Hi Eric,

your assessment is correct.

Currently, we are backporting security updates from TomEE 10.1.x to
10.0.x within the TomEE build. If we decide to break TCK 9.1
compliance, we could also use Tomcat 10.1.x as a basis for TomEE 9.x


Regarding the bottom line:

Ecosystem is moving fast (since SpringBoot pushed towards J17 +
jakarta.*) and our dependencies are also steadily adapting to that
pace. Even security fixes / updates are starting to come in slowly for
some dependencies. 

In the end, it is just a matter of resources which branch gets the
available time of the available contributors. Maintaining two different
versions (8.x, 9.x) and working on a EE10 compliant app server on the
10.x line (with all of its 3rd party components) just exceeds the
available resources / man power of this project (at least for the
moment).

Currently, most folks are focused on implementing the specs needed for
EE10 in the related 3rd party projects and some of them already
declared little interest in maintaining older versions such as 8.x [1].
 
The eol declation on our website says [2], that relases are unlikely
but not impossible. In [1], we also discussed, that an declared end-of-
life date can be extended if someone shows up willing to do the work
and commits to a new end-of-life date (which can again be extended if
there are volunteers). However, there is consent to not release a TomEE
if transient end-of-life dependencies contain CVEs.

It is unfortunate, that the Tomcat PMC declared the EE9.1 series
(10.0.x) as end-of-life, IMHO, as it places a burden to check and
backport CVE related fixes to TomEE 9.x until a TomEE 10.x becomes
available. 

That being said, I also recommend to give [3] a read.

Hope it helps
Richard

[1] https://lists.apache.org/thread/jz4y20q039cckcv436xvtgzr1ofmostj
[2] https://tomee.apache.org/tomee-8.0-eol.html
[3] https://lists.apache.org/thread/0zfk1xw60t9gnt69kqkh2co7yvjkrk2t



Am Donnerstag, dem 12.10.2023 um 19:11 +0000 schrieb Hamilton, Eric J
[US] (DS):
> For planning purposes, I am trying to decipher the TomEE roadmap, and
> how it aligns to supported Tomcat versions.  Not sure if the
> following is accurate, so please correct me if needed.
> 
> TomEE 8.0.x - Planned End of Life Dec 31, 2023
>                 Based on Tomcat 9.0.x (Java EE 8) - No announced End
> of Life date
> 
> TomEE 9.1.x - No announced End of Life date
>                 Based on Tomcat 10.0.x (Jakarta EE 9) - Already End
> of Life
> 
> TomEE 10.0.x - Under Development
>                 Assume will be based on Tomcat 10.1.x (Jakarta EE 10)
> - No announced End of Life date
> 
> Bottom line, until a newer TomEE release is available based on a
> fully supported Tomcat version for stakeholders to migrate towards,
> shouldn't the TomEE 8 version continue to receive at least Tomcat 9
> and security updates?  I understand if other code changes, outside of
> security patches, are subject to the availability of the TomEE
> volunteers.
> 
> Thanks,
> Eric
> 

Reply via email to