Apache Kafka end of life dates
Apache Kafka 4.3 is the newest release line, at 4.3.1 (23 Jun 2026). 4 lines are still supported upstream: 4.3, 4.2, 4.1 and 4.0. 26 lines have reached end of life, most recently 3.9 on 21 Feb 2026. OSSeva ships patched builds for end-of-life Apache Kafka 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6, 3.3, 3.0 and 2.8.
Apache Kafka aims for three releases a year, one every four months, and the community attempts bugfix releases for the last three releases only. The Kafka downloads page lists those supported releases; every older line, including the ZooKeeper-capable 3.x versions, gets no further community fixes.
- Latest release
- 4.3.1
- Supported lines
- 4
- End-of-life lines
- 26
- Next end of life
- None scheduled
Apache Kafka release timeline
All Apache Kafka versions and end-of-life dates
| Version | Released | Support | Confluent Community software End of Support | Latest | OSSeva |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3 | 5 months ago(20 May 2026) | Yes | Ends in 1 year and 8 months(17 Jun 2028) | 4.3.1 | – |
| 4.2 | 8 months ago(17 Feb 2026) | Yes | Ends in 1 year and 5 months(4 Mar 2028) | 4.2.2 | – |
| 4.1 | 1 year and 1 month ago(2 Sept 2025) | Yes | Ends in 1 year(15 Oct 2027) | 4.1.2 | – |
| 4.0 | 1 year and 7 months ago(18 Mar 2025) | Yes | Ends in 8 months(11 Jun 2027) | 4.0.2 | – |
| 3.9 | 1 year and 11 months ago(6 Nov 2024) | Ended 7 months ago(21 Feb 2026) | Ends in 4 months(19 Feb 2027) | 3.9.2 | Patched |
| 3.8 | 2 years and 2 months ago(26 Jul 2024) | Ended 1 year and 11 months ago(6 Nov 2024) | Ends in 2 months(2 Dec 2026) | 3.8.1 | Patched |
| 3.7 | 2 years and 7 months ago(26 Feb 2024) | Ended 2 years and 2 months ago(26 Jul 2024) | Ended 2 months ago(26 Jul 2026) | 3.7.2 | Patched |
| 3.6 | 3 years ago(3 Oct 2023) | Ended 2 years and 7 months ago(27 Feb 2024) | Ended 8 months ago(9 Feb 2026) | 3.6.2 | Patched |
| 3.5 | 3 years and 4 months ago(13 Jun 2023) | Ended 3 years ago(3 Oct 2023) | Ended 1 year and 1 month ago(25 Aug 2025) | 3.5.2 | – |
| 3.4 | 3 years and 8 months ago(6 Feb 2023) | Ended 3 years and 4 months ago(13 Jun 2023) | Ended 1 year and 5 months ago(3 May 2025) | 3.4.1 | – |
| 3.3 | 4 years ago(28 Sept 2022) | Ended 3 years and 8 months ago(6 Feb 2023) | Ended 1 year and 11 months ago(4 Nov 2024) | 3.3.2 | Patched |
| 3.2 | 4 years and 5 months ago(9 May 2022) | Ended 4 years ago(28 Sept 2022) | Ended 2 years and 3 months ago(6 Jul 2024) | 3.2.3 | – |
| 3.1 | 4 years and 9 months ago(21 Jan 2022) | Ended 4 years and 1 month ago(19 Sept 2022) | Ended 2 years and 6 months ago(5 Apr 2024) | 3.1.2 | – |
| 3.0 | 5 years and 1 month ago(20 Sept 2021) | Ended 4 years and 1 month ago(19 Sept 2022) | Ended 2 years and 11 months ago(27 Oct 2023) | 3.0.2 | Patched |
| 2.8 | 5 years and 6 months ago(18 Apr 2021) | Ended 4 years and 1 month ago(19 Sept 2022) | Ended 3 years and 4 months ago(8 Jun 2023) | 2.8.2 | Patched |
| 2.7 | 5 years and 10 months ago(19 Dec 2020) | Ended 4 years and 11 months ago(15 Nov 2021) | Ended 3 years and 8 months ago(9 Feb 2023) | 2.7.2 | – |
| 2.6 | 6 years and 2 months ago(3 Aug 2020) | Ended 4 years and 11 months ago(15 Nov 2021) | Ended 4 years ago(24 Sept 2022) | 2.6.3 | – |
| 2.5 | 6 years and 6 months ago(14 Apr 2020) | Ended 6 years and 2 months ago(10 Aug 2020) | Ended 4 years and 5 months ago(24 Apr 2022) | 2.5.1 | – |
| 2.4 | 6 years and 10 months ago(14 Dec 2019) | Ended 6 years and 6 months ago(15 Apr 2020) | Ended 4 years and 9 months ago(10 Jan 2022) | 2.4.1 | – |
| 2.3 | 7 years and 3 months ago(24 Jun 2019) | Ended 6 years and 10 months ago(16 Dec 2019) | Ended 5 years and 3 months ago(19 Jul 2021) | 2.3.1 | – |
