Understanding the lifecycle of a PHP version

July 16, 2023 October 19, 2026

maintenance, php

You build, maintain, run, and distribute PHP applications and packages - but are you aware of the lifecycle of a PHP version?

Initial release

The initial release marks the beginning of the lifecycle of a PHP version.

Active support

Active support for a PHP version begins with the initial release and ends on December 31 of the second year after the initial release.

During active support, maintainers fix bugs and security issues and release new patch versions.

The following PHP versions currently have active support:

PHP 8.5
- initial release on November 20, 2025
- active support ends on December 31, 2027
PHP 8.4
- initial release on November 21, 2024
- active support ends on December 31, 2026

💡 Also see the official list of supported PHP versions.

To see these dates in your calendar, subscribe to the PHP version support calendar or add https://localheinz.com/php/version-support.ics as a calendar subscription in your calendar application.

Security support

Security support for a PHP version begins with the end of active support and ends two years later, on December 31.

During security support, maintainers fix critical security issues and release new patch versions.

PHP versions released before PHP 8.2 followed a shorter cycle: active support ended two years after the initial release, and security support ended one year after that. The RFC proposing to update the release cycle by Jakub Zelenka and Derick Rethans, accepted in April 2024, extended the cycle to four years, aligned the end of active support and security support with December 31, and applied the change to PHP 8.2 and later. PHP 8.1 received an additional year of security support.

The following PHP versions currently have security support:

PHP 8.3
- initial release on November 23, 2023
- active support ended on December 31, 2025
- security support ends on December 31, 2027
PHP 8.2
- initial release on December 8, 2022
- active support ended on December 31, 2024
- security support ends on December 31, 2026

End of life

The end of security support marks the end of the lifecycle of a PHP version.

PHP 8.1
- initial release on November 25, 2021
- active support ended on November 25, 2023
- security support ended on December 31, 2025
PHP 8.0
- initial release on November 26, 2020
- active support ended on November 26, 2022
- security support ended on November 26, 2023
PHP 7.4
- initial release on November 28, 2019
- active support ended on November 28, 2021
- security support ended on November 28, 2022
PHP 7.3
- initial release on December 6, 2018
- active support ended on December 6, 2020
- security support ended on December 6, 2021
PHP 7.2
- initial release on November 30, 2017
- active support ended on November 30, 2019
- security support ended on November 30, 2020
PHP 7.1
- initial release on December 1, 2016
- active support ended on December 1, 2018
- security support ended on December 1, 2019
PHP 7.0
- initial release on December 3, 2015
- active support ended on January 4, 2018
- security support ended on January 10, 2019
PHP 5.6
- initial release on August 28, 2014
- active support ended on January 19, 2017
- security support ended on December 31, 2018
PHP 5.5
- initial release on June 20, 2013
- active support ended on July 10, 2015
- security support ended on July 21, 2016
PHP 5.4
- initial release on March 1, 2012
- active support ended on September 14, 2014
- security support ended on September 3, 2015
PHP 5.3
- initial release on June 30, 2009
- active support ended on July 11, 2013
- security support ended on August 14, 2014
PHP 5.2
- initial release on November 2, 2006
- active support ended on November 2, 2008
- security support ended on January 6, 2011
PHP 5.1
- initial release on November 24, 2005
- active support ended on November 24, 2007
- security support ended on August 24, 2006
PHP 5.0
- initial release on July 13, 2004
- active support ended on July 13, 2006
- security support ended on September 5, 2005
PHP 4.4
- initial release on July 11, 2005
- active support ended on July 11, 2007
- security support ended on August 7, 2008
PHP 4.3
- initial release on December 27, 2002
- active support ended on December 27, 2004
- security support ended on March 31, 2005
PHP 4.2
- initial release on April 22, 2002
- active support ended on April 22, 2004
- security support ended on September 6, 2002
PHP 4.1
- initial release on December 10, 2001
- active support ended on December 10, 2003
- security support ended on March 12, 2002
PHP 4.0
- initial release on May 22, 2000
- active support ended on May 22, 2002
- security support ended on June 23, 2001