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PerlEnd of Life (EOL) Dates & Support Status
Active
Programming LanguagesLatest Version: 5.42.3Latest Release: Aug 2, 2026
Perl is a highly capable, feature-rich programming language known for text processing and system administration.
Support summary
Perl has cycles in security-only maintenance. Production workloads should move toward actively supported releases.
What do EOL and support statuses mean?Next EOL
Jun 9, 2027
Perl 5.40 · 255 days left
Supported cycles
3
0 lts
Versions
10
Latest Version
5.42.3
Active Support
2
EOL
7
Lifecycle Timeline
May 30, 2017As of Sep 27, 2026
5.44Active · Jul 15, 2029
5.42Active · Jul 3, 2028
5.40Security · Jun 9, 2027
5.38EOL · Jul 2, 2026
5.36EOL · May 27, 2025
5.34EOL · May 20, 2024
5.32EOL · Jun 20, 2023
5.30EOL · May 22, 2022
5.28EOL · Jun 23, 2021
5.26EOL · May 30, 2020
ActiveSecurityEOLHistorical phase unknown
Bars show history up to the snapshot date. Gray intervals lack dated support boundaries; arrows indicate an unannounced EOL date, not a support guarantee.
Versions
| Release | Release Date | Active Support | EOL | Latest Version | LTS | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.44 | Jul 15, 2026 | Maintained | Jul 15, 2029 | 5.44.0 | No | Active |
| 5.42 | Jul 3, 2025 | Maintained | Jul 3, 2028 | 5.42.3 | No | Active |
| 5.40 | Jun 9, 2024 | Jul 15, 2026 | Jun 9, 2027 | 5.40.5 | No | Security |
| 5.38 | Jul 2, 2023 | Jul 3, 2025 | Jul 2, 2026 | 5.38.5 | No | EOL |
| 5.36 | May 27, 2022 | Jun 9, 2024 | May 27, 2025 | 5.36.3 | No | EOL |
| 5.34 | May 20, 2021 | Jul 2, 2023 | May 20, 2024 | 5.34.3 | No | EOL |
| 5.32 | Jun 20, 2020 | May 27, 2022 | Jun 20, 2023 | 5.32.1 | No | EOL |
| 5.30 | May 22, 2019 | May 20, 2021 | May 22, 2022 | 5.30.3 | No | EOL |
| 5.28 | Jun 22, 2018 | Jun 20, 2020 | Jun 23, 2021 | 5.28.3 | No | EOL |
| 5.26 | May 30, 2017 | May 22, 2019 | May 30, 2020 | 5.26.3 | No | EOL |
Data sources
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<a href="https://eol.wiki/perl/"><img src="https://eol.wiki/badge/perl.svg" alt="Perl end-of-life status" height="20"></a>Frequently Asked Questions
Which versions of Perl have reached end of life?
The following Perl versions have reached end of life and no longer receive security updates: 5.38, 5.36, 5.34, 5.32, 5.30, 5.28, 5.26. It is recommended to upgrade to a supported version.
Is it safe to continue using Perl 5.38?
Perl 5.38 has reached end of life and no longer receives security patches or bug fixes. Continuing to use it may expose your systems to known vulnerabilities. We strongly recommend upgrading to a supported version.
What is the latest version of Perl?
The latest version of Perl is 5.42.3, released in the 5.42 release cycle.
How many versions of Perl are currently supported?
Perl currently has 3 actively supported version(s): 5.44, 5.42, 5.40.
When does Perl 5.44 reach end of life?
Perl 5.44 is scheduled to reach end of life on Jul 15, 2029.
What should I do when Perl reaches end of life?
When a Perl version reaches end of life, you should: 1) Plan your migration to a supported version as soon as possible. 2) Review the release notes for breaking changes. 3) Test your applications thoroughly in a staging environment. 4) Update your dependencies to ensure compatibility with the new version.