Docker Engine Version History
3 active, 23 end-of-life. 26 versions tracked.
Docker Engine doesn't follow a fixed release schedule. Major versions ship roughly annually, with patch releases as needed for security and bug fixes. Since Docker 23.0 (February 2023), the project uses CalVer-style major versioning.
Recommendation
Use Docker Engine 29 for production. It's the latest stable version with current security patches and the best BuildKit integration.
| Version | Released | End of Life | Latest Patch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker Engine 29 | November 10, 2025 | TBD | 29.3.0 | Active |
| Docker Engine 28 | February 20, 2025 | TBD | 28.5.2 | Active |
| Docker Engine 27 | June 25, 2024 | May 3, 2025 | 27.5.1 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 26.1 | April 22, 2024 | February 17, 2025 | 26.1.5 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 26.0 | March 20, 2024 | June 8, 2024 | 26.0.2 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 25.0 | January 19, 2024 | TBD | 25.0.14 | Active |
| Docker Engine 24.0 | May 16, 2023 | June 8, 2024 | 24.0.9 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 23.0 | February 2, 2023 | May 19, 2025 | 23.0.18 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 20.10 | December 9, 2020 | December 10, 2023 | 20.10.27 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 19.03 | July 22, 2019 | January 8, 2021 | 19.03.15 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.09 | November 8, 2018 | August 22, 2019 | 18.09.9 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.06 | July 18, 2018 | December 8, 2018 | 18.06.3 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.05 | April 25, 2018 | August 18, 2018 | 18.05.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.04 | March 27, 2018 | June 9, 2018 | 18.04.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.03 | March 14, 2018 | May 10, 2018 | 18.03.1 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.02 | January 26, 2018 | April 21, 2018 | 18.02.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.12 | December 15, 2017 | February 10, 2018 | 17.12.1 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 18.01 | December 12, 2017 | March 7, 2018 | 18.01.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.11 | November 17, 2017 | January 27, 2018 | 17.11.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.10 | October 13, 2017 | December 20, 2017 | 17.10.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.09 | September 22, 2017 | November 17, 2017 | 17.09.1 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.07 | August 28, 2017 | October 26, 2017 | 17.07.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.06 | June 20, 2017 | September 29, 2017 | 17.06.2 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.05 | May 4, 2017 | July 28, 2017 | 17.05.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.04 | April 3, 2017 | June 4, 2017 | 17.04.0 | End of Life |
| Docker Engine 17.03 | February 23, 2017 | May 5, 2017 | 17.03.2 | End of Life |
Docker Engine Support Policy
Docker only officially supports the latest major version. Older versions may receive critical security patches at Mirantis's discretion (they maintain Docker Engine), but there's no formal LTS or extended support commitment. In practice, you should stay on the latest stable release.
What You Need to Know
Docker Engine 27 and older reached end-of-life. Upgrade to 28 or 29 for current security patches.
Docker Compose V1 (docker-compose) is end-of-life. Use Compose V2 (docker compose) which is built into the Docker CLI.
Docker Desktop requires a paid subscription for companies with 250+ employees or $10M+ revenue.
Docker Engine 29 includes improved BuildKit caching and faster image pulls with lazy loading support.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does Docker Engine release new versions?
Which Docker version should I use in 2026?
Is Docker Compose V1 still supported?
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