Nick Chapsas explains recent LTS and STS support changes for .NET from Microsoft, addressing common developer concerns around support cycles and what the new policies mean for the .NET community.

Understanding Microsoft’s LTS/STS Changes for .NET Support

Author: Nick Chapsas

Overview

In this video, Nick Chapsas explains the recent changes Microsoft introduced to the lifecycle support of .NET. He discusses the difference between LTS (Long-Term Support) and STS (Standard-Term Support), what the new support updates mean, and how they address longstanding issues .NET developers have raised.

.NET Lifecycle: The Issue

  • Historical Concern: Developers have been concerned about the short lifecycle of certain .NET versions, which leads to faster upgrades and overhead for maintenance.
  • LTS vs STS: Traditionally, LTS releases get longer support, while STS releases are supported for a short period. This model often caused confusion and forced frequent migrations for some teams.

What Microsoft Changed

  • Recent Announcement: Microsoft has adjusted its LTS and STS lifecycle models to address developer feedback and simplify support expectations.
  • Key Improvements:
    • Clearer definition of support periods for LTS and STS.
    • Simplified upgrade paths.
    • More predictable timelines, making it easier for developers to plan upgrades.

Why This Matters

  • Predictability: Teams can now plan for upgrades more confidently.
  • Stability: Longer and better-defined lifecycles reduce technical debt associated with hasty migrations.
  • Community Impact: Addresses one of the most common pain points among .NET developers regarding support timelines.

Resources

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