Galaxy Release Process

This document outlines the Galaxy release cycle so administrators and users know when to expect updates and what each update includes, making it easier to plan for upgrades and maintain their systems. It does not cover the actual execution of the release process, which is covered elsewhere.

Major or Long Term Support (LTS) Releases

Starting from 23.0, the first release of each year is Galaxy’s annual LTS release, for example 24.0 is the LTS for the year 2024. A LTS release is a major version update that receives significant and thorough end-to-end testing by a dedicated team, and will be supported and receive bugfixes until the next LTS. As such, this release is ideally targeted for production use by local Galaxy administrators.

Minor Releases

Throughout the year, we also ship several (usually 2-3) minor releases. These are version updates like 24.1, 24.2. These can also include significant updates, new features, etc. and follow the same release-testing protocol as with the LTS release. These are targeted for administrators who want to stay up to date with the latest features and improvements. Usegalaxy.org deploys new minor releases as a part of the release process.

Point Releases

Point releases (e.g. 24.1.1) are issued to address bug fixes and security updates. These are not scheduled and are released as needed. Following the Git release branch (i.e. release_24.1) is recommended to stay up to date with these.

Release Schedule

Our release schedule is as follows:

LTS Release: Annually, in the first quarter.
Minor Releases: usually 2-3 times a year, generally in the early summer and fall.
Point Releases: As needed.

Please note that the release dates can vary based on the development process and testing results.

The usegalaxy.* public servers will be updated to the latest release within 90 business days of the release date.

Release Notes

For every release, we provide release notes that detail:

Exciting new features
General enhancements
Bug fixes
Datatype, Visualization, and Tool updates
Administration Notes including configuration changes and migration guides if applicable

Please refer to the release notes for detailed information about each release.