CKEditor 5 v47.7.0 LTS Release Highlights: Entering the Maintenance Phase
CKEditor 5 v47.7.0 is the first maintenance release exclusively for CKEditor 5 LTS Edition. It continues the v47.x line and transitions LTS Edition into the maintenance phase it was built for.
What changes in v47.7.0
Under the hood, this release reflects the formal start of the maintenance phase for the v47.x LTS branch, along with a new naming update that consistently reflects CKEditor 5 LTS Edition identity throughout the codebase. It does not introduce new features or deprecations from a content authoring perspective.
From v47.7.0 onward, the v47.x line requires a valid CKEditor 5 LTS Edition license key. If you are on the open-source or standard commercial plan, this release is not intended for your setup, instead you can upgrade to v48.x line for the latest features and updates.
What does "Maintenance Phase” actually mean
With the long-term support product line, entering maintenance mode does not mean end-of-life. For LTS Edition customers on v47.x, the maintenance phase means:
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Stability – the v47.x API, configuration, and content model stay intact without breaking changes for the full maintenance window. This includes CKEditor AI, which had a minor breaking changes exception during the active phase, but is now locked in as stable
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Security updates – any vulnerabilities discovered in the v47.x line will be addressed with patch releases
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Third-party compatibility – if browsers, natively supported frameworks (React, Angular, Vue), Microsoft Word/Excel, or operating systems introduce breaking changes, those are resolved without requiring action on your end
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Cloud and on-premises compatibility – CKEditor Cloud Services supports CKEditor 5 versions up to five years old, so LTS customers are fully covered.
The v47.x maintenance phase runs until October 2028. At that point, the next LTS release (v51.x, arriving October 2027) will already have been available for a full year, giving integrators a clean, flexible migration window.
Not on the LTS Edition?
If you are not a LTS or LTS- eligible customer: this release is not relevant to your setup.
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Open-source users – the LTS Edition is commercial-only. The right path forward for open-source is v48.x, not v47.7.0.
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Standard commercial customers – same, as open-source, upgrade to v48.x to continue receiving new features and improvements.
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Interested in LTS? – if your organization values long-term stability over continuous updates, the CKEditor 5 LTS Edition may be worth exploring. You can learn more about it on our introduction post or contact our sales team to obtain a license.
