blog: add v7 scheduled support plan

content/blog/20260829_fluent-package-v7-scheduled-lifecycle.md

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+# Scheduled support lifecycle announcement about Fluent Package v7
+
+Hi users!
+
+We had launched `fluent-package` v6 series last year, recently shipped [v6.0.4](/blog/fluent-package-v6.0.4-has-been-released) in LTS release channel.
+
+In this blog article, we explains the planned next major updates - v7.0.0.
+
+### When the next LTS (Long Term Support) version available?
+
+In short, we will ship fluent-package v7 in Aug, 2027.
+
+We keeps two release channels as follows:
+
+* Normal release
+* LTS (Long Term Support)
+
+Here is the difference of these channels.
+
+* Normal release (7.x series)
+  * Recommended for early adopters (eager to try new features of Fluentd)
+  * Rapid release development (planned semi-annually releases, but it may vary. Regular releases are not guaranteed.)
+  * Fluentd will be upgraded occasionally
+      * Minor upgrade will be applied. e.g. 1.20 => 1.21 and so on.
+      * e.g. v7.0.1 (Fluentd v1.20.1), v7.0.2 (Fluentd v1.20.2), ... v7.1.0 (Fluentd v1.21.0)
+  * The only latest version will be supported
+* LTS (Long Term Support, 7.0.x series)
+  * Recommended for enterprise services
+  * Security and bug fix release only
+  * Fluentd will be upgraded only in the teeny version and will stick to 1.20.x series. (T.B.D.)
+      * Thus, the version number will be 7.0.x. (7.1 series will not be shipped for LTS channel)
+      * e.g. v7.0.1 (Fluentd v1.20.1), v7.0.2 (Fluentd v1.20.2), v7.0.3 (Fluentd v1.20.3) ... v7.0.x (Fluentd v1.20.x) and so on.
+  * Next major version will be `fluent-package` v8.0.0, and will be shipped in 2029 (T.B.D.).
+
+As for fluent-package v7,
+
+* fluent-package v6 LTS will be supported until Dec, 2027.
+  * We expect users upgrade from v6 to v7 during the grace period.
+* Until 7.1.0 is released, normal release channel and LTS channel are the same package.
+* Upgrade from v4 or older version is not supported. Upgrade to v5 or v6 first, then upgrade it to v7.
+
+Current releases and future plans:
+
+![](/images/blog/20260829_fluent-package-v7-scheduled-lifecycle.png)
+
+<!--
+
+Generated by mermaid-js:
+  npm install -g @mermaid-js/mermaid-cli
+  npx mmdc -t default -i fluent-package-v7-scheduled-lifecycle.mmd -o fluent-package-v7-scheduled-lifecycle.png
+
+gantt
+    title Scheduled Support lifecycle for Fluent Package v7
+    dateFormat YYYY-MM
+    axisFormat %Y-%m
+    todayMarker off
+    tickInterval 4month
+
+    section v6.x
+    %% v6.0.1 2025-08-29
+    %% (Date.parse('2025-11-11') - Date.parse('2025-08-29')).to_i
+    %% v6.0.1 2025-11-11
+    %%  (Date.parse('2026-02-27') - Date.parse('2025-11-11')).to_i
+    %% v6.0.2 2026-02-27
+    %%  (Date.parse('2026-03-27') - Date.parse('2026-02-27')).to_i
+    %% v6.0.3 2026-03-27
+    %%   (Date.parse('2026-06-26') - Date.parse('2026-03-27')).to_i
+    %% v6.0.4 2026-06-26
+    %% v6.0.x
+    %%   (Date.parse('2027-12-31') - Date.parse('2026-06-26')).to_i - 90
+    v6.0.0 :active, v600, 2025-08-29, 74d
+    v6.0.1 :active, v601, after v600, 108d
+    v6.0.2 :active, v602, after v601, 28d
+    v6.0.3 :active, v603, after v602, 91d
+    v6.0.4 :active, v604, after v603, 90d
+    v6.0.x :active, after v604, 90d
+
+    section v6.0 (LTS)
+    %% (Date.parse('2027-12-31') - Date.parse('2025-08-29')).to_i
+    v6.0.x (LTS) :lts_v6, 2025-08-29, 854d
+
+    section v7.x
+    v7.0.0 :active, v700, 2027-08-29, 90d
+    v7.0.x :active, v701, after v700, 90d
+
+    section v7.0 (LTS)
+    v7.0.x (LTS) :lts_v7, 2027-08-29, 854d
+    Fluent Package v8.0.x (LTS) :milestone, lts_v8, 2029-08-29, 10d
+-->
+
+<table border=1 width="100%">
+<tr>
+<th style='background-color: #eee'>Release Version</th>
+<th style='background-color: #eee'>Release Date</th>
+<th style='background-color: #eee'>End of life</th>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>v6.0.x (LTS)</td>
+<td>Aug, 2025</td>
+<td>Dec, 2027</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>v7.0.0 (LTS)</td>
+<td>Aug, 2027</td>
+<td>Dec, 2029 (T.B.D.)</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>v8.0.0 (LTS)</td>
+<td>Aug, 2029 (T.B.D.)</td>
+<td>T.B.D.</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+Happy logging!
+
+TAG: Fluentd fluent-package Announcement reminder
+AUTHOR: clearcode