Understanding your data platform’s version support policy is critical for maintaining stable production systems. Unexpected security update cutoffs or support terminations can introduce serious risks to your projects. This guide provides a comprehensive look at Apache Hop’s version support policy and detailed EOS/EOL schedules for all releases.
What is Apache Hop (Hop Orchestration Platform)?
Apache Hop, which stands for Hop Orchestration Platform, is an open-source data integration and data engineering platform. It’s an Apache Software Foundation project released under the Apache v2 license.
Key features of Apache Hop include:
Metadata-Driven Design: Everything in Hop is defined as metadata. All data reading, transformation, and writing operations are represented as metadata, making management straightforward.
Visual Development Environment: The intuitive drag-and-drop GUI enables building complex data pipelines without writing code directly.
Multiple Runtime Support: Executes on local or remote Hop engines, as well as Apache Spark, Apache Flink, Google Dataflow, and other platforms.
Lifecycle Management: Projects, Environments, and Runtime Configurations are managed centrally through Hop GUI, enabling efficient management throughout the development-to-production lifecycle.
These features make Apache Hop suitable for everything from ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) operations to complex data orchestration scenarios.
1. Apache Hop’s Version Support Policy – Key Points
Apache Hop’s version support policy differs from traditional enterprise software. Most importantly, Apache Hop does not have a formally defined Long-Term Support (LTS) policy or standardized EOL policy.
Instead, versions are managed according to these principles:
Latest Version Focus: When a new minor version (e.g., 2.14, 2.15) is released, the Apache Hop community rarely provides patches or updates for previous versions. Essentially, only the latest minor version receives active support.
Rapid Release Cycle: Starting in 2025, Apache Hop adopted a quarterly release cycle. With new versions every ~3 months, support periods for previous versions naturally shorten.
Automatic EOL: When a new minor version is released, the previous version automatically transitions to end-of-support status. Support ends without separate EOL announcements.
This policy reflects the community-driven open-source project’s strategy to focus resources on developing the latest version. Organizations using Apache Hop need to establish regular version upgrade plans.
2. Complete Version Release and EOL Schedule – Detailed Analysis
Below is a comprehensive table of all Apache Hop versions with release dates and EOL schedules. Data is based on endoflife.date as of October 14, 2025.
Complete Version Release and EOL Schedule
| Version | Release Date | Support Status | EOL Date | Support Duration | Latest Patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.15 | 2025-08-12 | ✅ Supported | – | Ongoing | 2.15.0 |
| 2.14 | 2025-05-13 | ❌ Ended | 2025-08-20 | 99 days | 2.14.0 |
| 2.13 | 2025-04-15 | ❌ Ended | 2025-05-19 | 34 days | 2.13.0 |
| 2.12 | 2025-02-13 | ❌ Ended | 2025-04-22 | 68 days | 2.12.0 |
| 2.11 | 2024-12-04 | ❌ Ended | 2025-02-19 | 77 days | 2.11.0 |
| 2.10 | 2024-10-07 | ❌ Ended | 2024-12-04 | 58 days | 2.10.0 |
| 2.9 | 2024-05-20 | ❌ Ended | 2024-10-08 | 141 days | 2.9.0 |
| 2.8 | 2024-02-28 | ❌ Ended | 2024-05-20 | 82 days | 2.8.0 |
| 2.7 | 2023-11-17 | ❌ Ended | 2024-03-13 | 117 days | 2.7.0 |
| 2.6 | 2023-09-12 | ❌ Ended | 2023-12-01 | 80 days | 2.6.0 |
| 2.5 | 2023-06-08 | ❌ Ended | 2023-09-12 | 96 days | 2.5.0 |
| 2.4 | 2023-03-27 | ❌ Ended | 2023-06-08 | 73 days | 2.4.0 |
