@Rocky what are starrocks support cycle works? when is support ending for 2.x and 3.x? What about support for 4.0.x and 4.1.x?

StarRocks follows a structured release and maintenance policy designed to provide predictable updates while focusing on the three most recent minor versions. How the Support Cycle Works StarRocks typically releases a new minor version every four months (typically in Jan/Feb, May/June, and Sep/Oct). The support lifecycle for a version follows these stages: 1. Maintenance Phase (

feature-freeze

/

bugfix-only

): * StarRocks maintains the three latest minor versions. * When a new minor version is released (e.g., 4.1), the previous version (4.0) moves to "bugfix-only" status. * A minor version generally receives active support for at most one year. 2. Code-Freeze Phase: * Once three more minor versions have been released after a specific version, that version enters "code-freeze." * In this phase, it only receives critical CVE (security) fixes and no regular bug fixes. 3. End of Support (EOL): * Older versions eventually reach EOL once they fall outside the maintenance window of the latest three versions and the code-freeze period. ────────── Support Status (as of June 2026) Version 2.x * Status: End of Life (EOL). * Support for the 2.x branch effectively ended as the community shifted focus to the 3.x and 4.x architectures. Version 2.5 was the last significant minor release in this branch (late 2022) and has long passed the standard one-year support window. Version 3.x * 3.0 – 3.2: These versions are generally considered EOL or in Code-Freeze for critical security only. * 3.3 (LTS): StarRocks 3.3 was designated as a Long-Term Support (LTS) version. While standard versions follow a one-year rule, 3.3 has received extended maintenance (with patch 3.3.22 released as recently as early 2026). However, by mid-2026, it is nearing its sunset as 4.x becomes the primary stable branch. * 3.5: This was the final major bridge release of the 3.x branch (released Aug 2025). As of June 2026, it is likely the only 3.x version still receiving regular bug fixes as it remains within the "three latest minor versions" window (alongside 4.0 and 4.1). Version 4.0.x and 4.1.x * 4.0.x: Released in October 2025, this is a currently supported stable branch. It is in the "bugfix-only" phase since the release of 4.1. Patch 4.0.10 was released in May 2026. * 4.1.x: This is the current latest minor version (released early 2026). It is under active development and receives both enhancements and bug fixes. Summary Table Version Branch | Current Status (June 2026) | Support Expectation 2.x | EOL | No longer supported. 3.0 - 3.4 | EOL / Code-Freeze | No regular bug fixes. 3.3 (LTS) | Extended Maintenance | Approaching EOL; check for final patches. 3.5 | Supported | Maintained until 4.2/4.3 release. 4.0.x | Supported | Bugfix-only phase. 4.1.x | Supported | Active maintenance (Latest). For the most up-to-date specific EOL dates, you can check the StarRocks GitHub status file for your specific branch. References • developers/versions.md • introduction/maturity.md • introduction/versioning.md • release_notes/release-3.4.md • deployment/shared_data/feature-support-shared-data.md • release_notes/release-3.1.md • administration/management/FE_configuration.md • administration/management/graceful_exit.md

why 3.3 is LTS do we have any LTS in 4.0 or 4.1 branch? @Rocky

StarRocks version 3.3 was designated as an LTS (Long-Term Support) version because it marked a major milestone in architectural stability and feature maturity. Why 3.3 is an LTS Version * Maturity Levels: Starting with 3.3, StarRocks introduced formal maturity levels for features (Experimental, Preview, and GA). This allowed the community to harden the core engine while still introducing new capabilities, making 3.3 a safe "anchor" for production environments. * Architectural Consolidation: It brought significant stability to the Shared-Data architecture and improved the Data Cache framework, which was critical for lakehouse performance. * Extended Maintenance: Because of its stability, it has received much longer support than standard minor versions (reaching patch 3.3.22 as of early 2026). ────────── Is there an LTS in the 4.x branch? As of June 2026, neither StarRocks 4.0 nor 4.1 has been officially designated as an LTS version. StarRocks typically designates an LTS version every few minor releases once the new major branch (4.x) has reached a high level of stability and most "breaking" architectural changes are complete. * Version 4.0: While a "Major Milestone" that introduced native JSON performance and deep Iceberg integration, it is currently treated as a standard stable release. It is in the bugfix-only phase. * Version 4.1: This is the current active minor version. It is "Built for Production" but does not yet carry the LTS label. Recommendation: If your priority is maximum stability and long-term patch support without frequent minor upgrades, 3.3 (LTS) remains the current recommendation until a 4.x LTS (potentially 4.3 or 4.4) is announced. If you need the latest performance features (like native JSON or 60% faster TPC-DS), you should use 4.1.x. Summary of Current Support Status Version | LTS? | Support Status (June 2026) 3.3.x | Yes | Extended Maintenance (Nearing sunset) 3.5.x | No | Supported (Bugfix-only) 4.0.x | No | Supported (Bugfix-only) 4.1.x | No | Active Maintenance (Latest) References • release_notes/release-3.3.md • introduction/maturity.md • release_notes/release-4.1.md • developers/versions.md • introduction/versioning.md • release_notes/release-4.0.md • administration/management/FE_configuration.md • administration/management/graceful_exit.md References • release_notes/release-3.3.md