Have you ever wondered how long your Docker Engine version will be supported? Today, we’ll explore the version support policy and End of Support/End of Life (EOS/EOL) schedule for Docker Engine, which is critical information for anyone running container-based infrastructure.
1. What is Docker Engine? The Core of Container Technology
Docker Engine is an open-source platform at the heart of container technology. It enables applications to be packaged independently and run without requiring software dependency installation or management.
Key features of Docker Engine:
- Container Isolation: Each container runs independently and bundles its own software, libraries, and configuration files
- Resource Management: Provides efficient resource management using Linux kernel features like cgroups and namespaces
- Lightweight Virtualization: Much lighter and faster to start than virtual machines (VMs)
- Moby Project Foundation: Docker Engine is based on the Moby open-source project and supported by the Moby Community
While Docker Engine is a core component of Docker Desktop, it can also be installed independently on Linux servers. Most production environments use Docker Engine directly.
2. Understanding Docker Engine Support Policy – Essential Information
Docker Engine’s support policy differs from typical commercial products because it’s community-driven by Moby rather than directly supported by Docker Inc.
Core Support Principle
Docker Engine follows the principle of “patch support for approximately one month after the next major version release”. For example, when Docker Engine 27.x is released, version 26.x receives security patches and bug fixes for about one month after the 27.x release.
However, currently only the latest major version is officially maintained. As of October 2025, version 28.x is actively supported, while most previous versions have reached EOL.
Version Scheme Changes
A significant change occurred in February 2023 with Docker Engine 23.0:
- Previous (pre-20.10): Used CalVer (Calendar Versioning)
- Current (23.0 onwards): Changed to SemVer (Semantic Versioning), with major version incrementing each release
This change was made for compatibility with the Go modules ecosystem. The new versioning scheme resulted in faster release cycles and more frequent major version increments.
How to Check Supported Versions
Currently supported versions can be checked in the Moby project’s official documentation, and endoflife.date provides real-time EOL information updates.
3. Complete Docker Engine Version EOL Schedule
3-1. Current and Recent Versions (v23.0 onwards)
Latest information as of October 21, 2025.
| Version | Release Date | EOL Date | Latest Patch | Support Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.4 | 2025-09-03 | Active | 28.4.0 | ✅ Active Support |
| 28.3 | 2025-06-24 | 2025-09-03 | 28.3.3 | ❌ EOL |
| 28.2 | 2025-05-28 | 2025-06-24 | 28.2.2 | ❌ EOL |
| 28.1 | 2025-04-17 | 2025-05-28 | 28.1.1 | ❌ EOL |
| 28.0 | 2025-02-20 | 2025-04-17 | 28.0.4 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.5 | 2025-01-13 | 2025-05-03 | 27.5.1 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.4 | 2024-12-09 | 2025-01-13 | 27.4.1 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.3 | 2024-10-02 | 2024-12-09 | 27.3.1 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.2 | 2024-09-06 | 2024-10-02 | 27.2.1 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.1 | 2024-07-22 | 2024-09-06 | 27.1.2 | ❌ EOL |
| 27.0 | 2024-06-10 | 2024-07-22 | 27.0.3 | ❌ EOL |
| 26.1 | 2024-04-22 | 2025-02-17 | 26.1.5 | ❌ EOL (Extended) |
| 26.0 | 2024-03-20 | 2024-06-08 | 26.0.2 | ❌ EOL |
| 25.0 | 2024-01-19 | Active | 25.0.13 | ✅ Special Extended Support |
| 24.0 | 2023-05-16 | 2024-06-08 | 24.0.9 | ❌ EOL |
| 23.0 | 2023-02-02 | 2025-05-19 | 23.0.18 | ❌ EOL (Version Scheme Change) |
3-2. Previous Version Series (v17.x ~ v20.10)
| Version | Release Date | EOL Date | Latest Patch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.10 | 2020-12-09 | 2023-12-10 | 20.10.27 | De facto LTS (3 years) |
| 19.03 | 2019-07-22 | 2021-01-08 | 19.03.15 | |
| 18.09 | 2018-11-08 | 2019-08-22 | 18.09.9 | |
| 18.06 | 2018-07-18 | 2018-12-08 | 18.06.3 | |
| 18.05 | 2018-04-25 | 2018-08-18 | 18.05.0 | |
| 18.04 | 2018-03-27 | 2018-06-09 | 18.04.0 | |
| 18.03 | 2018-02-15 | 2018-05-05 | 18.03.1 | |
| 18.02 | 2018-01-23 | 2018-03-27 | 18.02.0 | |
| 17.12 | 2017-12-21 | 2018-02-15 | 17.12.1 | |
| 17.11 | 2017-11-20 | 2017-12-21 | 17.11.0 | |
| 17.10 | 2017-10-18 | 2017-11-20 | 17.10.0 | |
| 17.09 | 2017-09-26 | 2017-10-26 | 17.09.1 | |
