles are similar in shape — about ten years of premier support plus a paid extended phase — but Oracle publishes its own schedule and the dates differ from Red Hat's. Plan each distribution against its own vendor's clock.
What are my options for an Oracle Linux 7 estate in 2026?
Three: buy Oracle extended support and treat June 2028 as a hard migration deadline; upgrade in place to OL8/OL9 with Leapp; or use a third-party Enterprise Linux support vendor as a typically cheaper bridge. Oracle Database estates often stay inside Oracle's umbrella for contractual reasons; standalone OL fleets have more freedom.