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Managed Kubernetes

Amazon EKS Releases

Track Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support, auto-upgrade policies, add-on compatibility, and upgrade path guidance. Version lag analysis vs upstream Kubernetes.

Official Site Documentation

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Total Versions

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Supported

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Latest

Version Timeline

All tracked releases with lifecycle status and EOL dates.

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Lifecycle Timeline

Visual overview of active support and maintenance windows.

K8s 1.27
K8s 1.28
K8s 1.29
K8s 1.30
K8s 1.31
K8s 1.32
2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
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Upgrade Paths

Migration guidance between major versions — breaking changes, effort estimates, and tips.

1.27/1.28 1.31+ Medium Difficulty
Est. 1-2 hours per minor version hop

Breaking Changes

  • Must upgrade one version at a time (3-4 hops)
  • VPC CNI plugin version must match each K8s version
  • CoreDNS and kube-proxy version bumps required
  • Deprecated APIs removed at each version
  • EBS CSI driver version requirements change
  • Node AMI must be updated for each version

Migration Notes

Plan each hop as a separate operation: update control plane, update add-ons, update node groups, validate. Use eksctl or Terraform to manage the process. The biggest risk is deprecated API usage in your manifests. Run kubectl api-resources and check for deprecated APIs before each hop. Budget 1-2 hours per version hop.

1.30/1.31 1.32 Low Difficulty
Est. 1-2 hours

Breaking Changes

  • Standard K8s API deprecations
  • Add-on version compatibility updates
  • Node AMI refresh

Migration Notes

Single-hop upgrade. Update control plane, add-ons, nodes. Straightforward if you keep up with the quarterly cadence. Use EKS managed add-ons for automatic compatibility.

Version Risk Assessment

Evaluate risk factors before choosing a version for production.

Version EOL Risk CVE Risk Ecosystem Cloud Support Overall Recommended Action
Amazon EKS 1.27 and older Critical High Extended $$ Paid only Critical Extended support charges + missing patches. Upgrade now.
Amazon EKS 1.28 High Medium Maintenance Full High Approaching extended support — upgrade soon
Amazon EKS 1.29/1.30 Medium Low Active Full Medium Supported — upgrade when convenient
Amazon EKS 1.31 Low Low Active Full Low Current — recommended
Amazon EKS 1.32 None Low Active Full Low Latest — recommended for new clusters

EKS supports 4 K8s versions with standard support. Extended support costs $0.60/hr/cluster. Assessed March 2026.

EKS Kubernetes Version Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature differences across major versions.

Feature 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32
VPC CNI recommended 1.14+ 1.15+ 1.16+ 1.18+ 1.19+
CoreDNS version 1.10.1 1.11.1 1.11.1 1.11.3 1.11.3
Sidecar containers No Alpha Beta Stable Stable
Pod topology spread Stable Enhanced Enhanced Enhanced Enhanced
Gateway API Beta Beta Stable Stable Stable
EKS Auto Mode No No No Preview GA
Fargate support Full Full Full Full Full
Extended support cost $0.60/hr $0.60/hr Free Free Free

Embed Badges

Add live Amazon EKS status badges to your README, docs, or dashboard.

Health Status

Overall support health

Amazon EKS Health Status
![Amazon EKS Health Status](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/health/amazon-eks.svg)

EOL Countdown

Next end-of-life date

Amazon EKS EOL Countdown
![Amazon EKS EOL Countdown](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/eol/amazon-eks.svg)

Latest Version

Current stable release

Amazon EKS Latest Version
![Amazon EKS Latest Version](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/v/amazon-eks.svg)

CVE Status

Known vulnerabilities

Amazon EKS CVE Status
![Amazon EKS CVE Status](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/cve/amazon-eks.svg)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Amazon EKS releases and lifecycle.

How far behind upstream Kubernetes is EKS?
EKS typically supports a new Kubernetes minor version 2-4 weeks after the upstream GA release. AWS runs additional testing against its add-ons, networking (VPC CNI), and managed node groups. EKS supports the latest 4 Kubernetes minor versions simultaneously. When a new version is added, the oldest is deprecated (with 12 months of extended support).
What happens when my EKS version reaches end of support?
When a K8s version reaches standard support end on EKS, it enters extended support (additional cost: $0.60/cluster/hour). If you do not upgrade, AWS will eventually auto-upgrade your cluster to the oldest supported version. Extended support gives you time but at a price. Always upgrade proactively to avoid forced upgrades and extended support charges.
How do I upgrade an EKS cluster?
EKS upgrades are done one minor version at a time. Steps: 1) Update the control plane (aws eks update-cluster-version, takes 20-40 min), 2) Update managed node groups or self-managed nodes (rolling), 3) Update add-ons (VPC CNI, CoreDNS, kube-proxy). You cannot skip versions. Plan 1-2 hours per cluster including validation.
What EKS add-ons need updating with each upgrade?
Core add-ons must match the K8s version: VPC CNI plugin, CoreDNS, kube-proxy, and the EBS/EFS CSI drivers. AWS publishes a compatibility matrix. If you use managed add-ons, AWS can auto-update them (with your approval). If you self-manage add-ons via Helm, you must update them yourself. Mismatched add-on versions cause networking and storage issues.
EKS vs GKE vs AKS: how do they compare?
EKS: most Kubernetes-native (closest to upstream), best for teams already on AWS, strong Fargate integration. GKE: most advanced features (Autopilot, auto-upgrade, release channels), best managed experience. AKS: cheapest (free control plane), best Azure integration, easiest for .NET workloads. All three are production-grade. Choose based on your cloud provider, not K8s features.
What is EKS Auto Mode?
EKS Auto Mode (launched 2024) automates node provisioning, scaling, and lifecycle management. AWS manages the EC2 instances (similar to Fargate but with node-level access). It simplifies operations by removing the need to manage node groups, AMIs, and instance types. Good for teams that want less infrastructure management but more control than Fargate.

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