| 2.3 | 2023-01-27 | ❌ Ended | 2023-03-27 | 59 days | 2.3.0 |
| 2.2 | 2022-12-02 | ❌ Ended | 2023-01-27 | 56 days | 2.2.0 |
| 2.1 | 2022-10-14 | ❌ Ended | 2022-12-07 | 54 days | 2.1.0 |
| 2.0 | 2022-06-02 | ❌ Ended | 2022-10-14 | 134 days | 2.0.0 |
| 1.2 | 2022-03-08 | ❌ Ended | 2022-06-02 | 86 days | 1.2.0 |
| 1.1 | 2022-01-24 | ❌ Ended | 2022-03-08 | 43 days | 1.1.0 |
| 1.0 | 2021-10-05 | ❌ Ended | 2022-01-24 | 111 days | 1.0.0 |
Key Changes by Major Version
| Version | Major Changes | Java Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 2.15 | OpenSearch support, Databricks database dialect, Google Sheets proxy | Java 17 |
| 2.14 | Quarterly release cycle introduced, Mail Server metadata type | Java 17 |
| 2.13 | Multiple GCP Storage locations, MySQL Bulk Loader Transform | Java 17 |
| 2.12 | Variable resolvers plugin, REST metadata type | Java 17 |
| 2.11 | 4 NLP/LLM Transforms, Git improvements, syntax highlighting | Java 17 |
| 2.10 | Java 17 migration, multiple Azure account support, File Explorer improvements | Java 17 |
| 2.9 | Performance improvements and bug fixes | Java 11 |
| 2.8 | Stability enhancements and UI improvements | Java 11 |
| 2.0 | Java 11 upgrade, Chinese translations, Apache Avro support | Java 11 |
| 1.2 | Hop GUI improvements, new plugins | Java 11 |
| 1.1 | Hop Server SSL support, Apache Beam updates | Java 11 |
| 1.0 | First official release, Project/Environment features, portable runtimes | Java 11 |
Key Findings:
Short Support Periods: Average support duration is approximately 70-80 days, ranging from 34 days (2.13) to 141 days (2.9). This reflects the immediate EOL of previous versions when new releases arrive.
2025 Release Cycle Change: Starting with version 2.14, Apache Hop officially adopted a quarterly release cycle, providing more predictable scheduling.
Java Version Requirements: Java 17 became mandatory from version 2.10. Always verify Java version before upgrading.
No Patch Releases: All versions only have .0 releases. Apache Hop provides fixes in the next minor version rather than patch releases.
3. 2025 Release Schedule and Future Plans
Completed 2025 Releases
| Release Month | Version | Scope | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 2.12.0 | 109 tickets, 16 contributors | Variable resolvers, REST metadata type |
| April | 2.13.0 | 84 tickets, 8 contributors | Multiple GCP Storage locations, MySQL Bulk Loader |
| May | 2.14.0 | 35 tickets, 7 contributors | Quarterly release cycle formalized, Mail Server metadata |
| August | 2.15.0 | 95 tickets, 17 contributors | OpenSearch support, Databricks dialect, Google Sheets proxy |
Planned Future Releases
| Expected Timeframe | Version | Expected Features |
|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | 2.16.0 | Quarterly regular release (specific features under community discussion) |
| February 2026 | 2.17.0 | Quarterly regular release planned |
| May 2026 | 2.18.0 | Quarterly regular release planned |
Release Cycle Evolution: With version 2.14 announced in May 2025, Apache Hop officially adopted a quarterly (3-month) release cycle. This enables faster iteration, quicker bug fixes, and consistent improvements.
Predictable Planning: This predictable release schedule allows organizations to plan upgrades in advance and allocate sufficient testing time.
4. System Requirements and Compatibility
Java Version Requirements
| Apache Hop Version | Required Java | Recommended JDK |
|---|---|---|
| 2.10 ~ Latest | Java 17 | OpenJDK 17, Oracle JDK 17, Microsoft OpenJDK 17 |
| 1.0 ~ 2.9 | Java 11 | OpenJDK 11, Oracle JDK 11, Microsoft OpenJDK 11 |
Important: Java 17 is mandatory from version 2.10. Apache Hop 2.10+ will not run on Java 11 environments, so verify and upgrade Java before upgrading Hop.
