Python Support Lifecycle & End-of-Life Schedule
Official release schedule, active LTS windows, and deprecation dates for Python. Avoid running unsupported versions in production.
Python Lifecycle Policy Summary
Python core interpreter lifecycle. Each minor branch receives 5 years of official releases (1.5 years bugfix + 3.5 years security).
Branch Support Matrix & EOL Cutoffs
| Branch / Cycle | Status | Release Date | End of Life (EOL) | Latest Patch | Upgrade Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v3.14 LTS | 🟢 Active Support | 2025-10-07 | 2030-10-31 | 3.14.0 | ✓ Supported for production |
| v3.13 LTS | 🟢 Active Support | 2024-10-07 | 2029-10-31 | 3.13.2 | ✓ Supported for production |
| v3.12 LTS | 🟢 Active Support | 2023-10-02 | 2028-10-31 | 3.12.9 | ✓ Supported for production |
| v3.11 LTS | 🟡 Maintenance Only | 2022-10-24 | 2027-10-31 | 3.11.11 | Plan upgrade to v3.14 |
| v3.10 LTS | 🟡 Maintenance Only | 2021-10-04 | 2026-10-31 | 3.10.16 | Plan upgrade to v3.14 |
| v3.9 | 🔴 End of Life (EOL) | 2020-10-05 | 2025-10-31 | 3.9.21 | ⚠️ Upgrade to v3.14 |
Why Upgrading from EOL Versions is Critical
Once an open-source branch reaches End-of-Life, upstream maintainers no longer backport patches for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs). Automated botnets routinely scan for publicly known exploits on unsupported runtime versions.