ANNOUNCEMENT: DSpace 7 nearing feature completion. Planning for 8.0 will begin in 2023
DSpace Community
Dear Members of the DSpace Community:
When DSpace 7.0 was released in August, 2021, the DSpace Steering Group announced plans to continue to add missing 6.x features to the 7.x platform in each minor release. This was a temporary departure from past DSpace releases, as every 7.x release (7.1 - 7.4) has continued to add new features and functionality to the platform. While this approach has allowed us to quickly align 7.x with the 6.x platform, we recognize that adding new features in minor releases can complicate upgrades between these releases.
As we approach the two year anniversary of DSpace 7, the DSpace Steering group would like to announce that 7.x will be considered “feature complete” as soon as it has achieved sufficient feature parity with 6.x. We expect this feature complete status to arrive in 2023, likely in either the 7.6 or 7.7 release (to be announced).
Once 7.x is “feature complete”, DSpace will revert to its previously established Release Numbering Scheme and release schedule. Only major releases (8.x, 9.x, etc.) will receive new features. Additional minor releases will only contain bug fixes. Similarly, DSpace will revert to its prior release scheduling of one major release per year, with regular bug fix releases as necessary.
If you or your institution have any questions, please get in touch. A few common questions and answers are shared below.
If you or your institution would like to support remaining development, please contact us at DSpaceD...@lyrasis.org. You can also visit the DSpace wiki for more information about the DSpace Development Fund and see a list of institutions that have already contributed.
Sincerely,
Natalie Baur, on behalf of the DSpace Steering Group
What does “feature complete” mean for 7.x?
Once Steering determines that 7.x has achieved sufficient feature parity with 6.x, no additional new features will be added to the 7.x platform. This does not guarantee that every 6.x feature will have made it into 7.x, but all the highest priority 6.x features (see prioritized feature list) will be in a 7.x release.
At this point, 7.x will move into “maintenance”, which means it will only receive bug and security fixes. 7.x will continue to have new releases, but it will revert to the release strategy where additional minor releases only contain bug/security fixes based on our Software Support Policy.
When will 8.0 development begin? What will that release look like?
After 7.x is considered “feature complete”, DSpace Steering will begin planning for the 8.0 release in consultation with the DSpace Leadership Group and the entire DSpace community. The exact release date for 8.0 is to be determined, but expected to be approximately a year after 7.x achieves “feature complete” status.
8.x will follow the previously established Release Numbering Scheme. This means that 8.0 will contain new features, but any minor releases (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, etc) will only contain bug/security fixes.