Operating System Support
Apache Hop officially supports:
- Windows: 7, 10, 11, Server 2016+
- Linux: Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, Debian, and other major distributions
- macOS: 10.14 (Mojave) or later
- FreeBSD: Experimental support (2.14+)
5. Upgrade Considerations – Practical Guide
Upgrade Checklist
| Step | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verify Java version | Java 17 required for 2.10+ upgrades |
| 2 | Review release notes | Check breaking changes and deprecated features |
| 3 | Set up test environment | Test in dev/staging first |
| 4 | Perform backups | Back up metadata, projects, and environment files |
| 5 | Plugin compatibility | Verify compatibility of plugins in use |
| 6 | Staged deployment | Deploy dev → staging → production |
| 7 | Monitoring | Monitor logs and performance post-upgrade |
Regular Upgrade Strategy
Quarterly Upgrades Recommended
With no LTS versions, plan upgrades at least quarterly. Skipping versions accumulates changes and complicates upgrades.
Leverage Environment Features
Rather than applying new versions directly to production, use Apache Hop’s Environment feature to thoroughly test in dev/test environments before staged rollout.
Review Release Notes
Always check release notes for each version. Breaking changes or deprecated features may exist.
Community Engagement
Apache Hop is community-driven. Share experiences and contribute through GitHub Discussions or mailing lists.
6. Risks of Using Unsupported Versions
All versions before 2.15.0 have ended official support. Continuing to use unsupported versions carries these risks:
Primary Risk Categories
| Risk Type | Description | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Security Vulnerabilities | No patches provided for newly discovered vulnerabilities | 🔴 High |
| Bug Fixes Unavailable | No official fix versions for critical bugs | 🟠 Medium |
| Compatibility Issues | No guarantee of compatibility with latest databases or cloud services | 🟠 Medium |
| Support Unavailable | Community may struggle to answer questions about old versions | 🟡 Low |
Given the data-handling nature of the platform, security is paramount. Upgrading to the latest version as soon as possible is strongly recommended.
7. Official Support Channels and Resources
Official Documentation and Downloads
| Resource | URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Official Website | hop.apache.org | General information and news |
| Download Page | hop.apache.org/download | Latest version downloads |
| User Manual | hop.apache.org/manual | Detailed usage guides |
| Developer Documentation | hop.apache.org/dev-manual | Plugin development guides |
Community Support
| Channel | URL | Features |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Issues | github.com/apache/hop/issues | Bug reports and feature requests |
| GitHub Discussions | github.com/apache/hop/discussions | General questions and discussions |
| Mailing List | hop.apache.org/community/mailing-list | Official mailing lists |
| Release Page | github.com/apache/hop/releases | Detailed release notes by version |
Note: As Apache Hop is a community-driven open-source project, commercial technical support is available through specialized partners like know.bi.
Summary
Apache Hop is a powerful and flexible data orchestration platform. However, it has a different version support policy than traditional enterprise software, making it essential to understand and adapt to this approach.
Key Takeaways
Rapid Release Cycle: New versions quarterly with average 70-80 day support periods.
Latest Version Policy: Previous version support ends immediately upon new release, requiring continuous latest version maintenance.
Java Version Attention: Java 17 mandatory from 2.10, requiring environment verification before upgrade.
Quarterly Upgrades Recommended: Establish regular upgrade plans and thorough testing practices.
Maintaining Apache Hop stability requires regular upgrade planning, monitoring community release schedules, and thorough testing. Always check the official website and GitHub repository for the latest information.
References:
- Apache Hop Official Website
- Apache Hop GitHub Repository
- Apache Hop Releases
- endoflife.date – Apache Hop
- Apache Hop User Manual
- Apache Hop Downloads