Service Mesh
Istio Releases
Track every Istio release, from latest stable to end-of-life. Version timelines, EOL dates, ambient mesh updates, and upgrade guidance for service mesh teams.
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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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Embed Badges
Add live Istio status badges to your README, docs, or dashboard.
Health Status
Overall support health
EOL Countdown
Next end-of-life date
Latest Version
Current stable release
CVE Status
Known vulnerabilities
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Istio releases and lifecycle.
How long are Istio versions supported?
Istio supports the latest three minor releases with security patches and bug fixes. Each release is supported for roughly 6 months after the next minor version ships.
What is Istio ambient mesh?
Ambient mesh is a sidecar-less mode for Istio that uses ztunnel (a per-node proxy) for L4 traffic and optional waypoint proxies for L7. It reduces resource overhead and simplifies operations compared to the traditional sidecar model.
How often does Istio release new versions?
Istio ships a new minor version roughly every 3-4 months, with patch releases for security fixes every 2-4 weeks.
Should I use Istio or Linkerd?
Istio is more feature-rich with stronger multi-cluster support and policy capabilities. Linkerd is lighter weight and simpler to operate. Choose Istio for complex multi-cluster setups with advanced traffic management. Choose Linkerd for simpler deployments where operational overhead matters more.