| 17.07 | 2017-08-28 | 2017-10-26 | 17.07.0 | |
| 17.06 | 2017-06-20 | 2017-09-29 | 17.06.2 | |
| 17.05 | 2017-05-04 | 2017-07-28 | 17.05.0 | |
| 17.04 | 2017-04-03 | 2017-06-04 | 17.04.0 | |
| 17.03 | 2017-02-23 | 2017-05-05 | 17.03.2 | CalVer Start |
3-3. Legacy Versions (v1.6 ~ v1.13)
| Version | Release Date | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1.13 | 2017-01-18 | Plugin API changes |
| 1.12 | 2016-07-28 | Built-in Docker Swarm |
| 1.11 | 2016-04-12 | containerd separation |
| 1.10 | 2016-02-04 | Content-addressable storage |
| 1.9 | 2015-10-29 | Multi-host networking |
| 1.8 | 2015-08-11 | Registry v2 support |
| 1.7 | 2015-06-18 | Experimental features |
| 1.6 | 2015-04-16 | Registry v2, logging drivers |
Notes:
- Information based on endoflife.date, Docker official release notes, and Moby GitHub repository
- Versions prior to 1.5 are rarely used in production and have been omitted
4. Notable Versions – Practical Insights
Docker Engine 20.10: The De Facto LTS
Docker Engine 20.10, released in December 2020 and supported until December 2023, had the longest support period in Docker Engine history—approximately 3 years.
- Why was it supported so long? No new major version was released for 2.5 years after 20.10. Until 23.0 was released in February 2023, version 20.10 served as a de facto LTS (Long Term Support) release.
- Current situation: If you’re still running 20.10, an immediate upgrade is necessary. Security patches stopped nearly 2 years ago.
Docker Engine 25.0: Special Extended Support Version
Version 25.0, released in January 2024, has received special maintenance. With patches still being provided as of August 2025 (25.0.13), it’s one of the stable versions currently suitable for production environments.
Docker Engine 28.x: Latest Version Series
The latest version actively updated since 28.0’s release in February 2025. As of October 2025, 28.4 is the latest version with these major features:
- Enhanced AMD GPU support
- Added image mount functionality (
--mount type=image) - Improved networking security (CVE-2025-54388 fix)
- Enhanced nftables support
Important Notice: Docker Engine 28 is the last major version to support Raspberry Pi OS 32-bit (armhf). Starting with version 29, only 64-bit will be supported.
5. Version Upgrade Strategy – Practical Advice
When Should You Upgrade?
Considering Docker Engine’s rapid release cycle, here’s the recommended strategy:
1. Security Patches First
- EOL versions are exposed to security vulnerabilities
- Use at least one of the currently supported versions
- Currently recommended: version 25.0 or 28.4
2. For Stability-Critical Production Environments
- Choose extended support versions like 25.0
- Wait 2-3 months after a new major version release to confirm stability
3. When Latest Features Are Needed
- Use the latest version in the 28.x series
- Be prepared for more frequent upgrades
Upgrade Precautions
Check these items when upgrading Docker Engine:
Compatibility Check
# Check current Docker version
docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}'
# Check API version
docker version --format '{{.Server.APIVersion}}'
Key Checkpoints:
- Docker Compose version compatibility
- Plugin compatibility
- Existing container image compatibility
- Network driver changes
- Storage driver support
Post-Upgrade Verification:
- Verify existing containers restart normally
- Check network connectivity
- Verify volume mounts
- Confirm log collection is working
6. Version Check and EOL Monitoring Methods
Checking Your Docker Engine Version
How to check the Docker Engine version currently running on your server:
# Basic version check
docker version
# Output server version only
docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}'
# Detailed information
docker info
Automated EOL Schedule Checking
In production environments, automating EOL schedule checks is recommended:
Monitoring Script Example
#!/bin/bash
CURRENT_VERSION=$(docker version --format '{{.Server.Version}}' | cut -d'.' -f1-2)
echo "Current Docker Engine version: ${CURRENT_VERSION}"
echo "Check EOL status: https://endoflife.date/docker-engine"
Recommended Monitoring Methods
| Frequency | Check Item | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | EOL status | Visit endoflife.date |
| Quarterly | Version upgrade review | Review release notes |
| Real-time | Security patch alerts | Set Watch on Moby GitHub |
Related Resources:
- Docker Engine Official Documentation
- Docker Engine Release Notes
- endoflife.date – Docker Engine
- Moby Project GitHub
- Docker Release Lifecycle
- Docker Engine Installation Guide