CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

The CiviCRM website hints (small print on download page) that an LTS version is available, but I can't find any information on where to get it (the website points to the github page, but there's no reference to LTS there. Searching this forum said 0 results...) or which version it is (I've since learned it's ~4.2), or how long it's supported for, or what the policy might be for releasing a new LTS version.

I have had a good experience with Ubuntu's LTS releases and they are well documented. This has really helped reduce the admin overhead in situations where the latest feature is not the main concern. So I think I might be interested in CiviCRM LTS.

Please can someone point to where I can find information on this, or provide it here so I can understand whether this is the one for me?

Many thanks :-)

Rich

Thanks, so looks like I should install the latest stable one  on the 4.4 branch.

Could you define "long time"?

Is the planning all back-room stuff or is there any public schedule we can look at? The lack of info on LTS stuff kinda undermines my confidence in it - I really support the LTS concept but I realise it's an additional overhead for the stretched team, which is why I'm looking for a commitment to it online; without a public plan I'm worried I'll end up on an old version and think I'm supported (security) when actually it's been dropped or there's a new LTS or something.

Thanks again.

Rich

great, thanks so much.

Hadn't found that whole forum area! (wondering why lts search failed, now... probably my bad).

Good to know that it's a community supported effort.That explains why there's no release schedule or page on the main site etc. I'd found Eileen's blog before but but I had been looking for a central page explaining LTS rather than one specific to a particular version.

All clear, thanks for your very prompt help!

Hi Eileen,

So I began implementation on 4.4 after Coleman's post. I need to upgrade (security 4.4.7) but I'm not sure whether to go for 4.4.7 or 4.5? I understand 4.5 has some more significant changes.

Do you still plan to LTS 4.4 or 4.5?

Thanks,

Rich

Yeah. I tend to have a bit of custom stuff e.g. Localising templates for UK addresses is pretty painful http://artfulrobot.com/blog/localising-civicrm-uk; plus a custom report or two; plus a fair bit of Drupal but using the API. So there's a lot of testing after an upgrade.

(With templates I check in a copy of stock, then make my changes and commit that. So when there's an update I revert changes, re-copy stock, apply my patch and commit.)

So upgrades are best only-as-necessary (security mostly) in my book. Obv. I like shiny new features as much as the next Civi' fan, but with a number of clients on the go now, each update can take a day or so to complete.

That's why the LTS seems attractive, hence the question re 4.4 / 4.5

There was an intention to do an LTS every second upgrade - giving a degree of certainty so people could plan to upgrade every second release. But we really don't know what the release after 4.5 is going to be yet - there has been some mention of it being a fairly minor release (4.6) in which case the LTS can be expected to stay on 4.4 until 4.6 has been out for 6 months or so. However, the next release might be 5.0 and if that is the case there may be a 4.5 LTS. The 4.4 LTS will run for at least a year

So, there is no reason to choose 4.4 over 4.5 as there is no certainty as to which one will be supported for longer

we should definitely put the d8 code in there too - if d8 is still beta then so will the integration be - I understand it works but we need more out of Torrance so I'll try to beat on his skype about it

I checked with him & apparently D8 is still changing a lot - but my understanding (& I should check with Tim) is that we should merge this part of his repo in now

https://github.com/torrance/civicrm-drupal/tree/master/core/

& then if it needs to be patched again as drupal evolves so be it