CoreMedia Release Cycle and LTS Strategy

Last updated 16 minutes ago

Learn about the CoreMedia release cycle, the plugin-based feature delivery model, and Long Term Support releases.

What you will learn

Get to know the CoreMedia release cycle to plan your updates accordingly.
Understand the version numbering system.
Learn how features are now delivered via plugins.

Prerequisites

Access to CoreMedia documentation

Target Audience

This guide is for Developers, Administrators, Project Managers.

Table of Contents

A Simplified Release Model
How to Manage Your Update Process — A Step-By-Step Guide

A Simplified Release Model

Starting with CMCC 13, CoreMedia has simplified the release cycle. The key change: new features are now primarily delivered via plugins, rather than through separate AEP (Agile Enhancement Pack) releases that required platform upgrades.

This means:

Features via Plugins: New functionality is delivered as plugins and through non-breaking changes in LTS track releases. You can adopt new features independently of platform updates.
AEP and LTS tracks still exist: When you start with a new major release, you are on both the AEP and the LTS track simultaneously. You only need to choose between the two tracks if and when a dedicated AEP release is published.
AEPs only when necessary: AEP releases will only be created for new features that cannot be implemented as a plugin and require breaking platform changes. AEPs are no longer part of a regular release schedule.
LTS as the default path: As long as no AEP is released, the LTS track with its major and minor AMPs is your primary update path. If an AEP is released, you can decide to follow the AEP track for the latest platform features, or stay on the LTS track for maximum stability.

What happened to AEP 2606?
There will be no 2606 AEP release. Its replacement is the LTS major AMP 2512.1, which provides the necessary technology updates without requiring a separate AEP track. A later AEP (such as 2612) remains possible but is not currently planned. Since no AEP has been released for CMCC 13 yet, all customers are currently on both the AEP and LTS track.

Advantages of the New Model

Faster feature delivery — New features reach you as soon as they are ready, delivered as plugins, without waiting for the next AEP cycle.
Simplified updates, reduced effort — Fewer parallel release tracks means less complexity and lower update effort.
Separation of concerns — Update the platform for security and compliance independently from updating plugins for new features.
More freedom — You decide when to update what: adopt new plugins when it suits your project, and apply platform updates on your own schedule.

And On a Timeline, What Can You Expect?

Major releases occur every 18 months. Each major release is also the LTS version and receives regular AMP updates:

Minor AMPs (third version part increase, e.g., 2512.0.1 → 2512.0.2): Highly compatible bug fix and security updates, released on-demand or roughly every 8 weeks. These can be used as drop-in replacements.
Major AMPs (middle version part increase, e.g., 2512.0 → 2512.1): Technology updates that may affect project customizations ("breaking changes"). These are required to stay on supported versions of third-party libraries.

We recommend that customers update their CMCC distribution version at least twice a year. Once a year is mandatory to stay on free open-source support for third-party dependencies.

We will host two educational webinars annually to showcase updates across all our products, providing you and our clients with valuable insights.

Figure 1. Upgrading CMCC - Product Releases and LTS Strategy

Version Numbering System

Version numbers consist of three parts:

Major/AEP version (YYMM format): Identifies the major release or AEP, e.g., 2512.
Middle version part (major AMP): Increased for technology updates that may include breaking changes, e.g., 2512.1.
Last version part (minor AMP): Increased for highly compatible bug fix and security updates, e.g., 2512.1.3.

Explanation of Terms

Agile Maintenance Packages (AMP) — Bug fixes, security patches, and technology updates.
Long-Term Support (LTS) — The default release track, providing stability and long-term maintenance. Your primary update path as long as no AEP is released.
Agile Enhancement Packages (AEP) — Feature releases that require breaking platform changes. Only created when necessary.

Regarding these and other terms, see also our glossary.

How to Manage Your Update Process — A Step-By-Step Guide

Following these steps will help you understand the CMCC release lifecycle and make informed decisions regarding your deployments and upgrades.

Step 1: Start on the LTS Track

When you begin with a new major release, you are on both the AEP and LTS track simultaneously. As long as no dedicated AEP release is published, the LTS track is your default update path, providing long-term stability, regular security updates, and technology updates via major AMPs.

Step 2: Apply Minor AMP Updates Regularly

Minor AMP updates (last version part increase) are highly compatible and can be applied as drop-in replacements. Apply these updates regularly — ideally every 8 weeks — to stay secure.

Step 3: Plan for Major AMP Updates

Major AMP updates (middle version part increase) may include breaking changes required for third-party library updates. Plan for these updates one or two times a year to maintain security and compliance.

Step 4: Adopt New Features via Plugins

New features are delivered as plugins. You can adopt them independently of platform updates, at a pace that suits your project. This decouples feature adoption from the platform update cycle.

Step 5: Choose Your Track When an AEP Is Released

If an AEP release is published, you need to decide: follow the AEP track for the latest platform features, or stay on the LTS track for maximum stability. Note that you can switch from LTS to AEP at any time, but not from AEP back to LTS within the same major version. As long as no AEP is released, this decision does not arise — you remain on both tracks automatically.

Step 6: Be Aware of Support Duration

Plan your updates to ensure continued support for your CMCC deployment.

For current release support dates, visit the CoreMedia Website at: https://www.coremedia.com/product-support-lifecycle

Figure 2. Support Times - Product Releases and LTS Strategy

DISCLAIMER: The dates provided in the table above are for explanatory/informational purposes only. For future releases according to our planned release cycle, you can expect new major releases every 18 months starting with the CMCC 13 GA release in December 2025. Nevertheless, any dates stated in this guide do not constitute a legally binding agreement and are subject to change without notice.

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