diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/release_and_maintenance.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/release_and_maintenance.rst index d6bb923e44..1a963c120d 100644 --- a/docs/docsite/rst/release_and_maintenance.rst +++ b/docs/docsite/rst/release_and_maintenance.rst @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Release and maintenance .. contents:: Topics :local: -.. _schedule: +.. _release_cycle: Release cycle ````````````` @@ -13,15 +13,18 @@ Ansible is developed and released on a flexible 4 months release cycle. This cycle can be extended in order to allow for larger changes to be properly implemented and tested before a new release is made available. -Ansible supports the two most recent major stable releases. -For more information, read about the -`development and stable version maintenance workflow`_. +Ansible has a graduated support structure that extends to three major releases. +For more information, read about the `development and stable version maintenance workflow`_ or see +the chart in :ref:`schedule` for the degrees to which current releases are supported. + +.. note:: Support for three major releases began with Ansible-2.4. Ansible-2.3 and older versions + are only supported for two releases. If you are using a release of Ansible that is no longer supported, we strongly encourage you to upgrade as soon as possible in order to benefit from the latest features and security fixes. -Older unsupported versions of Ansible can contain unfixed security +Older, unsupported versions of Ansible can contain unfixed security vulnerabilities (*CVE*). You can refer to the `porting guide`_ for tips on updating your Ansible @@ -29,28 +32,27 @@ playbooks to run on newer versions. .. _porting guide: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/porting_guide_2.0.html +.. _release_schedule: + Release status `````````````` -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| Ansible Release | Latest Version | Status | -+=================+============================+========================================+ -| devel | `2.5`_ (unreleased, trunk) | In development | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 2.4 | `2.4.1`_ (2017-10-25) | Supported (bug **and** security fixes) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 2.3 | `2.3.2`_ (2017-08-08) | Supported (bug **and** security fixes) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 2.2 | `2.2.3`_ (2017-05-09) | Supported (**only** security fixes) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 2.1 | `2.1.6`_ (2017-06-01) | Unsupported (end of life) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 2.0 | `2.0.2`_ (2016-04-19) | Unsupported (end of life) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| 1.9 | `1.9.6`_ (2016-04-15) | Unsupported (end of life) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ -| <1.9 | n/a | Unsupported (end of life) | -+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------------------+ +=============== ========================== ================================================= +Ansible Release Latest Version Status +=============== ========================== ================================================= +devel `2.5`_ (unreleased, trunk) In development +2.4 `2.4.1`_ (2017-10-25) Supported (security **and** general bug fixes) +2.3 `2.3.2`_ (2017-08-08) Supported (security **and** critical bug fixes) +2.2 `2.2.3`_ (2017-05-09) Unsupported (end of life) +2.1 `2.1.6`_ (2017-06-01) Unsupported (end of life) +2.0 `2.0.2`_ (2016-04-19) Unsupported (end of life) +1.9 `1.9.6`_ (2016-04-15) Unsupported (end of life) +<1.9 n/a Unsupported (end of life) +=============== ========================== ================================================= + +.. note:: Starting with Ansible-2.4, support lasts for 3 releases. Thus Ansible-2.4 will receive + security and general bug fixes when it is first released, security and critical bug fixes when + 2.5 is released, and **only** security fixes once 2.6 is released. .. _2.5: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/CHANGELOG.md .. _2.4.1: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.4/CHANGELOG.md @@ -63,18 +65,23 @@ Release status .. _support_life: .. _methods: + Development and stable version maintenance workflow ``````````````````````````````````````````````````` The Ansible community develops and maintains Ansible on GitHub_. -New modules, plugins, features and bugfixes will always be integrated in what -will become the next major version of Ansible. -This work is tracked on the ``devel`` git branch. +New modules, plugins, features and bugfixes will always be integrated in what will become the next +major version of Ansible. This work is tracked on the ``devel`` git branch. -Ansible provides bugfixes and security improvements for the most recent major -release while the previous major release will only receive security patches. -This work is tracked on the ``stable-`` git branches. +Ansible provides bugfixes and security improvements for the most recent major release. The previous +major release will only receive fixes for security issues and critical bugs. Ansible only applies +security fixes to releases which are two releases old. This work is tracked on the +``stable-`` git branches. + +.. note:: Support for three major releases began with Ansible-2.4. Ansible-2.3 and older versions + are only supported for two releases with the first stage including both security and general bug + fixes while the second stage includes security and critical bug fixes The fixes that land in supported stable branches will eventually be released as a new version when necessary. @@ -88,6 +95,7 @@ releases of Ansible, there can sometimes be exceptions for critical issues. .. _GitHub: https://github.com/ansible/ansible .. _changelog: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/CHANGELOG.md + Release candidates ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @@ -111,7 +119,7 @@ More release candidates can be tagged as required, so long as there are bugs that the Ansible core maintainers consider should be fixed before the final release. -.. _freezing: +.. _release_freezing: Feature freeze ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~