OpenJDK end of life timelines drive every Java migration decision. The LTS cadence, the distribution support windows, and the next version transition decide what runs in production and what needs replacement.
OpenJDK runs on a long term support cadence with a new LTS every two years. Distribution vendors track upstream timelines and extend support windows. The roadmap covers the LTS cadence, current support windows, and the next transitions.
OpenJDK ships on a six month release cadence with a long term support release every two years. The LTS releases get five plus years of upstream community support, with most distribution vendors extending paid support to seven to ten years.
Non LTS releases are intended for development and testing only. Production deployments should run on LTS releases. The roadmap here covers the current LTS, the next LTS, and the support timelines per distribution.
OpenJDK has run on a defined LTS cadence since 2018. The cadence drives every enterprise Java roadmap.
A new LTS release ships every two years. The active LTS releases at any time are typically two or three.
Non LTS releases ship every six months. They are intended for development and early adoption. Production estates should not deploy non LTS releases.
Upstream OpenJDK community support is the baseline. Distribution vendors extend beyond the upstream timeline.
The OpenJDK community provides updates for around five years from initial LTS release. Java 17 community support runs through September 2026.
Community updates carry the same code quality as the original release. Security patches, bug fixes, and CVE responses all ship to the community.
OpenJDK LTS support timeline summary (current and next)
| LTS version | Initial release | Community LTS end | Distribution LTS end (typical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java 11 | September 2018 | September 2026 | September 2027 to 2029 |
| Java 17 | September 2021 | September 2026 | October 2027 to January 2030 |
| Java 21 | September 2023 | September 2028 | October 2029 to September 2031 |
| Java 25 | September 2025 | September 2030 | October 2031 to September 2033 |
Each distribution vendor publishes its own support timeline. The timelines vary by LTS and by vendor.
Eclipse Temurin supports Java 17 LTS through October 2027 in community releases. Paid support from IBM, Microsoft, and others extends further.
Amazon Corretto supports Java 11 through September 2027, Java 17 through October 2028, Java 21 through October 2029. All support is free for commercial use.
Azul Zulu Community supports each LTS for around eight years. Azul Platform Prime adds another four years of paid extended support.
Microsoft supports Java 11 through September 2027, Java 17 through January 2030, Java 21 through September 2031. All support is free for commercial use.
The LTS clock does not pause for a busy quarter. Every estate that runs Java in production must hold an LTS runway long enough to plan the next transition without panic.
Most enterprises run two or three LTS versions at any time. The transition plan moves workloads across LTS boundaries on a scheduled cadence.
Most Java 11 estates moved to Java 17 in 2023 and 2024. Java 11 community support ends in September 2026 across most distributions.
Java 17 to Java 21 is the current transition window. Most estates plan the move in 2026 to 2027 ahead of Java 17 distribution EOL.
Java 25 LTS releases September 2025. The Java 21 to Java 25 transition window opens in 2026 and runs through 2028.
Four moves recur in every well managed Java estate.
Standardise on LTS releases. Deprecate any production non LTS deployments. The LTS commitment simplifies the support and migration cadence.
Pick one or two primary OpenJDK distributions. Multiple distributions add support complexity without material engineering benefit.
Maintain at least eighteen months of support runway on every LTS in production. The runway protects against unexpected migration disruption.
Build the next transition plan at LTS plus eighteen months. Late transition plans force emergency migrations that cost more than scheduled ones.
OpenJDK ships a new LTS release every two years. The current LTS releases are Java 11, Java 17, and Java 21, with Java 25 LTS releasing in September 2025.
Community support runs for around five years from initial release. Distribution vendors extend support to seven to ten years through paid and free community channels.
No. Non LTS releases ship every six months and lose support quickly. Production deployments should run on LTS releases only. Non LTS releases belong in development and testing.
Pick one or two primary distributions aligned to the dominant cloud or operating system in the estate. Microsoft Build of OpenJDK suits Azure heavy estates. Amazon Corretto suits AWS heavy estates. Eclipse Temurin suits cloud agnostic estates.
Plan the transition window from 2026 through 2027. Most distributions support Java 17 to at least October 2027, with some to January 2030. Build a clear runway plan with at least eighteen months of buffer.
Yes. Java has shipped on the six month cadence since 2018 without slippage. Java 25 is on schedule for September 2025 release based on early access builds.
Yes for the LTS cadence. Oracle Java SE follows the same LTS version numbers and release dates as OpenJDK. The licensing model differs but the technical roadmap is the same.
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Every Java estate runs three or four distributions. Each has its own end of life clock. The roadmap is the only way to keep production aligned with support.
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