Understanding MySQL’s New Innovation and LTS Version Model

MySQL Versioning Model Overview

Oracle MySQL now offers two parallel release tracks:

Innovation – quarterly releases that include bug fixes, security patches, and new features.

Long‑Term Support (LTS) – a stable release designated roughly every two years, receiving only critical fixes and supported for 5 years of Premier Support plus 3 years of Extended Support.

Both tracks are production‑ready; the choice depends on whether you need rapid feature delivery (Innovation) or a fixed feature set with minimal behavioral changes (LTS).

Release Cadence and Version Numbers

8.0.34 and later – bug‑fix‑only releases for the 8.0 series (EOL scheduled for April 2026).

8.1.0 – first Innovation release.

Approximately every quarter – a new Innovation release (e.g., 8.1.x, 8.2.x, 8.3.x).

Approximately every 2 years – a new LTS release (e.g., 8.4.0 LTS, then 9.0 LTS, etc.).

During the transition period, use Innovation releases for the latest features and fixes, or stay on the 8.0.x series if only critical bug fixes are required. Apply Oracle Critical Patch Updates (CPU) quarterly regardless of track.

Supported MySQL Products

MySQL Server, Shell, Router, NDB Cluster

MySQL Operator for Kubernetes (InnoDB ReplicaSet, Cluster, ClusterSet)

MySQL Connectors (compatible with all supported server versions)

MySQL Workbench (remains on 8.0.x series)

All of the above are available in both Innovation and LTS flavors.

MySQL HeatWave Service

HeatWave follows the same versioning model. Users can select an Innovation version (starting with 8.1.0) or a bug‑fix version (starting with 8.0.34) for each database instance, enabling mixed‑version deployments that match application requirements.

Deprecation, Removal, and Behavior Changes

Features deprecated in an Innovation release cannot be removed until at least one subsequent major/minor Innovation release (minimum one‑year window).

LTS releases never contain removals; only the first LTS version of a major series may add or delete features, after which the feature set is frozen.

Behavior changes (SQL syntax, reserved words, execution plans, etc.) are allowed in Innovation releases but not in LTS releases. MySQL provides tools and configuration options to assist with upgrades and downgrades.

Upgrade and Downgrade Strategies

Supported paths differ between tracks:

In‑place Upgrade/Downgrade (within the same LTS series)

Example: 8.4.11 → 8.4.20 – both upgrade and downgrade are supported.

In‑place Upgrade (LTS to next LTS)

Upgrade directly from one LTS version to the next without applying intermediate Innovation releases.

Clone‑based Upgrade

Supported for LTS releases only; creates a clone of the source instance and promotes it to the target version.

Asynchronous Replication

Set up the target version as a replica of the current version, then promote the replica. This enables near‑zero‑downtime upgrades and provides a rollback path.

Export/Import via MySQL Shell

Logical dump and reload works for both upgrade and downgrade across Innovation and LTS tracks. Downgrading from an Innovation version to an earlier version requires this logical export/import process, similar to the procedure used for MySQL 8.0.x (< 8.0.34).

Supported Upgrade/ Downgrade Matrix (summary)

Upgrade Paths

LTS 8.4 → LTS 9.7 – in‑place, async replication, export/import (clone not supported).

LTS 8.4.11 → LTS 8.4.20 – in‑place, clone, async replication, export/import.

Innovation 8.1 → 8.2 – in‑place, async replication, export/import (clone not supported).

Innovation 8.1 → 8.3 – same as above.

Innovation 9.1 → LTS 9.7 – in‑place, async replication, export/import.

Downgrade Paths

LTS 8.4.20 → 8.4.11 – in‑place, clone, async replication, export/import.

LTS 9.7 → LTS 8.4 – async replication and export/import only (used for rollback).

LTS 9.7 → Innovation 9.6/9.5 – async replication and export/import only (rollback purpose).

(✮) indicates support limited to rollback scenarios.

Support Lifecycle

LTS releases receive 5 years of Premier Support followed by 3 years of Extended Support, matching the policy used for MySQL 5.7 and earlier. Innovation releases are supported until the next major/minor version appears.

References

Oracle Lifetime Support policy: https://www.oracle.com/support/lifetime-support/resources.html

MySQL Release Notes: https://dev.mysql.com/doc/

MySQL Downloads: https://www.mysql.com/downloads/

Oracle eDelivery (Enterprise binaries): http://edelivery.oracle.com/