At a glance
Figure 1: Supported upgrade paths and release timeline
Track | Cadence | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
Quarterly release | Every quarter (Q1–Q4) | New features, enhancements, bug fixes |
LTS (Long-Term Support) | Annually in Q4 | Stability-focused; 12 months of security and critical fixes |
Patches | As needed | Security and critical bug fixes only without any new features |
Our version scheme
Lobster follows MAJOR. MINOR. PATCH numbering, where the major number is the calendar year.
MAJOR. MINOR. PATCH (e.g., 26.2.1 = Year 2026, Q2 release, first patch)
Minor releases introduce features without breaking any existing behavior.
Patches contain fixes only.
Quarterly releases
Every quarter, new features, usability improvements, performance tuning, and bug fixes are released. Every release ships with release notes summarizing all changes.
Annual LTS version
The release in the fourth quarter of each year is called Long-Term Support (LTS) and gets 12 months of security updates, important bug fixes, and essential performance improvements.
LTS is recommended for organizations that require a controlled upgrade cadence or operate mission-critical workloads. Typically, teams have LTS in production while validating newer quarterly releases in a test environment.
Patches
Patches address urgent security vulnerabilities and critical defects. They contain no new features, keeping risk and validation effort low.
Planning your update
Choose your track. Adopt quarterly releases for the latest features, or stay on LTS for maximum stability. You can move from one LTS to the next annually.
Use your test environment first. Validate changes in a non-production environment first, especially for mission-critical workflows.
Schedule an update window. Coordinate with your team to schedule update windows during low-traffic periods.
Stay current on patches. When a security or critical fix applies to your version, apply it promptly.
What to expect
Backward compatibility: Quarterly releases are designed to be backward-compatible. Breaking changes are reserved for the annual boundary and communicated clearly in advance.
Clear guidance: Every release ships with release notes and updated step-by-step upgrade instructions.
Deprecation notices: Deprecations are announced with reasonable lead time, accompanied by migration guidance.
Our release process follows documented quality gates within our ISO 9001 / 27001 / 27018 certified management systems.
Managed cloud customers
If you use our managed cloud, we keep your test and production environments up to date through regular, automated patching rounds. No action is required on your side.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Could a quarterly release introduce breaking changes to my environment?
Quarterly releases are backward-compatible by design. Any noteworthy changes are flagged clearly in the release notes and upgrade instructions.
Do I have to adopt every quarterly release immediately?
No. You can remain on LTS in production and evaluate quarterly releases in test. Upgrade to the latest quarterly or the current LTS when you're ready.
What if I'm on an older version?
We will help you follow the most direct, supported upgrade path to either the latest quarterly release or the current LTS.
How long is LTS supported?
Each LTS release receives 12 months of security and critical fixes.
Related resources
Lobster public product roadmap.