| 2.2 | 7 years and 7 months ago(22 Mar 2019) | Ended 6 years and 10 months ago(1 Dec 2019) | Ended 5 years and 6 months ago(28 Mar 2021) | 2.2.2 | – |
| 2.1 | 7 years and 11 months ago(20 Nov 2018) | Ended 7 years and 7 months ago(22 Mar 2019) | Ended 5 years and 10 months ago(14 Dec 2020) | 2.1.1 | – |
| 2.0 | 8 years and 2 months ago(28 Jul 2018) | Ended 7 years and 11 months ago(20 Nov 2018) | Ended 6 years and 2 months ago(31 Jul 2020) | 2.0.1 | – |
| 1.1 | 8 years and 6 months ago(28 Mar 2018) | Ended 8 years and 2 months ago(30 Jul 2018) | Ended 6 years and 6 months ago(16 Apr 2020) | 1.1.1 | – |
| 1.0 | 8 years and 11 months ago(31 Oct 2017) | Ended 8 years and 3 months ago(8 Jul 2018) | Ended 6 years and 10 months ago(28 Nov 2019) | 1.0.2 | – |
| 0.11 | 9 years and 3 months ago(28 Jun 2017) | Ended 8 years and 3 months ago(2 Jul 2018) | Ended 7 years and 2 months ago(1 Aug 2019) | 0.11.0.3 | – |
| 0.10 | 10 years and 5 months ago(22 May 2016) | Ended 8 years and 3 months ago(2 Jul 2018) | Ended 7 years and 7 months ago(2 Mar 2019) | 0.10.2.2 | – |
| 0.9 | 10 years and 10 months ago(23 Nov 2015) | Ended 10 years and 5 months ago(22 May 2016) | Ended 8 years and 10 months ago(7 Dec 2017) | 0.9.0.1 | – |
| 0.8 | 12 years and 10 months ago(3 Dec 2013) | Ended 10 years and 10 months ago(23 Nov 2015) | Ended | 0.8.2.2 | – |
| 0.7 | 14 years and 9 months ago(4 Jan 2012) | Ended 12 years and 10 months ago(3 Dec 2013) | Ended | 0.7.2 | – |
Lifecycle data from endoflife.date (MIT licence), refreshed 6 Oct 2026. “Patched” marks end-of-life lines OSSeva ships signed, backported builds for.
Running an end-of-life Apache Kafka version?
OSSeva keeps end-of-life Apache Kafka patched with signed builds and backported CVE fixes, documents it for your auditor, and can run it for you, so the upgrade happens on your schedule rather than the project’s.
Apache Kafka extended supportApache Kafka end of life: common questions
How many Apache Kafka versions are supported?
Three. The Kafka time-based release plan says the community will attempt bugfix releases for the last three releases, and the downloads page says bugfix releases are made for supported releases only. With three releases a year, a Kafka line typically has about a year of community fixes after it ships.
Is Kafka 3.9 end of life?
In the Apache community, yes. Kafka 3.9 is no longer on the supported releases list at kafka.apache.org, which covers only the three newest releases, so the community ships no more 3.9 fixes. 3.9 was the last line able to run in ZooKeeper mode. The extended column above shows Confluent's own dates for each line.
Does Kafka 4.0 still support ZooKeeper?
No. The Kafka 4.0 upgrade notes state that 4.0 supports only KRaft mode and that ZooKeeper mode has been removed. Brokers upgrading to 4.0 must already run in KRaft mode on 3.3.x or later, so clusters still on ZooKeeper have to migrate to KRaft while they are on a 3.x release.
What is the latest Apache Kafka version?
4.3.1, released 23 Jun 2026, on the 4.3 line. Other supported lines: 4.2, 4.1 and 4.0.
Which Apache Kafka versions are still supported?
4.3, 4.2, 4.1 and 4.0. Every other line has reached end of life, per the dates in the table above.
Can I get security patches for an end-of-life Apache Kafka version?
Yes. OSSeva ships signed builds with backported CVE fixes for Apache Kafka 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6, 3.3, 3.0 and 2.8 after upstream support ends, on the Patch, Assure and Operate tiers, so you can stay on the version you run while you plan the upgrade.
Still running an end-of-life Apache Kafka?
Tell us the versions and the estate size. We will tell you whether to upgrade or keep it patched, and what each costs.