Apache Kafka 3.6 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
End of Life
Apache Kafka 3.6 reached end of life on 27 Feb 2024. It no longer receives security fixes.
894 days without security patches
Recommended action: upgrade to Apache Kafka 4.3. Check your version${KAFKA_HOME}/bin/kafka-topics.sh --version
Support timeline
Official dates from the Apache Kafka release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 3 Oct 2023 | — |
| End of life | 27 Feb 2024 | 2.4 years ago |
| Extended support ends | 9 Feb 2026 | over |
| Latest release | 3.6.2 · 4 Apr 2024 | final |
Where to go from 3.6
Recommended target: Apache Kafka 4.3.
The newest actively supported branch is Apache Kafka 4.3 (latest release 4.3.1).
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Kafka 3.6 still safe to use?
Apache Kafka 3.6 reached end of life on 27 Feb 2024, 894 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download Apache Kafka 3.6?
Yes — the final release (3.6.2) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade Apache Kafka 3.6 to?
Upgrade to Apache Kafka 4.3, the newest actively supported branch.
All Apache Kafka versions
4.3 supported 4.2 supported 4.1 supported 4.0 supported 3.9 supported 3.8 EOL 2024 3.7 EOL 2024 3.6 EOL 2024 3.5 EOL 2023 3.4 EOL 2023 3.3 EOL 2023 3.2 EOL 2022 3.1 EOL 2022 3.0 EOL 2022 2.8 EOL 2022 2.7 EOL 2021 2.6 EOL 2021 2.5 EOL 2020 2.4 EOL 2020 2.3 EOL 2019 2.2 EOL 2019 2.1 EOL 2019 2.0 EOL 2018 1.1 EOL 2018 1.0 EOL 2018 0.11 EOL 2018 0.10 EOL 2018 0.9 EOL 2016 0.8 EOL 2015 0.7 EOL 2013