LTS and EOL (long-term support, end of life)
LTS is a release supported with fixes for years; EOL is the date after which a version gets no more security fixes at all.
Runtimes, frameworks, databases and operating systems publish schedules. Node.js, for example, publishes an end date for every LTS line, and Postgres supports each major version for five years. After EOL a new vulnerability simply stays open, and auditors and security questionnaires flag it. The jump gets harder the longer it waits, because several majors pile up.
Related terms
- Dependency updates (Dependabot, Renovate): Keeping libraries and frameworks current, usually with bots that open pull requests for new versions.
- CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures): A public catalog that gives each known security vulnerability one ID, such as CVE-2025-55182, so everyone talks about the same bug.
- Technical debt: Shortcuts in code and design that speed up delivery now and make every later change slower until they are paid back.
