.NET End-of-Life (EOL) Dates: What You Need to Know

Keeping track of .NET end-of-life (EOL) dates is crucial for maintaining security, compliance, and application stability. Once a version reaches EOL, Microsoft no longer provides security patches or updates, increasing the risk of vulnerabilities and compatibility issues in existing .NET applications.

Below is a breakdown of major .NET versions and their support timelines.

.NET 9

• Released: November 12, 2024
• Support Ends: May 12, 2026
• Current Status: Supported

.NET 8

• Released: November 14, 2023
• Support Ends: November 10, 2026
• Current Status: Supported (Long-Term Support)

.NET 7

• Released: November 8, 2022
• Support Ended: May 14, 2024
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET 6

• Released: November 8, 2021
• Support Ended: November 12, 2024
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET 5

• Released: November 10, 2020
• Support Ended: May 10, 2022
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET Core 3.1

• Released: December 3, 2019
• Support Ended: December 13, 2022
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET Core 3.0

• Released: September 23, 2019
• Support Ended: March 3, 2020
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET Core 2.2

• Released: December 4, 2018
• Support Ended: December 23, 2019
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET Core 2.1

• Released: May 30, 2018
• Support Ended: August 21, 2021
• Current Status: Unsupported

.NET Core 2.0

• Released: August 14, 2017
• Support Ended: October 1, 2018
• Current Status: Unsupported

What Happens When a .NET Version Reaches EOL?

Once a .NET version reaches end-of-life, Microsoft no longer provides:

• Security patches, leaving applications vulnerable to exploits.
• Bug fixes, meaning performance and stability issues may persist.
• Official support, making it difficult to resolve technical issues.

What Should You Do If You’re Using an EOL Version?

If your application is still running on an unsupported .NET version, you have a few options:

• Upgrade to a newer supported version,such as .NET 8 LTS.
• Seek extended support solutions for continued security updates and compliance.

At HeroDevs, we provide long-term security solutions for organizations relying on EOL software. If you need continued security updates and compliance for .NET 6 or other unsupported versions, contact us to learn more about .NET NES.

For more information, visit HeroDevs.com.

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