Lifecycle guide for Oracle Linux from Oracle

All releases, patches, maintenance and support periods at a glance

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📅 Last update on 2026-02-09

What is Oracle Linux?

Automate product release and end-of-life management

Oracle Linux (OL, formerly known as Oracle Enterprise Linux or OEL) is a Linux distribution packaged and freely distributed by Oracle, available partially under the GNU General Public License. It is compiled from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) source code, replacing Red Hat branding with Oracle"s. It is also used by Oracle Cloud and Oracle Engineered Systems such as Oracle Exadata and others.

The entire lifecycle of Oracle Linux

The following figure shows you the visualised product life cycle of Oracle Linux. You can see all releases with the latest patch version, the long-term support characteristics (orange flag in the green circle, the periods for version provision, maintenance and support.

Oracle Linux (Oracle) release, version and end-of-life information

Figure: Release, patch and end-of-life cycle of product Oracle Linux (Oracle)

What is the Oracle Linux release strategy?

Oracle Linux Premier Support and Oracle Linux Basic Support for Oracle Linux program releases 5, 6, 7, and 8 are available for ten years from the date a release of the Oracle Linux program becomes generally available. Support for Oracle Linux program may be extended for additional three years with Oracle Linux Extended Support. Unlike RHEL, Oracle Linux does not support point releases once a newer one is available. Once a new minor point release is available, the older one is immediately considered end of life and users must upgrade to continue receiving security updates. For example once 8.5 gets a general release, 8.4 is immediately end of life.